Verster, CarinaMinnaar, KarinBouwman, Hindrik2017-06-062017-06-062017Verster, C. et al. 2017. Marine and freshwater microplastic research in South Africa. Integrated environmental assessment and management, 13(3):533-535. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ieam.1900]1551-37771551-3793 (Online)http://hdl.handle.net/10394/24836http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ieam.1900South Africa has a vibrant plastics manufacturing industry, but recycling is limited and insufficient with a notable proportion of the unmanaged waste entering the environment. South Africa is a developing country with microplastics research in its inception. Very little is known about freshwater microplastics, and studies on South African marine microplastics are limited but actively being pursued. In a water-scarce country, protection of freshwater resources remains a priority, but in the face of other socioeconomic issues (poverty, unemployment, and HIV/AIDS), it receives insufficiently effective attention. The full impact and risks of microplastics pollution in water is yet to be discovered. The risks may be enhanced in a developing country where many communities remain largely dependent on the land and natural waters. With South Africa being a water-scarce country, the quality of its aquatic resources is at an even greater risk with an assumed increasing background of microplastics, emphasizing the need for further research. A South African Water Research Commission–funded project is being undertaken to derive research priorities, but there is an immediate need for improved recycling and waste managementenSouth AfricaMicroplasticsWater-scarce environmentPlastic waste recyclingAquatic pollutionArticle