Abstract
Composting the municipal organic fraction of waste results in a valuable product in the form of compost, which could be used instead of other forms of fertilisation. The organic waste stream may contain oxo-biodegradable and biodegradable plastics used for waste collection. Their components and decomposition residues may contaminate the compost chemically and physically. In this paper, the results of studies on the content of selected macro- and microelements in new and composted plastics have been analysed. Statistical analyses were carried out in order to determine the most characteristic components of plastics and to determine the character of chemical composition changes. The analysis of the test results showed that multidirectional changes in the content of macro- and microelements occur during composting, and they may be the source of contamination of the fertiliser produced. Contaminants in the form of microplastics may also be released into the environment, which may pose a threat to many elements of the environment, including animals and humans.
Highlights
Biodegradable and oxo-biodegradable plastics are widely used, mainly for their specific properties
It should be noted that all plastics selected for the study contained heavy metals—copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and cadmium (Cd)
The process conditions were similar to those prevailing in many industrial composting plants, where biodegradable and oxo-biodegradable plastics mixed with organic waste are deposited
Summary
Biodegradable and oxo-biodegradable plastics (bioplastics) are widely used, mainly for their specific properties. Bioplastics are groups of materials with different properties and applications They can be produced in a natural way, such as cellulose and starch [2], and through chemical modifications [3]. These materials include biodegradable and oxo-biodegradable plastics. Oxo-biodegradable plastics differ from biodegradable plastics in their manufacturing process They are produced with the use of additives accelerating the decomposition of plastics, so-called pro-degradants, or prooxidative additives.
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