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Identification and Quantification of Microplastics in Compost: A case of landfills in Uganda
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Researchers surveyed compost sites across 8 cities and 5 municipalities in Uganda, finding microplastics at all locations with fibers being the most abundant type (54.98%), indicating that poor waste management practices are driving plastic contamination into compost used in agriculture.
Abstract A rise in plastic waste production has characterized the increase in municipal solid waste generation. This has resulted in plastic contamination at landfill sites. Plastics are degraded into microplastics that enter compost manure and are utilised in agriculture, posing risks to the ecosystem and human health. Microplastics are a potential threat since they are not regularly monitored. In this study, the abundance and distribution of microplastics with a size less than 5 mm were assessed in the compost samples. The compost sites of 8 cities and 5 municipalities were examined. The fiber (54.98%) was the most abundant microplastic type. The results show the presence of microplastics at all sites, with the Hoima City compost site exhibiting the highest abundance. All microplastics were secondary types obtained from large plastics used by the community. The microplastics obtained from the degradation of large particles in the compost are due to poor waste management practices.
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Identification and quantification of microplastics in compost from municipal landfills in Uganda
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Researchers found tiny plastic bits called microplastics in compost made from trash at 11 landfill sites in Uganda, with over half of the pieces being tiny plastic fibers likely from things like clothing and packaging. This matters because compost is often used to grow food, meaning these plastics could work their way into crops, animals, and eventually our own diets, highlighting the need for better trash sorting and waste management before plastic contamination gets worse.
Macro- and microplastics in composts from municipal solid waste industrial composting Plants in Uganda
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Researchers quantified macro- and microplastic contamination in composts from two industrial municipal solid waste composting plants in Uganda, finding substantial plastic contamination resulting from minimal source separation in waste collection, which could transfer plastics to agricultural soils.
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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.
A systematic review of the occurrence of microplastics in compost: Understanding the abundance, sources, characteristics and ecological risk
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Researchers reviewed 19 global studies and found microplastics in virtually all types of compost — including those made from animal manure, sewage sludge, and municipal waste — with concentrations reaching up to 288,000 particles per kilogram in some samples. Since compost is widely applied to farmland, these findings highlight a significant but overlooked pathway for microplastics to enter soils and the food chain.
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.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.