The article „Atmospheric transport is a major pathway of microplastics to remote regions” and our corresponding press release have brought worldwide attention to automobile tire wear and break wear as a source of global microplastic pollution. The study finds that small microplastic particles from these sources can be transported via the atmosphere to the world’s oceans and other remote areas such as the Arctic in substantial amounts. While pollution of rivers and oceans with plastics has already received a lot of attention in recent years, this is the first study of global transport of microplastics in the atmosphere.

International media such as CNN, the Guardian or Der Spiegel have written about the research, and interviews with Andreas Stohl were broadcasted by BBC World Service Radio (from 15:50) and Austrian TV (ORF Konkret und ORF Mittag in Österreich).