On September 1, 2026, the UK Parliament’s All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Microplastics, published a report on the state of microplastic pollution in the United Kingdom, which also identifies priority actions to reduce emissions from key sources and pathways over the next five years. It updates the Group’s first report, published in 2021, with the latest scientific understanding of the issue.
The report concludes that the pervasive and persistent nature of microplastics, combined with the difficulty of removing them from the environment, calls for adopting a precautionary approach. Although a safe exposure threshold for microplastics has not yet been established, their implications for food security and the economy, including sectors such as fisheries, agriculture, and public health, are increasingly being recognized (FPF reported and here).
The authors further note that the UK lacks a coherent policy strategy on microplastics and instead relies on a fragmented and indirect approach to tackle pollution from these tiny plastic particles. The report states that “early intervention is likely to be significantly more cost-effective than managing cumulative microplastic pollution and its downstream impacts.” To address this challenge, the authors recommend action in five priority policy areas over the next five years:
- Develop a UK policy framework, including targets
- Target sources with high microplastic leakage
- Drive reduction through Extended Producer Responsibility and existing economic instruments
- Strengthen protections related to wastewater, sludge, and soil to reduce microplastic release into the environment and their redistribution across ecosystems
- Establish a coordinated system for monitoring and ensuring that policy remains responsive to emerging evidence
By implementing these early, coordinated actions, the authors argue that the UK can not only protect the environment and human health, but also provide greater clarity for industry, reduce long-term costs, avoid falling behind emerging international policy developments, and demonstrate global leadership.
To prepare the report, the authors collected information from academia, industry, and environmental organizations through an open call for evidence and reviewed the latest scientific research. The Group’s Secretariat is provided by the National Federation of Women’s Institutes, the UK’s largest women’s organization.
Reference
APPG on Microplastics (2026). “Tackling Microplastic Pollution in the UK. Evidence and priority actions for the next five years (2026-2031).” All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Microplastics.
