Plastic Crisis Research Articles

Hierarchical Porous Recycled PET Nanofibers for High-Efficiency Aerosols and Virus Capturing.

Plastic crisis, especially for poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) bottles, has been one of the greatest challenges for the earth and human beings. Processing recycled PET (rPET) into functional materials has the dual significance of both sustainable development and economy. Providing more possibilities for the engineered application of rPET, porous PET fibers can further enhance the high specific surface area of electrospun membranes. Here, we use a two-step strategy of electrospinning and postprocessing to successfully control the surface morphology of rPET fibers. Through a series of optical and thermal characterizations, the porous morphology formation mechanism and crystallinity induced by solvents of rPET fibers were discussed. Then, this work further investigated both PM2.5 air pollutants and protein filtration performance of rPET fibrous membrane. The high capture capability of rPET membrane demonstrated its potential application as an integrated high-efficiency aerosol filtering solution.

Regulating the monomer of polyhydroxyalkanoate from mixed microbial culture: with particular emphasis on substrate composition: A review

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), produced by mixed microbial cultures (MMCs), is a biodegradable biopolyester that alleviates the global plastic crisis in the nearest future. Even PHA has become a research hotspot, reviews on PHA composition determining thermodynamic and processing properties of PHA products are rare. The primary focus of the evaluation relies on the factors affecting the PHA monomer composition of MMC-PHA production. Besides, since the volatile fatty acids (VFAs) composition of the substrates strongly influences the PHA monomer composition, regulating the ratio of even-carbon to odd-carbon VFAs, PHA, vary properties could be obtained predictably. So oriented acid production process, the first stage process in three-stage MMC-PHA production that can regulate the VFAs composition, is also comprehensively introduced to help understand PHA monomer regulation.

Single-Use Plastic Bans: Exploring Stakeholder Perspectives on Best Practices for Reducing Plastic Pollution

In this study, we conducted and documented workshops and interviews in Norway and Slovenia to identify stakeholder and future generation opinions and mitigation strategies for solving one of the most prominent environmental issues: plastic pollution. As part of the EU H2020 project GoJelly, stakeholders were brought together to explore their perceptions on considering jellyfish mucus as a new resource to contribute to reducing plastic pollution from entering the marine environment. The study was conducted in the spring of 2019, in a context directly after the European Union (EU) announced its Directive to ban the most commonly used single-use plastic (SUP) items. The study applied the snowball method as a methodological choice to identify relevant stakeholders. Systems thinking was utilized as a participatory modelling approach, which allowed for the creation of conceptual mind maps from the various workshops and interviews, to understand consumers’ consciousness, and to map out ideas on plastic pollution reduction. Plastic pollution takes place on a global scale and stakeholders discussed their individual perceptions of national and international solutions that could be put in place to solve it, including the opportunities around utilizing jellyfish mucus to filter and capture micro- and nanoplastic. We found that industry stakeholders in both case areas were generally more accepting of policy and increased innovation moving forward, but placed weight on the scientific community to conduct more research on the pollution issue and propose solutions. Future generation stakeholders (youth aged 14–18), however, put emphasis on consumer behavior and buying patterns of single-use products fueling the plastic crisis.

Pyrolysis-catalysis for waste polyolefin conversion into low aromatic naphtha

The global waste plastic crisis, caused by overconsumption of single-use plastics, is threatening ecological systems and public health, worldwide. This study presents a novel catalytic conversion of waste polyolefinic plastics to low aromatic naphtha for new plastic manufacturing by a tandem catalysis process. Zn/SBA-15 was found to be an effective heterogeneous catalyst for cracking high density polyethylene (HDPE) pyrolytic wax into short chain olefins. This catalyst shows a much higher activity than pure catalysts or SBA-15 catalysts that were modified with other metals. This tandem catalysis system was also applicable to catalytic reforming of various waste polyolefins including HDPE, low density polyethylene (LDPE), and polypropylene (PP), producing high quality naphtha with a C5-C12 paraffin selectivity of 50–71 % peak area. Furthermore, the pure and real-world plastic mixture can also be used to produce high quality naphtha, with a C5-C12 paraffin selectivity of 60.39 % peak area and 57.16 % peak area, respectively. This new plastic to low-aromatic naphtha technology highlights the feasibility of upcycling waste plastics into virgin plastic products.

