Fresh as the Microplastic-Laden Sierra Snow: Storms Can Deliver Pollution to Even Remote Locations

Microplastics found in freshly fallen snow in Sierra Nevada

Microplastics are everywhere — including in Nevada’s snowpack. After years of skiing on freshly fallen snow in remote locations across the Sierra Nevada, Aleksandra Karapetrov — an environmental toxicologist at the University of California, Riverside — wondered how pristine the snow really was.  Over six months, Karapetrov and a team of University of California, Riverside […]

Fresh as the microplastic-laden Sierra snow: Storms can deliver pollution to even remote locations

For the first time, UC Riverside scientists have measured how much microplastic pollution falls on the Sierra Nevada during snowstorms and were surprised to find significant amounts even in the most remote locations.

UC Riverside Finds Microplastics in Sierra Nevada Snow Even at Remote Sites

UC Riverside scientists have measured how much microplastic pollution falls on the Sierra Nevada during snowstorms and found significant amounts even in the most remote locations. Lead researcher Aleksandra Karapetrova, a UC Riverside environmental toxicologist, could not reach any of the snowfall collection sites by car or on foot. “One site was accessed by chairlift. I had to ski to the rest of the remote sites. That’s how isolated they are,” …

Fresh as the microplastic-laden Sierra snow: Scientists quantify exact amounts, types of plastics in snowfall — Jules Bernstein (University of #California, Riverside)

Click the link to read the release on the UC Riverside website (Jules Bernstein): October 28, 2026 For the first time, UC Riverside scientists have measured how much microplastic pollution falls on the Sierra Nevada during snowstorms and were surprised to find significant amounts even in the most remote locations. Lead researcher Aleksandra Karapetrova, a … Continue reading Fresh as the microplastic-laden Sierra snow: Scientists quantify exact a…