The Ministry of Sciences of the Earth (MOE), through the National Coastal Research Center (NCCR), conducted field surveys along the Indian coast between 2022 and 2025 to assess microplastic and marine debris. Picture for representation. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/Istockphoto
The main sources of “microplastic” pollution along the Indian coast are “river inputs” and abandoned, lost and discarded fishing equipment, said Minister Jitendra Singh in a written response to Lok Sabha on Wednesday (August 6, 2025).
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The Ministry of Sciences of the Earth (MOE), through the National Coastal Research Center (NCCR), conducted field surveys along the Indian coast between 2022 and 2025 to assess microplastic and marine debris. The microplastics in the water and the sediment were carried out along the eastern and west coasts of India. On the west coast, 19 transects were accompanied from Porblerat (Gujarat) to Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu), while on the east coast it was taken from Puri (Odisha) to Toothuku (Tamil over). The finding indicated that the predominant sources of microplastic pollution are river inputs and abandoned, lost and discarded fishing equipment (ALDFG), he said in his reaction.
Microplastics are small plastic particles, usually range from 1 micrometer (µm) to 5 millimeters (mm). These may be either primary microplasty, produced in this size (such as microbudins in cosmetics) or secondary microplasty, made of decay of larger plastic objects. The main problem of microplastics is that they are increasingly associated with tumors and claim to be poisonous to marine and water life.
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Research groups examine the presence of microplastics in a wide range of products. The Indian Food Regulator, the Food Safety and Standards in India (FSSAI) last year commissioned a project to assess microplastic contamination in food products and develop methods for its detection in increasing concerns of microplastic contamination in food. Organization for Environmental Research toxic Link tested 10 types of salt that claimed to reveal the presence of microplastics in all salt and sugar samples, in various forms, including fiber, pellets, films and fragments.
Published – 6. August 2025 9:05