The Classification of FTIR Plastic Bag Spectra via Label Spreading and Stacking

Whereas plastics are a group of the most useful materials, widely used in all walks of life, the plastic waste that is produced daily poses a great threat towards wildlife and the planet as a whole. The use of biodegradable plastics is an important step in combating the plastic crisis. FTIR spectroscopy is a non-destructive method used for identifying different types of materials, however interpreting spectra produced by such spectrometers is both susceptible to human error, and time-consuming, not to mention that the industry suffers from a great of specialists, in the field of spectroscopy. Utilising machine learning as a method of filling the mentioned issue is suggested by this paper. Four pipelines were investigated, consisting of two machine learning algorithms, a stacked model that stacks the KNN, SVM and RF algorithms together, and Label spreading, as well as two different dimensionality reduction methods namely; SVD and UMAP. The pipelines studied seemed to show great predictivity at 100% classification accuracy acquired by the SVD-Stacked pipeline when data was sampled using an Agilent Cary 660 FTIR Spectrometer, and 99.18% by the same model when IDIR BP10 spectrometer was employed for sampling instead. The semi-supervised learning model (Label Spreading) seemed to achieve close enough accuracy at 99.82% in the case of the former dataset, and 97.54% for the latter, at a labelling rate of only 10% of the full datasets.

Reconfiguring the everyday: plastic waste as performance art in addressing the incongruity between the ‘talk’ and the ‘walk’ in the plastic crisis

Despite the attention drawn to the plastic crisis by the media and environmental campaigns, much of the practice around single-use plastic has remained unchanged. It appears that, although many know the correct position to assume regarding the issue, the ‘talk’ does not necessarily translate into action. This incongruity can be explained with reference to Heidegger’s theory on the everydayness of discourse which suggests that a lack of authenticity underlies our everyday interactions and that what is needed is a different kind of encounter with the world. In the light of this we consider Ranciere’s theory on the potential of a political artwork to disrupt the everyday and prompt a different response. Within the framework of these theories, this paper discusses a performance artwork protesting plastic pollution – namely 12 Plastic Monsters by Luke Rudman - as an alternative strategy to prompt a fresh engagement with the issue.

Plastic Waste Road Construction in Madhya Pradesh

Plastic or polythene bags, these non-biodegradable toxic items have been playing a major role in degrading our environment, especially our oceans. But now there might be a solution to tackle this mounting problem, using plastics to build roads. The idea is to create roads that are durable and also to get rid of potholes. Given the current plastic crisis, the aim of this case study is to make sure that plastic waste does not reach the landfills or water bodies and to ensure that the 3 R’s –Reduce, Reuse and Recycle are implanted effectively.

First reduce and reuse, then recycle! Enabling consumers to tackle the plastic crisis – Qualitative expert interviews in Germany

Plastic pollution has become a major global risk. The European Union (EU) obligates all member states to implement measures according to the waste management hierarchy, with the highest priority given to waste prevention and reuse. Currently, several policies tackle the plastic crisis, while effective measures for prevention are hardly introduced. Moreover, approaches are rarely tailored to individual consumers’ needs for reducing plastic waste. This paper is the first to collect and structure stakeholder knowledge on measures that enable consumers to use plastic more sustainably and, in particular, to prevent the generation of new plastic waste. The present study explores perspectives of 28 selected German stakeholders from the political, economic, civil and scientific sector. Written expert interviews with open questions captured stakeholders’ perceptions of the plastic problem and their approaches to enabling consumers to reduce plastic packaging for food and beverages. Results showed that the interviewed stakeholders did not point out consumers as the most important agents for change, but considered all societal agents responsible for implementing a wide range of consumer-enabling measures. The analysis revealed six groups of suggested measures, the most predominant ones being (1) the creation of alternatives for consumers and (2) political measures. Further suggested measures were (3) communication and awareness raising, (4) change in consumer behavior, (5) technical innovation and development, and (6) networking with other stakeholders. Based on our empirical results, we derived nine recommendations for action on three levels of the waste management hierarchy: prevention, recycling and disposal.

