Approximately three million metric tons of microplastics are lost to the environment worldwide each year. The source of nearly half of this amount entering the world's environment comes from the loss of synthetic rubber (which is indeed a type of plastic) from the abrasion of tires on roads.
Annual volume of microplastics lost to the environment worldwide as of 2018 by source
(in million metric tons)
Characteristic
Volume in million metric tons
Loss of rubber from tire abrasion
1.41
City dust
0.65
Road markings
0.59
Loss via washing of textiles-clothing
0.26
Loss through weathering of marine coatings
0.05
Loss of plastic during upstream plastic production (virgin plastic pellets)
0.03
Microbeads lost to environment from use of cosmetic and personal care products
0.01
Total microplastic loss to environment
3.01
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UNEP, & GEF, & Danmarks Tekniske Universitet. (October 23, 2018). Annual volume of microplastics lost to the environment worldwide as of 2018 by source (in million metric tons) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved April 08, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1192550/sources-of-microplastics-entering-environment-worldwide/
UNEP, und GEF, und Danmarks Tekniske Universitet. "Annual volume of microplastics lost to the environment worldwide as of 2018 by source (in million metric tons)." Chart. October 23, 2018. Statista. Accessed April 08, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1192550/sources-of-microplastics-entering-environment-worldwide/
UNEP, GEF, Danmarks Tekniske Universitet. (2018). Annual volume of microplastics lost to the environment worldwide as of 2018 by source (in million metric tons). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: April 08, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1192550/sources-of-microplastics-entering-environment-worldwide/
UNEP, and GEF, and Danmarks Tekniske Universitet. "Annual Volume of Microplastics Lost to The Environment Worldwide as of 2018 by Source (in Million Metric Tons)." Statista, Statista Inc., 23 Oct 2018, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1192550/sources-of-microplastics-entering-environment-worldwide/
UNEP & GEF & Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, Annual volume of microplastics lost to the environment worldwide as of 2018 by source (in million metric tons) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1192550/sources-of-microplastics-entering-environment-worldwide/ (last visited April 08, 2025)
Annual volume of microplastics lost to the environment worldwide as of 2018 by source (in million metric tons) [Graph], UNEP, & GEF, & Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, October 23, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1192550/sources-of-microplastics-entering-environment-worldwide/
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