We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Characteristics of microplastics in municipal solid waste incineration ash in South Korea.
AI summary Read the abstract
Even burning your trash doesn't fully get rid of plastic. Scientists studying 18 waste incineration plants in South Korea found that microplastics don't just disappear when plastic waste is burned—they survive in the leftover ash, with the amount varying based on which burning method was used. Since this ash often ends up in landfills or building materials, this research helps identify which incineration methods best minimize microplastic pollution getting back into our environment.
Fly and bottom ash samples from 18 municipal incineration facilities were analysed to investigate the generation of microplastics (MPs) during plastic waste treatment. MP concentrations in ash differed by incineration method. The number of MPs in ash was quantified using micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, yielding 13-122 particles g in fly ash and 6-946 particles g in bottom ash. MP mass concentrations were measured using pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and ranged from 1.53-8.54 μg g in fly ash and 2.51-72.21 μg g in bottom ash. The average MP abundance in total incineration ash differed by incineration method: 350, 436, 105, and 170 particles g for general incineration, high-temperature incineration, high-temperature melting, and pyrolysis facilities, respectively. The corresponding MP masses were 28.39, 19.82, 6.68, and 13.43 μg g. Nine polymer types were detected, with polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyester appearing most frequently. Based on measured MP concentrations and ash generation, total MP emissions from incineration ash were estimated at 2.07 t a.
More Papers Like This
Quantity and morphology of microplastics in the Tehran and Nowshahr MSW incinerators ashes
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers sampled ash from two municipal solid waste incinerators in Iran over one year, finding microplastics present even after incineration. This indicates that current incineration practices do not fully eliminate microplastics and that incinerator ash may be a source of plastic pollution if applied to land or landfilled.
Is incineration the terminator of plastics and microplastics?
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers extracted microplastics from the bottom ash of 17 different types of incinerators and identified them by micro-FTIR spectroscopy, demonstrating that incineration does not fully destroy plastic waste and that unburned microplastics persist in ash residues.
Occurrence characteristics of microplastics and heavy metals in pyrolysis incineration residues of small towns in Southern China
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined microplastic concentrations and types in ash residues from small-town municipal solid waste pyrolysis incineration plants in southern China. They found abundant microplastics in the ash and surrounding soils, suggesting pyrolysis does not completely destroy microplastics and residues can contaminate nearby environments.
Characteristics of Microplastics Emissions from Municipal Solid Waste Treatment Facilities through Regular Monitoring
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted regular monthly monitoring of microplastic emissions from a municipal solid waste treatment facility in South Korea that operates both incineration and landfill systems, sampling incineration bottom ash and landfill leachate from February to May. They detected 477-794 microplastic items/kg in incineration bottom ash and 0.22-0.41 items/L in raw landfill leachate, confirming ongoing microplastic emissions across all facility types and calling for long-term systematic studies.
Characteristics of Microplastics in Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Ash in South Korea
AI summary Read the abstract
Burning trash doesn't fully destroy plastic, researchers found that leftover ash from South Korean waste incineration plants still contains surprisingly large amounts of microplastics, with the exact amount depending on the burning method used. This matters because that ash often gets reused in construction materials or sent to landfills, meaning these tiny plastic particles could still end up back in our environment (and potentially our bodies) even after the trash is supposedly "burned away."
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.