We produce 390 million tonnes of plastic every year, but only 9% is recycled. A single fragment of plastic can take up to 500 years to break down in the environment. Faced with such figures, it’s understandable to wonder whether we can truly reduce plastic pollution and whether a future without it is even possible. If so, what approach should we take to tackle the problem? Science should not be seen as the sole solution to such a complex challenge, but it is certainly a valuable ally when it comes to developing effective responses.
The challenge of identifying microscopic plastics
To begin addressing plastic pollution, we need to identify plastics. If the plastic waste is large—like supermarket bags or straws—the problem is less severe. These items can be easily sorted at waste treatment plants, collected through community initiatives such as beach clean-ups, or highlighted through awareness campaigns. The real challenge arises when attempting to detect microscopic plastics.
Micro- and nanoplastics range in size from 5 mm to 0.001 mm, making them difficult to identify and quantify. | EFE/Marta Pérez
Identifying micro- and nanoplastics is technically complex, as they vary in shape and can sometimes be mistaken for rocks or other non-plastic materials. Methodology is therefore key — a challenge within the challenge. At IDAEA, a high-resolution method has been developed that combines liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS), a highly precise technique that separates and detects molecules at extremely low levels, alongside mass quantification.
Unlike previous methods, this technique measures micro- and nanoplastic concentrations in nanograms per litre (ng/L), allowing the total amount of plastic to be assessed regardless of the size or shape of the particles.
The technique developed at IDAEA quantifies micro- and nanoplastics by mass (not by volume, as was done previously), making it possible to calculate the total plastic content regardless of the size or shape of the particles. | IDAEA
Once dispersed in aquatic ecosystems, microplastics are extremely difficult to remove. At IDAEA, innovative technologies such as ceramic membranes are also being developed to prevent microplastic and other waterborne contamination. They offer fast, cost-effective and sustainable solutions. These ceramic membranes are porous cylinders that preconcentrate substances for more effective analysis.
Detail of the nanoscopic structure of the ceramic membranes.
| Sandra Bermejo
The chemical impact of plastics
Beyond visible fragments, plastics also have a less obvious, silent and equally concerning dimension: chemical pollution. Plastics contain a wide range of chemical additives — compounds added to the base polymer to improve durability, flexibility, resistance to sunlight, and so on. These additives can represent a significant proportion of the plastic’s final weight — sometimes over 50%.
The problem is that these additives gradually leach into the environment over time, with use and wear. They have been found in every habitat studied so far — from Antarctica to major cities — and in a wide range of animals such as turtles and cetaceans, as well as in human tissues including blood, placenta and breast milk, and even in food and drinks.
The presence of these compounds has been linked to multiple diseases including various types of cancer, infertility, hyperactivity, attention deficit, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular conditions, diabetes and obesity, among others.
Although no direct cause-effect link can be firmly established, this is a case of chronic toxicity: it does not produce immediate effects, but symptoms appear in the medium to long term due to continuous daily exposure to very small concentrations. These chemical compounds come from multiple sources and enter our bodies through the air we breathe, the food we eat and the clothes we wear.
If you would like to learn how to reduce your exposure to plasticisers, one of the most common families of plastic additives, download our Good practices guide to reducing plastic use (in Spanish).
Routes of exposure to plastic additives: inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact. | IDAEA
The double edge of global recycling
From a regulatory perspective, important steps have been taken — though they remain insufficient. Since 2021, the European Union has banned several single-use plastic items (such as cotton buds, cutlery, plates, straws and drink stirrers) when sustainable and affordable alternatives are available. Despite these efforts to make Europe more sustainable, the EU still exports over 50,000 tonnes of plastic waste each month to non-OECD countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Turkey.
These countries often lack efficient and well-implemented recycling systems to manage the flood of plastic “traded” by exporting nations, so the environmental problem at the global scale persists. In response, from 21 November 2026, the EU will restrict plastic waste exports — particularly to non-OECD countries — to promote a circular economy and take responsibility for its own waste.
Recycling rates by EU country. | European Parliament
It seems timely to revisit the well-known environmental slogan “Think globally, act locally.” Environmental science plays a key role in this approach, as it not only detects and analyses global problems like plastic pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss, but also provides tools and technologies to implement context-specific solutions. Moreover, science informs public policy. Scientific data supports responsible decision-making by governance bodies at local, regional, national and international levels. For example, the report Combating plastic pollution (in Spanish) — part of the Science for Public Policy series from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) — aims to inform, support and advise both public and private entities on this environmental challenge.
This report, to which IDAEA-CSIC contributed, analyses the environmental and health implications of increasing plastic production, as well as the release of micro- and nanoplastics and other additives into the environment, and presents potential strategies to reduce such pollution. | CSIC
Legislation for the future
We need faster, more effective and evidence-based legislation — bold enough to tackle plastic pollution on a global scale. The planet needs a greater commitment. The International Treaty on Plastic Pollution, currently under negotiation under the mandate of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), is a historic agreement to address this issue.
This treaty is important because it represents a shift in focus: it not only addresses waste recycling but also aims to reduce production and promote more circular systems. It could set global limits on virgin plastic production, much like the Paris Agreement does for carbon emissions. The treaty will include both binding and voluntary measures, with potential economic, political and environmental consequences.
To move towards a future free of plastic pollution, such agreements must be binding and backed by solid science — like the research produced at IDAEA. In this way, we move from knowledge to action, from the lab to international agreements.
Alicia S. Arroyo
Communication and Outreach | IDAEA
