Microplastics are plastic fragments ranging in size from 5 millimeters to 1 micrometer. Today, they are ubiquitous in the environment and represent a global concern.

They result from the fragmentation or abrasion of larger plastics (bottles, packaging, etc.) under the effects of UV radiation, mechanical forces, and animal or bacterial activity. The main sources of microplastics¹ are: tire abrasion, littering (the abandonment of waste in nature), poor waste management, and plastic fibers released from our clothing. Released microplastics accumulate in water and soil.

Due to their small size and low mass, microplastics can be carried by the wind over thousands of kilometers² and deposited in remote areas. The Clean Mont Blanc³ project, led by Summit Foundation, AQUALTI, and the University of Savoie Mont-Blanc, has documented their presence in 18 glacial streams of Mont-Blanc — far from any human activity.

This contamination is not insignificant and causes various environmental impacts:

• Microplastics carry persistent organic pollutants⁴ (POPs), originating from plastic additives or absorbed from the environment.
• They are ingested by wildlife^{5, 6}. Their ingestion reduces feeding stimuli, causes digestive and reproductive disorders, and slows growth. The pollutants contained in microplastics accumulate in food chains.
• Finally, they contribute to accelerating glacier melt⁷ by increasing the absorption of sunlight. This raises the temperature on the surface of glaciers.

So what can be done? At your level, certain behaviors can help reduce emissions:

• Reduce your use of plastic packaging and make sure it is properly recycled or disposed of.
• In the mountains, take a bag for your waste, and choose reusable containers and a water bottle instead of disposable ones.
• In mountain restaurants, encourage the abandonment of single-use plastics in favor of sustainable alternatives.

Let’s adopt good habits and protect our environment from microplastics.

1. Padha, Shaveta, Rakesh Kumar, Anjali Dhar, and Prabhakar Sharma. «Microplastic Pollution in Mountain Terrains and Foothills: A Review on Source, Extraction, and Distribution of Microplastics in Remote Areas.» Environmental Research 207 (May 2022): 112232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2021.112232.
2. Bergmann, Melanie, Sophia Mützel, Sebastian Primpke, Mine B. Tekman, Jürg Trachsel, and Gunnar Gerdts. «White and Wonderful? Microplastics Prevail in Snow from the Alps to the Arctic». Science Advances 5, n^o 8 (2019): eaax1157. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aax1157.
3. Clean Mont Blanc - Summit Foundation. n.d. Accessed on 10 September 2025. https://summit-foundation.org/en/clean-mont-blanc/.
4. Gateuille, David, and Emmanuel Naffrechoux. «Transport of Persistent Organic Pollutants: Another Effect of Microplastic Pollution?» WIREs Water 9, nᵒ 5 (2022): e1600. https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1600.
5. Bellasi, Arianna, Gilberto Binda, Andrea Pozzi, Silvia Galafassi, Pietro Volta, and Roberta Bettinetti. «Microplastic Contamination in Freshwater Environments: A Review, Focusing on Interactions with Sediments and Benthic Organisms». Environments 7, n^o 4 (2020): 30. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments7040030.
6. Susanti, N K Y, A Mardiastuti, and Y Wardiatno. «Microplastics and the Impact of Plastic on Wildlife: A Literature Review. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 528, n^o 1 (2020): 012013. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/528/1/012013.
7. Padha, Shaveta, Rakesh Kumar, Anjali Dhar, and Prabhakar Sharma. «Microplastic Pollution in Mountain Terrains and Foothills: A Review on Source, Extraction, and Distribution of Microplastics in Remote Areas.» Environmental Research 207 (May 2022): 112232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2021.112232.