Plastic pollution has become one of the fastest-growing concerns over the past two decades. Since plastics entered widespread use in the 1950s, production has only increased to meet this high demand. Unfortunately, most of the plastic produced over the past 80 years has not been effectively recycled, causing an estimated 4900 megatons to enter our natural environments. This has led to unavoidable interactions between plastic waste and animals. When animals interact with large pieces of plastic waste, the consequences can be severe, including blockages in the digestive tract that lead to death, as seen in sea birds and mammals.

Globally, there is widespread agreement that plastic pollution is a problem. In the summer of 2025, delegates representing 184 nations failed to negotiate a UN-led intergovernmental treaty on plastic pollution after three years of effort. We are learning more about the consequences of plastics for animals, but it’s complex. Recently, the media has reported on the possible presence of nanoplastics in humans and other mammals, with the plastics potentially being absorbed into sensitive organs. However, this research has also come under scrutiny, with scientists disagreeing on the core methods used. One challenge contributing to uncertainty in identifying plastics in animals is that not all plastics are the same. Plastic waste varies in size, shape and chemical additives. Very small plastic particles, including microplastics (1 µm to 5 mm) and nanoplastics (

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