The UK is falling behind other countries in tackling microplastic pollution according to a report by the Women’s Institute and the Global Plastics Policy Centre.
The paper, Tackling Microplastic Pollution in the UK, is being released today and highlights the failures in the UK’s efforts against the contamination of the environment, human body and food chain that microplastics cause.
The organisations are calling for the government to introduce legally binding targets to reduce the pollution and establish a national strategy to battle emissions across the material’s lifecycle.
Dr Antaya March, Director of the Global Plastics Policy Centre, said: “The UK has an opportunity to move from a fragmented response to a coordinated strategy that tackles microplastics across the plastics lifecycle.
“We should not wait for every scientific uncertainty to be resolved before acting where the evidence already shows that intervention can prevent pollution and reduce future risks.”
The report points to the accumulation of microplastics in soil which threatens food security and could lead to serious economic consequences.
The pollutant has also been traced in seafood, meat, fruit, milk and drinking water which are all contributing to the increase in human exposure to the plastics.
The report calls for five priorities for the government to address including clear policy framework, regulation of large sources of microplastics, strengthening producer responsibility, reducing major leakage pathways and building a national monitoring system.
