Plastic is a prolific contaminant, affecting marine and freshwater ecosystems across the globe. The predominant type of plastic debris identified in natural ecosystems is ‘microplastic’, describing microscopic synthetic beads, granules, fragments and fibres of anthropogenic origin. Microplastic debris is increasingly recognised as a global challenge of international importance, owing to its prevalence and capacity to be ingested by, and cause harm to, marine life. We propose a five-day training workshop in Spring/Summer 2018 in Callao (Peru), to provide expertise and training on the transport pathways, uptake mechanisms and prevalence of microplastics in natural ecosystems. The workshop will be supported by leading researchers from Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the University of Glasgow (UK). The collaboratively-hosted workshop will support the development of early career researchers in this vitally-important field, and facilitate future research opportunities between the UK and Peru.