Microplastic pollution is particles of plastic waste small enough to be carried via the wind and precipitation. A recent analysis of snow and stream samples near the peak of Mount Everest at nearly 27,600 feet above sea level revealed traces of microplastics which had been formerly considered "remote and pristine," according to researchers. The findings have been published in the Cell journal One Earth.
In 2019, National Geographic and Rolex formed a partnership for the Perpetual Planet Everest Expedition, creating a team of international scientists and local Sherpas (mountain guides) to study the mountain's environmental condition. Imogen Napper from the University of Plymouth shared that this is the first time a team has ever studied microplastics on Mount Everest, calling the mountain "the world's highest junkyard."
Plastic Pollution on Mt. Everest
Traces of plastic pollution was found in every single snow sample, said Napper. To realize how humans pollute the tallest mountain "is a real eye-opener." Previous researchers have also discovered microplastic pollution in the Rocky Mountains, the French Pyrenees, the Swiss Alps, and snow in the Arctic.
Consistent with other microplastic research, most of the particles are pieces of fiber made of polyester, acrylic, nylon, and polypropylene fibers from textiles. Microfibers can make their way into water systems due to household washing machines, washing textiles in natural waterways, or discharge from textile companies being dumped into the ocean.
Napper, also called the "plastic detective" by her team, explained that these fiber materials are used to make high-performance outdoor clothing for climbers, tents, and ropes. Climbers may actually be the major source of pollution more than other plastics such as food and beverage containers.
Read Also: Scientists Trace Microplastic Pollution Almost Everywhere, It's Become Airborne
New Environmental Solutions Needed
Sagarmatha National Park, where Mt. Everest is found, would have up to 45,000 or more trekkers and climbers per year. While visitors have boosted the tourism sector and positively impacted the economy, the trade-off is an immense pollution problem. Over the years, wrote the authors, "Mt. Everest has accumulated old tents, fixed ropes, used oxygen bottles, human waste, tins, glass, and paper left behind from previous expeditions."
The plastic detective concluded that their paper describes microplastic pollution on Earth's highest mountain while others have discovered the pollution in the ocean's depths. Another study estimated that nearly 102,000 to 260,000 tons of microplastics are now floating in the oceans worldwide.
While microplastics are officially defined as plastic particles that are at least five millimeters small, the minimum size the team traced was 36 micrometers. However, they suspect that there may be microplastic particles that are even smaller but cannot be traced by the equipment.
Most environmental efforts focus on the three R's - reduce, reuse, and recycle - but it is also time to focus on microplastics solutions. For example, said Napper, making fabrics more sustainable by incorporating natural fibers to replace plastic materials would be one solution. "We need to protect and care for our planet" by focusing on environmental solutions, Napper concluded.
Read Also: Mussel Exposure to Microfibers Cause Serious Physiological and Genetic Damage
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