Guinness World Records notes Everest Expedition finds highest-altitude microplastic
Guinness World Records determined that the 2019 National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Everest Expedition, which included scientists from the University of Maine Climate Change Institute, revealed the highest altitude where microplastics were found. The highest-ever recorded sample of microplastics was pinpointed on the “Balcony” of Mount Everest at 8,440 meters, one of the last resting spots before reaching the summit. This microplastic is likely from climbers’ clothing and equipment, highlighting the impacts of humans on even the highest reaches of our planet.