Arctic Plastification: Climate-driven amplification of plastic pollution through accumulation and fragmentation

Anna Zielonka, Jacob Clement Yde, Maciej Liro

Rapid warming of the Arctic, known as Arctic Amplification, is reshaping ice, ocean, and coastal systems in ways that alter how plastic pollution accumulates and transforms in the region. As global plastic emissions continue to rise, more debris is transported northward by rivers and ocean currents. At the same time, the loss of sea ice, coastal erosion, and the formation of new shorelines are creating new accumulation zones where plastics can build up. These processes also expose plastic debris to stronger sunlight, waves, and freeze–thaw cycles, accelerating its fragmentation into smaller particles. Together, these conditions mean that the Arctic is not just a passive sink for global plastic waste but an active and dynamic environment where macroplastics are broken down into secondary microplastics, increasing risks for ecosystems and human health.
Here, we synthesize these interconnected processes under the new concept of Arctic Plastification – a physical geography–based framework that links Arctic Amplification with the mechanisms that enhance both plastic accumulation and fragmentation, offering a structured basis for identifying where and how these processes interact across cryospheric, coastal, and oceanic systems. Recognizing this transformation reframes the Arctic from a remote endpoint of plastic transport into an active interface that shapes plastic fate and impact. Based on our framework we outline an interdisciplinary research agenda to quantify Arctic plastic accumulation and fragmentation dynamics under accelerating climate change. Understanding Arctic Plastification is essential for predicting how a warming planet will redistribute and transform plastic pollution worldwide.