There is an illusion regarding Montana water. To the eye Montana waters such as the beautiful Yellowstone River seem pristine and clear of any contaminants, however this is no longer the case. A substance whose effects remain largely unknown has been found in Montana waters.
Environment Montana Research and Policy Center released a report showing that plastic particles known as microplastics were found in a third of 32 waterbodies across Montana, including the Clark Fork, Bitterroot, Blackfoot and Little Blackfoot rivers and Flathead Lake.
Microplastics are extremely small pieces of plastic debris in the environment resulting from the disposal and breakdown of consumer products and industrial waste. The potential effects of these contaminants remain largely unknown.
However, the presence of microplastics is expanding. Studies have found microplastics in the air, soil, human blood, and even in the placenta of baby fetuses.
