Climate Impact from Airborne Microplastics

Study published May 4, 2026, in Nature Climate Change shows airborne microplastics contribute to global warming.
Fudan University and Duke University led research on microplastic heat absorption.
Colored microplastics absorb 75x more sunlight than pristine plastics.
Microplastics generate 16% of black carbon's warming impact.
North Pacific Gyre hotspots have 5x greater heat-trapping effect than black carbon.
Plastic production and waste fragmentation will amplify climate impact.

Climate Change | Environmental Impact | Pollution

North Pacific Subtropical Gyre

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