Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Environment
Tom Perkins

MYSTERIOUS: Merrily we bring microplastics into the wilderness with our hiking shoes study shows - What They Never Told You

Woman's legs in blue hiking pants traverse marsh at sunset.
Between two lakes, the samples from the lake that saw heavier foot traffic showed levels about 23 times higher. Photograph: Iryna Melnyk/Getty Images

Hiking shoes and outdoor gear are probably a significant source of microplastic pollution in the wilderness, new research that checked for the pernicious material in several Adirondack mountain lakes in upstate New York suggests.

Researchers measured microplastic levels in two lakes that are the among highest sources of water for the Hudson River – one that sees heavy foot traffic from hikers, and another lake that is far away from a path and rarely touched by human activity.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.