“It is raining plastic:” New Study Finds Plastic in Raindrops

In a 2019 USGS study, a myriad of colorful microplastic particles were discovered in raindrops collected in Boulder, Colorado.

The report states, “More plastic fibers were observed in samples from urban sites than from isolated, montane sites. However, frequent observation of plastic fibers in washout samples from the isolated Loch Vale site in Rocky Mountain National Park (elevation 3,159 meters) suggests that wet-deposition of plastic is ubiquitous and not just an urban condition” (It is raining plastic, 2019).

However, this is not the first time plastic has been found in raindrops. In France, these tiny plastic fibers were also discovered, as cited in the 2019 Nature Geoscience report, “Atmospheric transport and deposition of microplastics in a remote mountain catchment.”

What does this mean?

Well, the scientists aren’t quite sure. The two biggest questions seem to be: how did plastic accumulate and assimilate into our environment and biota, and how will this effect us and other species?

• https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/ofr20191048

• https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-019-0335-5.epdf?