Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Adoption of Solid Waste Compost in Paddy Farming: Insights from Sri Lanka’s Organic Farming Policy

Researchers investigated Sri Lankan paddy farmers' perceptions of solid waste compost as an organic fertilizer under national organic farming policy, finding that despite growing waste management concerns, adoption barriers remain significant and the compost's potential as an agricultural input is underutilized.

2025 Waste
Article Tier 2

Compost Quality and Markets Are Pivotal for Sustainability in Circular Food-Nutrient Systems: A Case Study of Sri Lanka

This study used an interdisciplinary case study approach to assess Sri Lanka's municipal solid waste composting system, finding that compost quality issues including microplastic contamination and market limitations are key barriers to achieving sustainable circular food-nutrient systems.

2021 Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Analytical Methods for Extraction of Microplastics from Compost in Sri Lanka

This study evaluated analytical methods for extracting microplastics from compost in Sri Lanka, where compost is an important agricultural input but also a significant pathway for microplastic contamination of soil. The research compared extraction approaches to identify reliable protocols suitable for local laboratory conditions.

2024 Proceedings of International Forestry and Environment Symposium 1 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Composting as a Sustainable Solution for Organic Solid Waste Management: Current Practices and Potential Improvements

This systematic review of composting practices finds that technological advances like microbial inoculants and in-vessel systems have improved efficiency, but managing contaminants such as heavy metals and microplastics in compost remains a significant challenge. The presence of microplastics in organic waste streams threatens compost quality and can introduce plastic pollution into agricultural soils.

2024 Sustainability 122 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics 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.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 125 citations
Article Tier 2

Waste Management in the Global South: an Inquiry on the Patterns of Plastic and Waste Material Flows in Colombo, Sri Lanka

This dissertation analyzed plastic and waste material flows in Colombo, Sri Lanka, examining the social dynamics, governance structures, and ecological impacts of waste management in a developing city context. The research highlights how plastic waste management challenges in the Global South are deeply intertwined with urbanization, inequality, and colonial legacies.

2000 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Evolving research perspectives on microplastic pollution: A focus on Sri Lanka in comparison to the South and Southeast Asian region

This review examines the evolving research landscape on microplastic pollution in Sri Lanka, comparing it to the broader South and Southeast Asian regional context. The paper identifies gaps in local monitoring data and highlights the need for standardized methodologies and expanded research capacity in the region.

2024 Ceylon Journal of Science
Article Tier 2

Present Status of Microplastic Pollution Research Data in Sri Lanka and Microplastic Risk Mitigation Solutions; Lessons from a Global Policy Context

This review synthesizes the present status of microplastic pollution research data in Sri Lanka and evaluates risk mitigation solutions within a global policy context. The paper assesses monitoring data across aquatic environments and proposes lessons from international policy frameworks to strengthen Sri Lanka's response to microplastic contamination.

2024 Advances in Technology
Article Tier 2

Identification and Quantification of Microplastics in Compost: A case of landfills in Uganda

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.

2026
Article Tier 2

Exploring the Plastic Collection and Recycling Trends in Sri Lanka

This paper is not about microplastics; it surveys plastic waste collection and recycling infrastructure in Sri Lanka, documenting correlations between tourism, rainfall, and recycling rates for different polymer types.

2023 Recycling 6 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 5 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Waste Management 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Towards Plastic Circularity: Current Practices in Plastic Waste Management in Japan and Sri Lanka

A comparison of plastic waste management in Japan and Sri Lanka found that Japan practices the full plastic value chain while Sri Lanka relies heavily on an informal recycling sector, and recommends Japan's Extended Producer Responsibility approach as a model for Sri Lanka to improve plastic circularity.

2023 Sustainability 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Municipal solid waste compost: Global trends and biogeochemical cycling

This review examines the growing global use of municipal solid waste compost as a soil enhancer and carbon mitigation tool in agriculture. Researchers analyze how the composition and quality of compost varies based on processing methods and feedstock materials, and discuss its role in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling. The study also addresses emerging concerns about compost as a potential pathway for microplastic and heavy metal contamination of agricultural soils.

2023 Soil & Environmental Health 86 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

A systematic review of the occurrence of microplastics in compost: Understanding the abundance, sources, characteristics and ecological risk

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.

2024 Results in Engineering 13 citations
Review Tier 2

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.

2025 Environmental Health Engineering and Management
Article Tier 2

Composting of Organic Solid Waste of Municipal Origin: The Role of Research in Enhancing Its Sustainability

This review examines the role of composting in managing the organic fraction of municipal solid waste, highlighting both its benefits for material recovery and its challenges. Researchers found that issues such as the presence of microplastics and other toxic substances in compost can undermine the circularity of the process. The study suggests that continued research is needed to improve composting practices and reduce contaminant transfer to agricultural soils.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Community awareness and perceptions on microplastics: a case study from Sri Lanka

A community survey in Sri Lanka assessed public awareness of microplastic pollution using convenience sampling across rural and urban areas, finding generally low awareness of microplastics as an environmental and health concern. The results highlight the need for public education campaigns about microplastic risks and regulatory measures.

2023 Ceylon Journal of Science 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification and polymeric characterization of microplastics in composts and their accumulation in lettuce

Researchers measured microplastics in eight types of compost and then grew lettuce in the contaminated material. Municipal solid waste compost contained the most microplastics, over 16,000 particles per kilogram, and lettuce grown in it accumulated the highest levels, with measurable impacts on plant growth. The findings suggest that compost quality standards should account for plastic contamination to protect food safety.

2024 Chemosphere 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic impurities in biowaste treatment: environmental and economic life cycle assessment of a composting plant

Researchers assessed an Italian composting facility and found that conventional plastic contaminants in food waste account for nearly half the residual waste produced and roughly 7% of annual operating costs, highlighting how plastic pollution undermines the economics and environmental benefits of composting.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 7 citations
Article Tier 2

What Hinders the Development of a Sustainable Compostable Packaging Market?

This review examines the barriers hindering the development of a sustainable compostable packaging market as an alternative to conventional plastics, noting that roughly 80% of marine litter originates from plastic food packaging. The authors identified regulatory fragmentation, consumer confusion, and inadequate industrial composting infrastructure as the main obstacles slowing the transition to compostable solutions.

2022 European Journal of Sustainable Development 9 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Energies 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Solid Waste Management in Rural Communities of Developing Countries: An Overview of Challenges and Opportunities

This review examines the challenges of managing solid waste in rural communities of developing countries, where lack of infrastructure and knowledge often leads to dumping and uncontrolled burning. Researchers identified opportunities for turning waste into resources through composting, recycling, and community-based management programs. The study emphasizes that proper waste management in rural areas is essential for reducing environmental pollution, including plastic contamination, and protecting public health.

2022 Clean Technologies 87 citations