*Recycling [of plastics] can release huge quantities of microplastics.* After installing an additional filter, the plant released 6% of the plastic input as microplastics. (Before that, it was more.) Even the air around the plant is full of microplastics.

Washing machines also release plenty of microplastics. The only way to arrange for most washing machines to have filters is for the government to do it to people's washing machines, and those in laundries. The amount of trouble involved in getting and installing a filter will dissuade most people who are busy.

One of the menaces of plastic waste is that it blocks drainage systems in countries too poor to clean them out.