Lost fishing gear is causing India's microplastic pollution: Study
A major survey just revealed that most of the microplastic pollution along India's coastline is coming from lost fishing gear and rivers carrying plastic waste.
Researchers checked water and sediment at 44 spots from Gujarat to Tamil Nadu, finding the problem stretches across the country.
Microplastics threaten marine life, corals, and humans
Microplastics are tiny plastic bits (think: smaller than a sesame seed) that come from things like broken-down bottles or synthetic products.
Kerala's coastal waters had up to 200 particles per liter—enough to threaten coral reefs, mangroves, sea life, and even humans who eat seafood.
Plastic still dominates beach litter
India's food safety authority started checking for microplastics in food last year.
Beach litter is down—from 67% of waste in 2018 to 43% in 2024—but plastic still dominates.
With almost one-fifth of India's nine million tons of yearly plastic going uncollected, there's still a long way to go.