Science News

Article originally written by Shawn Wei ’26

Imagine a world where the glitter of ocean waves is replaced by the sheen of floating plastic, where beaches are buried under plastic waste, and cities are running out of space for its disposal; that’s the world we are heading toward, a world full of plastic trash. 

Since the 1950s, plastic has been mass-produced because of its affordability, versatility, and durability; it has become the perfect packaging material that is prevalent in our daily lives. Every year, 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally. Among these, only 9% are recycled, 19% are incinerated, and 72% end up either in landfills or the environment. Estimates suggest that between 8 million and 11 million tons of plastic waste enter the ocean each year, which is equivalent to dumping a garbage truck of plastic into the ocean every minute. This plastic waste eventually decomposes into microplastics (MP)–plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in length– which pose a significant threat to the ecosystem due to their toxicity and tiny sizes.

The current microplastic management systems are inefficient and inadequate. Landfill disposal, though affordable, is inefficient in removing MP. The inefficiency can be attributed to plastic’s special molecular structure. Plastic is composed of long chains of carbon atoms connected by strong covalent bonds that are very stable and require a significant amount of energy to break, making the plastic less susceptible to microorganisms responsible for decomposing organic matter in landfills. Many plastics are also designed to resist acids, bases, water, and oxidative agents for varying intended purposes, such as to protect from moisture and oxygen with plastic packages. The resistance becomes problematic when disposing of plastic in the natural environment. For instance, in soil, low-density polyethylene(LDPE), which is used in plastic bags, has a half-life of 4.6 years, and high-density polyethylene(HDPE), which is used in plastic bottles, has a half-life of 230-280 years. Additionally, landfill leachate, rainwater filtered through landfills, contains MP that can easily seep into and contaminate nearby river reserves. For example, New York state’s largest landfill produces up to 75 million gallons annually, containing countless MP particles. 

On the other hand, incineration, while fast in removing plastics, releases greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide, methane and harmful toxins like dioxins into the air. Dioxins are highly toxic and carcinogenic chemicals that are extremely persistent in the environment. They can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, and interfere with hormones. About 800 million tons of plastics were incinerated between 1950 and 2015, emitting significant amounts of dioxin that posed severe health risks. 

To address this escalating crisis, we must act decisively and collectively. The most direct way is to reduce plastic production. Stringent regulations should be enforced globally to limit plastic production and push industries to adopt sustainable practices. Furthermore, more efficient and sustainable degradation approaches should be adopted. For example, photocatalytic degradation looks promising. This process involves using photocatalysts, for example, titanium dioxide (TiO2), to absorb light and initiate redox reactions that can break down micro plastics into less harmful substances such as water. This method offers a more effective and sustainable solution compared to the conventional disposal methods. The time to act is now,  we are all responsible for paving the way for a clean, plastic-free future that is amicable to all species. 

How you can help:

• Avoid using unnecessary and single-use plastic products
• Participate in clean-up efforts
• Spread awareness

Sources

Plastic pollution is growing relentlessly as waste management and recycling fall short, says OECD https://www.oecd.org/environment/plastic-pollution-is-growing-relentlessly-as-waste-management-and-recycling-fall-short.htm

Think that your plastic is being recycled? Think again. https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/10/12/1081129/plastic-recycling-climate-change-microplastics/#:~:text=Because%20consider%20this%3A%20most%20of,and%2019%25%20has%20been%20incinerated

New Yorkers should not have to worry about water contaminated by our landfills https://www.pressconnects.com/story/opinion/2023/04/20/ny-must-address-landfill-pfas-leachate/70129998007/

Dioxins https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dioxins-and-their-effects-on-human-health

Chamas, A., Moon, H., Zheng, J., Qiu, Y., Tabassum, T., Jang, J. H., … & Suh, S. (2020). Degradation rates of plastics in the environment. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 8(9), 3494-3511.

Geyer R, Jambeck JR, Law KL. Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made. Sci Adv. 2017 Jul 19;3(7):e1700782. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1700782. PMID: 28776036; PMCID: PMC5517107.

Lee QY, Li H. Photocatalytic Degradation of Plastic Waste: A Mini Review. Micromachines (Basel). 2021 Jul 30;12(8):907. doi: 10.3390/mi12080907. PMID: 34442528; PMCID: PMC8399493.