Microplastics in different municipal solid waste treatment and disposal systems: Do they pose environmental risks?

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Waste Management
• Ecotoxicology

Background:

• Microplastic (MP) pollution is a global environmental and health concern.
• Municipal solid waste (MSW) can be a significant source of MPs if not managed properly, posing ecological risks.
• Current research on MPs in waste management is fragmented, focusing on isolated systems like landfills or composts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and summarize the occurrence of MPs in various MSW treatment and disposal systems (landfills, composts, incineration) across Eurasia.
• To identify factors influencing MP characteristics within these systems.
• To assess the ecological risks of MPs in the surrounding environment of MSW facilities and propose future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review and data synthesis on MP occurrence in landfills, composts, and incineration.
• Analysis of factors affecting MP presence and characteristics in different waste management scenarios.
• Ecological risk assessment using the species sensitivity distribution approach for MPs in surrounding environments.

Main Results:

• MPs are present across diverse MSW treatment and disposal systems, with varying characteristics influenced by specific processes.
• The surrounding environments of MSW facilities show MP contamination, indicating potential ecological risks.
• A knowledge gap exists regarding the comprehensive fate and control of MPs throughout the entire MSW management cycle.

Conclusions:

• Effective MP pollution control requires a holistic understanding of their occurrence and fate across all MSW treatment and disposal stages.
• Further research is needed to refine MP detection, track their pathways, and develop targeted mitigation strategies.
• Integrated waste management strategies are essential to minimize the environmental burden of microplastics from MSW.