微塑料是指粒径小于5毫米的塑料微粒或塑料碎片。本文是从科学、技术、社会与环境研究（STSE）的视角，对微塑料这一具体事物进行的案例研究——总结归纳微塑料问题的现状，梳理其产生过程，系统地讨论和分析其中的科学、技术、社会与环境问题。

根据生成方式，微塑料有原生和次生两种类型。前者是人类直接生产出来的，如用于化妆品中的塑料微珠；后者是人类间接生产出来的，比如塑料材料制品在使用过程中经过磨损而产生的，尤其是进入自然环境中的塑料废弃物，经过物理粉碎、自然风化和磨损、海水侵蚀等过程逐渐碎裂形成的。目前，微塑料在海洋、淡水、土壤、空气等自然环境中都有分布，数量巨大，并通过食物链进入生物体和人体内，进入人体的可能中介包括海鲜、食盐、蜂蜜、糖、啤酒、自来水、瓶装水或袋装茶等。塑料变成微塑料，保留了原来的化学结构和化学属性，又产生新的物理属性，如表面积增大，吸附力强，渗透性强等，具有更多潜在危害。微塑料污染环境、危害生物，已有诸多研究。但对人类健康的具体影响，尚存争议。微塑料进入人体，涉及到食品安全、公众知情权和环境正义等三个方面的议题。

塑料以及微塑料引起了越来越高的社会关注，有些国家和地区颁布了对原生型微塑料的管制法令，我国政府多年前已经实行了限塑令政策，有些企业也采取了行动，如联合利华的“可持续行动”等。论文对公众、政府、企业、媒体和非政府组织等多方主体的态度、立场和行为方式进行了分析和讨论。

“科-技-产-业-污废链”是工业文明的一个核心运行机制，微塑料的产生是这个链条运行的一个必然结果（原生型在前端，次生型在末端）。论文考察了微塑料在这个链条上的各个环节，诸如有机化学、人工合成技术、塑料产品和化学工业等；讨论了人口增长、城市化、工业大生产等问题；重新审视了传统的垃圾处理观念，以及由技术创造的过度清洁需求，资本增殖需要等问题。微塑料不止是单纯的污染物，还是永不消逝的生态异物。论文以可降解技术和垃圾分类与回收技术为例，分析微塑料问题中的科学技术干预和科学家的角色，指出，依靠当下工业文明中的科学和技术不能解决微塑料问题。

最后，论文尝试构建一条面对微塑料问题的路径。垃圾问题是内在于工业文明的，未来需要一种全新的文明模式——生态文明。如果能够转换思想范式及生产模式，从思想层面到行动层面，实现对工业文明进行彻底的转型，则有可能放慢制造垃圾的速度，缓解微塑料问题。

Microplastics are plastic particles or plastic fragments with a particle size of less than 5 mm. This article is a case study of microplastics as a specific matter in reality from the perspective of Science, Technology, Society and the Environment (STSE) - summarizing the current state of the microplastics issues, combing their production process, and systematically discussing and analyzing the scientific, technological, social and environmental issues involved.

According to the different ways of becoming particles, there are two types of microplastics, primary and secondary. The former is produced directly by humans, such as microbeads used in cosmetics; the latter is produced indirectly by humans, such as plastic products become microplastics through wear and tear during use, especially plastic waste that enters the natural environment become microplastics gradually through physical crushing, natural weathering and abrasion, seawater erosion and other fragmentation processes. At present, microplastics are distributed in the ocean, fresh water, soil, air and other natural environments, and are huge in number, and enter the organism and human body through the food chain. The possible mediators that microplastics enter the human body include seafood, salt, honey, sugar, beer , tap water, bottled water or tea bags. Plastics become microplastics, retaining the original chemical structure and chemical properties, and then produce new physical properties, such as increased surface area, strong adsorption, strong permeability, etc., with more potential hazards. Many studies have been conducted on microplastics polluting the environment and harming organisms. The specific impact on human health, however, is controversial. The entry of microplastics into the human body involves three issues including food safety, the public's right to know, and environmental justice.

Plastics and microplastics have attracted more and more social attention. Some countries and regions have promulgated laws and regulations on primary microplastics. Our government has already implemented the plastic restriction policy many years ago. Some enterprises have also taken action, such as Unilever's "sustainable action" etc. This article analyses and discusses the attitudes, positions and ways of behaving of multiple parties, including the public, government, businesses, media and non-governmental organizations.

The "science-technology-production-industry-waste chain" is a core operating mechanism of industrial civilization, and the production of microplastics is an inevitable result of the operation of this chain (primary type at the front and secondary type at the end). This article examines various links of microplastics in this chain, such as organic chemistry, artificial synthetic technologies, plastic products, and the chemical industry etc .; discusses the problem of population growth, urbanization, industrial production and so on; re-examine traditional concept of waste disposal, as well as the need for excessive cleanliness created by technology and the need for capital proliferation. Microplastics are not only pure pollutants, but also the external input of the ecosystem that will never disappear. Using biodegradable technology and waste sorting and recycling technology as examples, this article analyzes the scientific and technological interventions and the role of scientists in the problem of microplastics, and points out that relying on the science and technology in current industrial civilization cannot solve the microplastics problem.

Finally, this article attempts to construct a pathway to confront the microplastics problem. The problem of garbage is inherent in industrial civilization, and an entirely new model of civilization - ecological civilization is needed in the future. If we can transform the ideological paradigm and production mode, from the ideological level to the action level, and achieve a complete transformation of industrial civilization, it is possible to slow down the rate of waste production and alleviate the microplastic problem.