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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics generation and concentration during mechanical-biological treatment of mixed municipal solid waste
ClearMicroplastics identification and quantification in the composted Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste
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.
The organic output from mechanical–biological treatment plants as a source of microplastics: Mini-review on current knowledge, research methodology and future study perspectives
This mini-review examined mechanical-biological treatment plants — facilities that process mixed municipal waste before landfilling — as a potentially major but overlooked source of microplastics. These facilities release microplastics in their organic output, which is sometimes spread on agricultural land.
Microplastic Contamination of Composts and Liquid Fertilizers from Municipal Biowaste Treatment Plants: Effects of the Operating Conditions
Researchers measured microplastic contamination in fertilizers produced from municipal organic waste and found that while solid composts generally stayed within regulatory limits, liquid fertilizers from some facilities contained up to 10,000 plastic particles per liter — raising concerns about microplastic inputs to farmland from compost and digestate applications.
Plastic input and dynamics in industrial composting
Researchers quantified plastic input and dynamics at five stages of an industrial composting process, tracking macroplastics in municipal bio-waste collections from different municipalities (0.36-4.72 kg/ton, dominated by PE and PP) and measuring microplastic concentrations through shredding and screening to assess removal or enrichment.
Distribution characteristics of microplastics in typical organic solid wastes and their biologically treated products
Researchers extracted and characterized microplastics from food waste, livestock manure, sludge, and their composted or digested products, finding MPs in all organic waste types with concentrations varying by matrix. The study highlights organic waste management pathways as an understudied route for microplastic transfer to agricultural soils.
Occurrence of macroplastics and microplastics in biogenic waste digestate: Effects of depackaging at source and dewatering process
Researchers investigated plastic debris in digestate from anaerobic digestion of biogenic waste, finding that both preprocessing and dewatering steps significantly influence the quantity of macroplastics and microplastics in the resulting material used as a soil conditioner.
Removal Potential of Microplastics in Organic Solid Wastes via Biological Treatment Approaches
This review examines biological treatment approaches — including composting, anaerobic digestion, and vermicomposting — for removing microplastics from organic solid wastes, finding that while these methods can reduce microplastic abundance, significant knowledge gaps remain about fragmentation and fate during treatment.
Characteristics and release potential of microplastics in municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash
This study characterized microplastics in municipal solid waste compost, examining how composting conditions affect particle abundance, size distribution, and polymer composition in the final product used for agricultural application.
Microplastics as an underestimated emerging contaminant in solid organic waste and their biological products: Occurrence, fate and ecological risks
This review identified solid organic waste streams including compost, sewage sludge, and food waste as important but underappreciated repositories of microplastics that can reintroduce particles into agricultural soils and water systems. The authors call for standardized monitoring of microplastics in organic waste before environmental application.
Vermicomposting leads to more abundant microplastics in the municipal excess sludge
Researchers found that vermicomposting of municipal excess sludge leads to increased microplastic concentrations in the treated material compared to the input sludge, raising concerns that this widely-used organic amendment technology may concentrate and spread microplastic contamination in soils.
The dynamics of macro- and microplastic quantity and size changes during the composting process
Researchers tracked microplastic generation during composting at two Austrian facilities, finding that microplastics appear after the first turning event and increase throughout the process, with shorter turning intervals accelerating fragmentation rates.
Fate and dynamics of microplastics in the municipal waste composting process
Researchers tracked microplastic abundance and polymer composition across five consecutive composting stages of municipal waste at the Galuga landfill in Indonesia, finding stage-specific changes including process-based reduction and fragmentation dynamics that highlight both the capacity and limitations of composting for mitigating microplastic contamination.
Microplastics contamination associated with low-value domestic source organic solid waste: A review
This review examines how microplastics contaminate domestic organic solid wastes — particularly sewage sludge and food waste — and traces their migration pathways through biological and thermal treatment processes, landfills, and soil application.
Compost‐Hosted Microplastics – Municipal Solid Waste Compost
This review examines microplastics hosted in municipal solid waste compost, addressing a gap in research that has largely focused on marine ecosystems, and discussing the sources, prevalence, and potential impacts of microplastics in compost on terrestrial ecosystems, agriculture, and soil health.
Microplastic contamination and accumulation in municipal solid waste: A global review of sources, pathways, and impacts
This global review examines microplastic contamination in municipal solid waste, covering sources from landfills, sewage sludge, compost, and food waste, and how plastic particles from these land-based waste streams enter soil, groundwater, and eventually the food chain.
Plastics and other extraneous matter in municipal solid waste compost: A systematic review of sources, occurrence, implications, and fate in amended soils
Researchers reviewed contamination in municipal compost made from household organic waste, finding plastics are the most prevalent pollutant — with some batches containing enough plastic to deposit over 500 kg per hectare of farmland each year. Repeated use of contaminated compost builds up microplastics in soil, threatening soil health and potentially moving plastic particles into crops and food.
Progressive exploration of the four municipal solid composting phases for microplastics pollution: Extraction, abundance, and distribution
Researchers tracked microplastic abundance and size distribution through all four stages of municipal solid waste composting at a Canadian facility. They found that zinc chloride density separation achieved approximately 99.9% extraction recovery, significantly outperforming calcium chloride. The study reveals that compost used to enrich agricultural soils can be a meaningful pathway for introducing microplastic contamination into farmland.
Macro- and microplastics in composts from municipal solid waste industrial composting Plants in Uganda
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.
Breakdown of plastic waste into microplastics during an industrial Composting: A case study from a biowaste facility
A study of industrial composting facilities found that plastic waste items introduced into the compost feedstock broke down into microplastics during the composting process, with finished compost containing significant MP concentrations that could contaminate agricultural soils where the compost is applied.
Fate of microplastics in a centralized biogas plant treating mainly sewage sludge
Researchers tracked the fate of microplastics through a centralized biogas plant treating sewage sludge, examining how anaerobic digestion and subsequent dewatering partition microplastics between solid and liquid digestate fractions. The study informs efforts to develop safer digestate-based recycled fertilizers that minimize microplastic introduction to agricultural soils, where 20-55% of microplastics entering wastewater treatment plants are estimated to end up in sludge.
Microplastic Abundance in the Locally Produced Commercial Compost and the Characteristics
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.
Pretreatment as a Microplastics Generator during Household Biogenic Waste Treatment
Mechanical pretreatment of household biogenic waste generates substantial quantities of microplastics — up to 33,000 billion particles annually in the feedstock fed to anaerobic digesters in the studied facilities — primarily from crushers, shredders, and biohydrolysis reactors. The study found that pre-sorting and depackaging waste at the household level before collection can reduce microplastic generation by up to 72%, highlighting source separation as a critical intervention point for preventing microplastic contamination of compost and digestate applied to farmland.
Quantity and Material Composition of Foreign Bodies in Bio-Waste Collected in Towns from Single- and Multi-Family Housing and in Rural Areas
Researchers characterized the quantity and composition of foreign bodies, including plastics, in bio-waste collected from households across multiple German cities, finding significant contamination that complicates composting and recycling operations.
Microplastics in different municipal solid waste treatment and disposal systems: Do they pose environmental risks?
This review summarizes how microplastics behave in different waste treatment systems, including landfills, composting facilities, and incinerators. The researchers found that all of these systems can release microplastics into surrounding soil, water, and air, posing ecological risks. The findings highlight that even our waste management methods are contributing to microplastic pollution, which can ultimately affect human exposure.