Recent Trends in Omics-Based Enzyme Discovery to Combat Global Plastic Waste Crisis

The worldwide rapidly increasing amount of plastic waste is considered a major concern in the environmental crisis today. Recycling post-consumer plastics is believed to be a viable approach to mitigate the global plastic waste challenge. Plastic recycling is considered attractive due to the reason that it could help achieve waste valorization while meeting the goals of environmental quality standards. To this end, the current research efforts are heavily focused towards developing innovative technologies for new enzyme discoveries for effective plastic waste management. Recent research has shown biocatalytic depolymerization mediated by enzymes as an efficient and sustainable alternative for plastic treatment and recycling. Using this approach, researchers have discovered different plastic-degrading enzymes that have been derived from microbial sources. Further, the concept of protein engineering has been implemented to modify and optimize plastic-degrading enzymes. In this brief opinion, we describe some of the recent trends and notable advances in mining novel plastic-degrading enzymes through cutting-edge omics-based techniques in order to improve the enzyme catalytic efficiency.

Corporate self-commitments to mitigate the global plastic crisis: Recycling rather than reduction and reuse

An increasing number of companies are voluntarily committing to help complete the transition from a linear to a circular economy, thereby curbing the global environmental pollution caused by plastics. The various endeavours are codified both by signing global commitments, like the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, and by incorporating individual plastic strategies in sustainability reports. However, a critical analysis of whether these voluntary commitments can mitigate the plastic crisis and shape the transformation towards a circular economy is lacking. This paper qualitatively analyzes the self-commitments of ten international consumer goods manufacturers and reconstructs their understanding of the circular economy concept itself as well as the related key concepts: reduction, reuse, and recycling (3Rs). It can be demonstrated that a uniform definition of the 3Rs is missing and that the concepts of reduction and reuse are mostly associated with recycling. As this prevents the rigorous implementation of a circular economy from the outset, commitments must be strictly evaluated based on unambiguous definitions and this is currently not being done.

Defined Microbial Mixed Culture for Utilization of Polyurethane Monomers

The end-of-life plastic crisis is very prominent in the research area and even in the public realm. Especially, for plastic polymers that are difficult to recycle via traditional routes such as the polyurethanes (PUs), novel routes should be investigated. In 2015, PU contributed about 16 million metric tons of global plastic waste. While polymer degradation via chemical routes such as solvolysis and pyrolysis are feasible, the challenge of PU chemical recycling is in the varying mixture and composition of its monomers. Here, we propose a biotechnological route to utilize PU hydrolysate as a carbon source for a defined microbial mixed culture. The mixed culture consists of dedicated microbes, each trained to utilize a single PU monomer and further engineered to produce valuable products. While three Pseudomonas putida KT2440 derivatives utilized adipic acid, 1,4-butanediol, and ethylene glycol, respectively, a recently described Pseudomonas sp. TDA1 used 2,4-toluenediamine (TDA) as a sole carbon source. However, TDA clearly inhibited mixed substrate utilization by the mixed culture, and it also has a high intrinsic value. Therefore, TDA reactive extraction before PU monomer utilization was established, allowing full utilization of the remaining PU monomers as carbon sources for rhamnolipid production. The results highlight the potential of (bio)technological plastic upcycling.

Possibilities and limitations of biotechnological plastic degradation and recycling

Considerable research achievements were made to address the plastic crisis using biotechnology, but this is still limited to polyesters. This Comment aims to clarify important aspects related to myths and realities about plastic biodegradation and suggests distinct strategies for a bio-based circular plastic economy in the future.

Fast and Facile Biodegradation of Polystyrene by the Gut Microbial Flora of Plesiophthalmus davidis Larvae.

