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Microplastic Abundance in the Locally Produced Commercial Compost and the Characteristics
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Researchers measured microplastic abundance in locally produced commercial compost, characterizing particle morphology, size, and polymer type. The compost contained measurable microplastic concentrations dominated by polyester fibres and polyethylene fragments, confirming that commercial composting does not eliminate microplastic contamination and may serve as a route for soil plastic input.
Compost is a widely used soil amendment in the agricultural sector in Sri Lanka. Applying compost could improve soil quality, and it is used in reclaiming degraded agricultural lands. However, low grade compost that contains pollutants may have adverse effects on the quality of the agro-ecosystem. Microplastic is a possible contaminant that can be moved into the agro-ecosystem through poor quality compost application. The present study was conducted to assess the microplastic availability and characteristics of locally produced municipal solid waste and agricultural waste compost. Representing commercial scale agricultural and municipal solid waste composting facilities; twenty compost samples with three replicates were obtained for microplastic identification. A combination of methods (manual separation, oxidation digestion plus density separation) was used to separate and detect microplastics from compost samples. This study revealed that; microplastics are present in agricultural and municipal solid waste compost. Municipal solid waste compost contained significantly (p<0.05) higher microplastic than agricultural waste compost (on average 0.63% and 0.033%, respectively). Average amount of soft plastic content in municipal solid waste compost and agricultural waste compost (1321 items/kg and 71 items/kg, respectively) were higher than the hard plastics (388 items/kg and 37 items/kg, respectively). The study confirmed that compost could act as a carrier of microplastics in agricultural ecosystems. It can be recommended that quality standards should be implemented to minimize the microplastic content in compost and the code of practices for municipal solid waste compost production should be updated to control microplastic contamination to safeguard the quality of agro-ecosystems.
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Researchers analyzed commercially available compost products to determine how much microplastic contamination they contain. They found microplastics in all tested composts, with fibers and fragments being the most common forms, primarily made of polyethylene and polypropylene. The findings raise concerns that applying commercial compost to agricultural land may be an overlooked pathway for introducing microplastics into soil.
Microplastics identification and quantification in the composted Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste
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Researchers quantified microplastics in composted organic municipal solid waste from five facilities, finding contamination levels that raise concerns about compost quality and the potential transfer of microplastics to agricultural soils through organic waste recycling.
Microplastics in compost from municipal solid waste. Assessment of their presence in the products generated with different industrial strategies.
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Microplastics were detected in compost made from municipal solid waste processed using different industrial strategies, raising concerns about the use of compost as a soil amendment. The presence of microplastics in compost could transfer plastic contamination directly to agricultural soils when compost is applied as fertilizer. The findings suggest that composting facilities need better plastic removal processes to prevent microplastic spread through the circular economy.
Identification and Quantification of Microplastics in Commercial Compost From a Wide Range of Composting Materials and Potential Environmental Impacts
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Researchers identified and quantified microplastics in commercial compost derived from household waste, livestock manure, and vegetable straw using acid extraction, filtration, and FTIR spectroscopy. All compost types contained microplastics, with concentrations varying by feedstock type, raising concerns about microplastic introduction to agricultural soils via compost application.
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