Microplastic Pollution Assessment by MoES
The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), through the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), conducted an extensive field survey from 2022 to 2025 along India's coastline to evaluate the levels of microplastic and marine debris.
Key Findings
- The primary sources of microplastic pollution are identified as Riverine inputs and Abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG)
Microplastics: An Overview
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles typically ranging in size from 1 micrometre (µm) to 5 millimetres (mm). They are categorized into two types:
- Primary microplastics: Manufactured at small sizes, such as microbeads in cosmetics.
- Secondary microplastics: Result from the breakdown of larger plastic items.
Health and Environmental Concerns
- Microplastics are increasingly linked to the development of tumours and are considered harmful to marine and aquatic life.
