Plastic fibres stunt growth in mussels by more than a third – here's why this is a concern

By Chris Walkinshaw, PhD Candidate, Plymouth Marine Laboratory

Plastic pollution poses a threat to marine wildlife. The plastic bags, bottles and straws that we see strewn across beaches have long been identified as a danger. But tiny fragments of plastic – called microplastics – that are less than 5mm in size are also a major source.

Microfibres are the most common type of microplastic and account for up to 91% of the microplastics that float around our seas. These minuscule fibres are shed…

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