Atmospheric microplastics contribute to global warming, study finds
A recent study reveals that colored microplastics and nanoplastics in the atmosphere absorb sunlight, contributing to global warming at about 16% the level of soot’s impact. This challenges prior views that white plastics mainly reflect light and cool the planet.
Laboratory tests by Fudan University researchers showed most atmospheric plastic particles are colored, enabling them to trap heat effectively. Their modeling estimates plastics have 16.2% of black carbon’s heat-trapping power globally, rising to 4.7 times higher in plastic-heavy areas like parts of the Pacific Ocean.
The work, published May 3, 2026, in Nature Climate Change, urges better global monitoring of microplastic distribution.
Earlier studies suggested microplastics might cool the climate by scattering sunlight, but recent evidence emphasizes their warming role, especially at higher altitudes.
Microplastics also interact bidirectionally with warming: rising temperatures fragment more plastics, while emissions from production and degradation add greenhouse gases.
Duke University’s Drew Shindell noted the breakthrough in measuring colored particles’ sunlight absorption rates precisely.
