Microplastics have been discovered in Austria’s glacier lakes, according to a new study commissioned by Greenpeace. Samples were taken from four glaciers – Pasterze, Schlatenkees in East Tyrol, Schmiedingersee at Kitzsteinhorn and the Hallstatt Glacier.
Scientists from the University of Exeter found plastic particles in all the samples.
Greenpeace identified 13 types of plastic, linked to textiles, packaging and industrial use. It said the particles likely originated from human activities such as skiing and hiking, as well as pollution from nearby towns.
Rubber from car tyres, for instance, can be carried long distances by wind and rain. Microplastics can also travel vast distances through the atmosphere, reaching remote areas via rain and snow.
“Microplastics in glacial water not only pose risks to the immediate environment, aquatic life, and local biodiversity but could also contaminate drinking water sources in Austria,” Greenpeace said.
Calls for Stronger Protection
Greenpeace has called for stricter rules to safeguard glaciers, arguing that efforts should focus not just on slowing glacial melt caused by climate change but also on keeping the ice free from pollution.
It wants environmental impact assessments to go beyond just glacier ice. “Moraines and glacier forefields must also be protected,” the group said. It is also calling for a ban on construction work on glaciers. “New excavation and blasting operations on glaciers must be banned, as they destroy fragile ecosystems and release even more microplastics.”
The highest concentration of plastic fibres was found in a lake at Schlatenkees, a remote glacier tongue in the Venediger Group. The study detected polyester, acrylates, polyamide, chlorinated polyethylene and chlorosulfonated polyethylene. The Kleine Eissee at the Hallstatt Glacier was also heavily polluted.
In all samples, scientists found synthetic blue fibres thought to have come from denim. Other plastic particles were likely from polyester clothing, PET bottles and shoe soles.
UN Plastic Treaty Talks Continue
The findings come as global negotiations on a UN plastic treaty remain at an impasse.
Greenpeace Austria has urged the next government to uphold its climate commitments and back a reduction in plastic production. “Greenpeace is calling for a 75% reduction in plastic production by 2040,” it said.
Talks in December were meant to finalise a treaty, but after a week of discussions in South Korea, no agreement was reached. Negotiations are expected to resume in May.
A coalition of more than 100 countries, including the European Union, wants to cap global plastic production. However, oil-producing nations such as Saudi Arabia and Russia argue the treaty should focus solely on waste management.
According to the UN, around 400 million tonnes of plastic waste are produced each year – and the figure is rising.
