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Plastics in the environment in the context of UV radiation, climate change and the Montreal Protocol: UNEP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, Update 2023
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Researchers from the UN Environment Programme reviewed how sunlight and climate change accelerate the breakdown of plastic debris into micro- and nanoplastics, which have now been detected in every ecosystem on Earth — including inside the human body. They conclude that new plastics should be designed to break down harmlessly at the end of their useful life, rather than persisting indefinitely as pollution.
This Assessment Update by the Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) considers the interactive effects of solar UV radiation, global warming, and other weathering factors on plastics. The Assessment illustrates the significance of solar UV radiation in decreasing the durability of plastic materials, degradation of plastic debris, formation of micro- and nanoplastic particles and accompanying leaching of potential toxic compounds. Micro- and nanoplastics have been found in all ecosystems, the atmosphere, and in humans. While the potential biological risks are not yet well-established, the widespread and increasing occurrence of plastic pollution is reason for continuing research and monitoring. Plastic debris persists after its intended life in soils, water bodies and the atmosphere as well as in living organisms. To counteract accumulation of plastics in the environment, the lifetime of novel plastics or plastic alternatives should better match the functional life of products, with eventual breakdown releasing harmless substances to the environment.
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Environmental plastics in the context of UV radiation, climate change, and the Montreal Protocol
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This review examines how UV radiation and climate change interact with environmental plastics to alter their degradation rates and toxic profiles, with particular focus on how ozone depletion affects UV-induced plastic fragmentation. The authors argue that changing UV environments under climate change will accelerate plastic breakdown and increase nanoplastic production in surface waters.
The response of aquatic ecosystems to the interactive effects of stratospheric ozone depletion, UV radiation, and climate change
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This assessment reviews how changes in UV radiation and climate interact to affect aquatic ecosystems, including impacts on water chemistry and organisms. The breakdown of plastics by UV light is highlighted as a growing concern, since sunlight accelerates the creation of microplastics and nanoplastics in water. These smaller plastic fragments are more easily taken up by aquatic life, increasing the potential for microplastics to enter the human food chain.
Oxidation and fragmentation of plastics in a changing environment; from UV-radiation to biological degradation
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This review examines how plastics break down in the environment through UV radiation, weathering, and biological processes, producing smaller and smaller fragments including microplastics and nanoplastics. The breakdown process also releases chemical additives and creates particles with altered surface properties that may be more toxic than the original plastic. Understanding these degradation pathways is critical because the secondary particles produced may pose greater risks to ecosystems and human health than the larger plastic debris.
Generation of nanoplastics during the photoageing of low-density polyethylene
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Researchers studied how low-density polyethylene microplastics break down under UV light equivalent to one year of solar exposure. They found that photoageing generated large numbers of smaller particles in the 1-5 micrometer range, effectively producing nanoplastics from larger microplastic fragments. The study suggests that environmental weathering of common plastic materials continuously generates ever-smaller particles that may be harder to detect and remove.
Analysis of ultraviolet and thermal degradations of four common microplastics and evidence of nanoparticle release
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Researchers studied how UV light and elevated temperature break down four common plastics and found that weathering releases nanoscale plastic particles. Polystyrene and polypropylene were particularly susceptible to UV degradation, generating significant numbers of nanoparticles. The findings confirm that environmental conditions actively fragment microplastics into even smaller, potentially more harmful nanoplastics.
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