Polystyrene (PS), which accounts for a significant fraction of plastic wastes, is difficult to biodegrade due to its unique molecular structure. Therefore, biodegradation and chemical modification of PS are limited. In this study, we report PS biodegradation by the larvae of the darkling beetle Plesiophthalmus davidis (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). In 14 days, P. davidis ingested 34.27 ± 4.04 mg of Styrofoam (PS foam) per larva and survived by feeding only on Styrofoam. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed that the ingested Styrofoam was oxidized. Gel permeation chromatography analysis indicated the decrease in average molecular weight of the residual PS in the frass compared with the feed Styrofoam. When the extracted gut flora was cultured for 20 days with PS films, biofilm and cavities were observed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies revealed that C-O bonding was introduced into the biodegraded PS film. Serratia sp. strain WSW (KCTC 82146), which was isolated from the gut flora, also formed a biofilm and cavities on the PS film in 20 days, but its degradation was less prominent than the gut flora. XPS confirmed that C-O and C=O bonds were introduced into the biodegraded PS film by Serratia sp. WSW. Microbial community analysis revealed that Serratia was in the gut flora in significant amounts and increased sixfold when the larvae were fed Styrofoam for 2 weeks. This suggests that P. davidis larvae and its gut bacteria could be used to chemically modify and rapidly degrade PS.IMPORTANCE PS is widely produced in the modern world, but it is robust against biodegradation. A few studies reported the biodegradation of PS, but most of them merely observed its weight loss; fewer were able to find its chemical modifications, which are rather direct evidence of biodegradation, by using limited organisms. Therefore, it is required to find an effective way to decompose PS using various kinds of organisms. Herein, we discovered a new PS-degrading insect species and bacterial strain, and we found that the genus that includes the PS-degrading bacterial strain occurs in significant amounts in the larval gut flora, and the proportion of this genus increased as the larvae were fed Styrofoam. Our research offers a wider selection of PS-degrading insects and the possibility of using a certain mixture of bacteria that resemble the gut flora of a PS-degrading insect to biodegrade PS, and thus could contribute to solving the global plastic crisis.

Ocean plastic crisis-Mental models of plastic pollution from remote Indonesian coastal communities.

The crisis facing the world’s oceans from plastics is well documented, yet there is little knowledge of the perspectives, experiences and options of the coastal communities facing overwhelming quantities of plastics on their beaches and in their fishing waters. In emerging economies such as those in the Coral Triangle, the communities affected are among the poorest of their countries. To understand the consequences of ocean plastic pollution in coastal regions, through the eyes of local people, this study examines the knowledge, use, disposal and local consequences of single use plastics in remote island communities in two archipelagos of southern Sulawesi, Indonesia. Using mixed methods—a survey of plastic literacy and behaviour, household interviews about purchasing and disposal, and focus group discussions to generate shared mental models—we identify a complex set of factors contributing to extensive plastic leakage into the marine environment. The rising standard of living has allowed people in low resource, remote communities to buy more single-use plastic items than they could before. Meanwhile complex geography and minimal collection services make waste management a difficult issue, and leave the communities themselves to shoulder the impacts of the ocean plastic crisis. Although plastic literacy is low, there is little the coastal communities can do unless presented with better choice architecture both on the supply side and in disposal options. Our results suggest that for such coastal communities improved waste disposal is urgent. Responsible supply chains and non-plastic alternatives are needed. Producers and manufacturers can no longer focus only on low-cost packaged products, without taking responsibility for the outcomes. Without access to biodegradable, environmentally friendly products, and a circular plastic system, coastal communities and surrounding marine ecosystems will continue to be inundated in plastic waste.

The role of wet wipes and sanitary towels as a source of white microplastic fibres in the marine environment

Understanding source elements of the ocean plastic crisis is key to effective pollution reduction management and policy. The ubiquity of microplastic (MP) fibres in the oceans is considered to derive primarily from clothing fibres released in grey water. Microplastic fibres degraded from widely flushed personal care textile products (wet wipes and sanitary towels) have not been clearly identified in aquatic systems to date. Unregulated personal hygiene and sanitary product labelling fails to identify textile materials. This study demonstrated that white MP fibres in sediments adjacent to a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) are comparable with white fibres from sewage-related waste and commercially available consumer sanitary products. Commercially available non-flushable wipes are manufactured from either polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), or a combination of PET and cellulose. Fifty percent of brands labelled flushable that were tested were comprised of a mixture of PET and cellulose and the remainder of cellulose alone. Sanitary towels are made from PP, PE, or a combination of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and PP. The accumulation of large quantities of washed-up sewage-related macro-debris (including wet wipes and sanitary towels) intermingled with seaweed biomass adjacent to the WWTP was associated with a combined sewer overflow. Microplastic fibres extracted from this waste were similar to those extracted from intertidal sediments in close proximity to the WWTP over a ten-month period. In comparison, fibres extracted from locations spatially removed from the WWTP were primarily comprised of ABS, PP and polystyrene. The results confirm that wet wipes and sanitary towels flushed down toilets are an underestimated source of white MP fibres in the environment. Given the global distribution and projected growth of the non-woven textile industry, there is a need for increased public awareness of MP pollution in the marine environment from the inappropriate disposal of sanitary products down the toilet, instead of diversion to alternative land-based waste management.

