Microplastic pollution assessment in coastal and marine environments presents significant challenges, particularly in the standardisation and development of methods. Currently, there is no universally accepted standardised method for microplastic analysis, often leading to inconsistencies in data. Microplastics are challenging to analyse due to their tiny size and varied types, requiring advanced and standardised methods for accurate detection. Additionally, there is a need for rapid automated analysis of polymers to provide responsive data collection for environmental assessment and research. Developing reliable and efficient methods for this purpose is an ongoing challenge. This research focuses on introducing a novel technique using the Nicolet Raptir+ FTIR Microscope to aid in the identification of polymers. This technique is part of a broadscale microplastic assessment project designed to provide a baseline dataset for surface water microplastic contamination in NSW, Australia. A variety of processes were undertaken to develop, refine, and validate the methodology, including creating an in-house spectral library for reliable polymer identification. Ongoing research is continuing to explore the potential of this innovative approach to enhance overall environmental monitoring efforts. Our findings provide valuable insights into the future adoption of these new techniques to address the complexities of microplastic pollution.