MμPPET - A Model of MicroPlastic Pollution of the EarTh

Plastic pollution in the environment is a global threat that has the potential to trigger poorly reversible environmental and human health impacts.

Confronting the threat from plastic pollution requires understanding its sources, transport, fragmentation & transformation, and identifying areas of the global environment where poorly reversible plastic pollution may be accumulating. This research project will develop a novel, open-source global mass balance model for plastic pollution.

The model will track particulate plastic pollution as four aggregation species and five size classes.

We will validate the model by using it to reconcile measured concentrations of microplastic particles in the global ocean and atmosphere with estimates of emission strength and environmentally relevant properties of plastic.

Then we will apply the model to identify plastic material properties that favor delayed accumulation of persistent plastic pollution in remote areas of the global environment, which has the highest potential to trigger unacceptable and poorly reversible impacts.

Finally, we will use the model to forecast the evolution of plastic pollution in the global environment in scenarios that describe alternative future technological, remediation and policy options that are available as negotiation of the global legally binding treaty on plastic pollution proceeds.