Recent Advances in Sustainable Plastic Upcycling and Biopolymers.

Advances in scientific technology in the early twentieth century have facilitated the development of synthetic plastics that are lightweight, rigid, and can be easily molded into a desirable shape without changing their material properties. Thus, plastics become ubiquitous and indispensable materials that are used in various manufacturing sectors, including clothing, automotive, medical, and electronic industries. However, strong physical durability and chemical stability of synthetic plastics, most of which are produced from fossil fuels, hinder their complete degradation when they are improperly discarded after use. In addition, accumulated plastic wastes without degradation have caused severe environmental problems, such as microplastics pollution and plastic islands. Thus, the usage and production of plastics is not free from environmental pollution or resource depletion. In order to lessen the impact of climate change and reduce plastic pollution, it is necessary to understand and address the current plastic life cycles. In this review, "sustainable biopolymers" are suggested as a promising solution to the current plastic crisis. The desired properties of sustainable biopolymers and bio-based and bio/chemical hybrid technologies for the development of sustainable biopolymers are mainly discussed.

Making visible, rendering obscure: reading the plastic crisis through contemporary artistic visual representations

Non-technical summaryModern society without plastics is difficult to imagine. Yet the global plastic system is linked to a multitude of problems of a scope that is hard to grasp and address. In short, we are facing a plastic crisis. This article explores the role of art in stimulating critical reflection about plastics and analyses how it contributes to making the plastic crisis increasingly visible. Plastic-related artworks mostly focus on ocean pollution and do not pay due attention to other aspects of the plastic crisis. At the same time, they creatively communicate clear and emotionally charged messages. Art has the potential to play an important role in coming to grips with the plastic crisis if it succeeds in adopting a broader understanding of the problem.

The consequence that is plastiglomerate

First documented in 2014, plastiglomerate continues to proliferate across the Earth’s surface. While these materials represent long-lasting symbols of anthropogenic impacts on the environment, they also highlight the need to address the global plastic crisis.

Plastics in the hydrosphere

Plastics in the hydrosphere

Politics and the plastic crisis: A review throughout the plastic life cycle

AbstractThis article surveys the politics of plastics through a reading and analysis of more than 180 scientific articles in the fields of environmental science and environmental studies. Despite the many benefits of plastics, the global plastic system is increasingly being recognized as the source of severe environmental problems. Rather than orient the investigation around specific venues, levels, or architectures of governance, our survey first follows plastic through its life cycle, and then considers the major categories of plastic objects addressed in the current literature, and the different approaches taken to each category. The politics of plastics is a growing field of inquiry, with the most rapid expansion in the areas of marine pollution and microplastics. Our consideration of plastic flows reveals increasing politicization towards the latter end of the life cycle, that is, plastic as waste and pollution. Turning to plastic objects, we observe different forms of mobilization, and varying connections between flows and objects, which allow for multiple interpretations of what is at stake. In the closing section, we consider two recent trends in the plastic governance discussion that take a more holistic view of the plastic crisis: attempts to construct (a) a circular plastics economy and (b) global plastics conventions or treaties. We end the paper by highlighting the need for studies to further investigate the norms and practices that maintain the role of plastics in society, as well as the political and economic arrangements that secure its overabundance and low price.This article is categorized under: Energy Policy and Planning > Economics and Policy Fossil Fuels > Science and Materials Fossil Fuels > Climate and Environment