Microplastics Rain Down on Mount Everest Year-Round, Study Finds

Mount Everest is receiving a steady, year-round supply of airborne microplastics and nanoplastics, according to a study published in Communications Earth & Environment. Researchers report year-long monitoring on the mountain’s northern slope using dry, wet, and total deposition sampling, identifying the atmosphere as an efficient pathway for plastic delivery to the Third Pole.

Microplastic deposition fluxes were significantly higher at Qomolangma Station, at 64.0 particles per square metre per day, than at Everest Base Camp, which recorded 23.0 particles per square metre per day. The authors attribute this contrast to topographic and anthropogenic differences between the two sites. The deposited microplastics were dominated by fragments, with polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyethylene the main polymer types identified.

Nanoplastic concentrations, measured across five representative months, were also higher at Qomolangma Station than at Everest Base Camp. The nanoplastics included polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene, showing that even the smallest plastic particles reach some of the most remote terrain on Earth.

Seasonal patterns shaped how the plastics arrived. During monsoon periods, wet deposition was enhanced through short-range transport, while non-monsoon periods received long-range continental inputs. This indicates that plastic particles travel to the high Himalaya both from nearby sources and across vast distances, carried by large-scale atmospheric circulation.

By upscaling their measurements, the researchers estimate an annual atmospheric input of 56.4 tons of microplastic to the Tibetan Plateau above 4000 metres. The team notes that these findings reveal potential ecological risks despite the low ambient concentrations measured at the sites. The study was published as an open access article on 30 October 2026.

Subject of Research: Atmospheric microplastic and nanoplastic deposition on the northern slope of Mount Everest

Article Title: Persistent influx of atmospheric microplastics and nanoplastics to Mount Everest driven by large scale circulation

Article References: Wang, Y., Guo, Q., Wu, J., Xi, Z., Xu, X., Ye, Q., Long, X., Jia, H., & Xing, B. (2026). Persistent influx of atmospheric microplastics and nanoplastics to Mount Everest driven by large scale circulation. Communications Earth & Environment. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-04206-3

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1038/s43247-026-04206-3

Keywords: microplastics, nanoplastics, Mount Everest, Tibetan Plateau, atmospheric deposition, long-range transport, monsoon, Third Pole, pollution, Communications Earth & Environment, Persistent, influx