Austin, Texas, has a growing microplastic problem in its soil and bodies of water.
Danielle Zaleski, a student at the University of Texas’ Jackson School of Geosciences, pulled a core sample from the floor of Lady Bird Lake in Austin. The mesh, intended to separate sediment from plastic, clogged almost instantly. The sample contained so many fragments that the count had to be abandoned.
What’s happening?
A recent report from KXAN dissected research into how microplastic pollution has built up in Austin’s lakes over time, finding that older sediment contained only a few hundred particles per sample while recent layers had thousands.
Zaleski, who works with the University of Texas and the city, has been documenting the rise of microplastics in Austin’s lakes. In older sediment, buried deeper underground, she measured about 200 particles for every 100 grams. Near the surface, the number spiked to 4,600…