Currently, microplastics are recognized worldwide as a common pollutant in the atmosphere. Because of their small size and low density, they can move around the Earth with the help of winds. According to experts, atmospheric aerosols, such as mineral dust and other airborne toxic substances, affect the earth's climate by absorbing and scattering radiation (direct radiative effect), and their effects are usually measured using the effective radiative effect index (ERF).
The ERF of airborne microplastics in the current atmosphere is estimated to be 0.044 ± 0.399 milliwatts per square meter, assuming a uniform surface concentration of 1 microplastic particle per cubic meter and a vertical distribution at 10 kilometers altitude. However, there are large uncertainties in the geographic and vertical distribution of microplastics. Assuming they are confined to the boundary layer, shortwave effects dominate and the microplastic ERF is approximately -0.746 ± 0.553 milliwatts per square meter. Microplastic ERF is small compared to total ERF due to aerosol-radiation interaction (-0.71 to -0.14 watts per square meter). Experts say that over the past 70 years, plastic production has grown rapidly. Without serious efforts to overhaul plastic production and waste management practices, ERF will continue to increase due to the abundance of microplastics in the air.
