Microplastics are falling from the sky and polluting forests
Mar 23, 2026
Tiny plastic particles aren’t just choking oceans and cities—they’re quietly infiltrating forests too. Scientists discovered that most microplastics arrive through the air, settling onto treetops before being washed or dropped to the forest floor in rain and falling leaves. Once there, natural
processes like leaf decay help bury and store these particles deep in the soil. The findings reveal forests as hidden reservoirs of airborne pollution—and potentially a new frontline in the growing microplastics crisis. ...read more read less