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The potential for a plastic recycling facility to release microplastic pollution and possible filtration remediation effectiveness
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Researchers conducted a pilot study at a mixed plastics recycling facility in the UK and found that raw wash water contained extremely high concentrations of microplastic particles. They tested filtration systems and found that while most particles larger than 5 micrometers were successfully removed, smaller particles still passed through. The study highlights that recycling facilities themselves can be significant point sources of microplastic pollution to waterways if proper filtration is not in place.
With current plastic production and the growing problem of global plastic pollution, an increase and improvement in plastic recycling is needed. There is limited knowledge or assessment of microplastic pollution from point sources such as plastic recycling facilities globally. This pilot study investigates microplastic pollution from a mixed plastics recycling facility in the UK to advance current quantitative understanding of microplastic (MP) pollution release from a plastic recycling facility to receiving waters. Raw recycling wash water were estimate to contain microplastic counts between 5.97 106 – 1.12 × 108 MP m−3 (following fluorescence microscopy analysis). The microplastic pollution mitigation (filtration installed) was found to remove the majority of microplastics >5µm, with high removal efficiencies for microplastics >40µm. Microplastics <5µm were generally not removed by the filtration and subsequently discharged, with 59-1184 tonnes potentially discharged annually. It is recommended that additional filtration to remove the smaller microplastics prior to wash discharge is incorporated in the wash water management. Evidence of microplastic wash water pollution suggest it may be important to integrate microplastics into water quality regulations. Further studies should be conducted to increase knowledge of microplastic pollution from plastic recycling processes.
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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.