Microplastics and Pellet Loss
Microplastics are typically defined as small pieces of solid polymer-containing material, to which additives or other substances may have been added They are five millimetres (mm) in size or less[1]. The term ‘microplastics’ encompasses large variations in both physical and chemical characteristics as well as sources. Generally, microplastics are categorised as ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ microplastics, as outlined below. Nanoplastics represent another category of microplastics, with dimensions of 1-1000 nanometres (nm).
What are the sources of microplastics?
- Primary microplastics are directly released into the environment [2] and are a category of microplastic that includes microbeads used for cosmetic products (banned in the EU and UK), plastic pellets used to manufacture consumer goods, microfibers shed from washing clothes, as well as particles resulting from tyre erosion, road markings, marine coatings and city dust. It is estimated that almost two-thirds of the primary microplastic found in the oceans are from textiles and the erosion of tyres [3].
- Secondary microplastics are generated through the breakdown and degradation of larger pieces of plastic waste once these have been exposed to the natural environment [2], for example, through UV degradation. It is important to note that this typically occurs with ‘fugitive plastic products’, i.e., those that have escaped the waste stream. So if a plastic item is wrongly thrown in the sea, for example, it may break down over time and become a source of secondary microplastics.
How is the presence of microplastics affecting the environment?
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Whilst more research is required, current available studies have indicated that microplastics can accumulate in the environment and can potentially be ingested by animals, possibly accumulating in the food chain[4]. Industry is keen to engage and help efforts to minimise and mitigate the release of microplastic.
How is the presence of microplastics affecting human health?
- Although some studies have documented the presence of microplastics in drinking water and food, there is currently limited knowledge on how this affects human health. The effects of microplastic pollution on human health have not been subject to widespread research, although this area has received increased attention from the academic community in recent years. The BPF supports further research in this area and industry continues to work towards reducing microplastics.
Plastic Pellets, Flake and Powder?
Plastic pellets are small granules that are used in the plastics manufacturing process. Also sometimes referred to as ‘nurdles’, plastic pellets are approximately 2-5 mm in diameter and can also come in the form of powder if less than 1 mm in size. Plastic flakes consist of mixed plastic materials of various sizes produced through the recycling of plastic waste.
Throughout the plastics industry value chain, high environmental, safety and quality management controls are implemented. However, the unintentional loss of plastic pellet, flake and powder can occur at different stages along the value chain. Spillages that occur outside of a closed area may mean that pellets, flake and powder end up being washed down drains and into waterways, before eventually flowing into the ocean. This can indeed lead to complex environmental issues, so preventing the accidental loss of these primary microplastics is a high priority for the industry.
What is the industy doing to address microplastics?
- Operation Clean Sweep® (OCS) is an international, collaborative initiative from the plastics industry to reduce plastic pellet, flake and powder being lost into the environment. In the UK, it is led by the British Plastics Federation (BPF). The initiative’s aim is to ensure that the plastic pellets, flake and powder that pass through manufacturing facilities in the UK are handled with the care that they deserve and do not end up in our rivers or seas. By signing up to OCS, companies make a commitment to adhere to best practice and to implement systems to prevent plastic pellet loss, and that they will play their part in protecting the aquatic and terrestrial environment from the effects of spillages. Companies that do not directly handle plastic materials can sign up as a ‘supporter’ (rather than a main signatory), to help raise awareness and encourage uptake.
- All companies signed up to OCS have access to a range of resources that can be used to assist with best practice implementation, including staff communication and undertaking risk assessments, ensuring minimal pellet loss to the environment.
- The BPF has sponsored the development of an internationally applicable standard on plastic pellet management throughout the supply chain, the “Publicly Available Specification 510:2021” (PAS 510), which establishes a robust, standardised, and consistent approach to risk management and the containment of pellets. PAS 510 can be used directly by auditors to assess the compliance of a site or operation that handles pellets as part of existing audits. In addition to PAS 510, the BPF has produced a guidance document that helps to breakdown the PAS and provides templates for companies to follow.
- The UK plastics industry supported the 2018 restriction on microbeads in personal care products to reduce the amount of microplastics in the environment. For many years it has also called for the consistent collection of all plastic waste across the UK to help simplify collection services for the public. The BPF’s Recycling Roadmap showed what the industry could achieve by 2030 with the right legislative measures in place. Furthermore, the BPF has also undertaken considerable work to assist the industry in designing easily recyclable products. Increasing the circularity of plastic has many environmental advantages but also decreases the chance of ‘fugitive waste’ occurring, which leads to secondary microplastics.
In conclusion...
Research continues into the both the effects of microplastics on living organisms as well as ways to reduce their release. But the BPF believes that the presence of plastic waste in the environment is unacceptable and supports global efforts to reduce plastic waste. The situation calls for both primary and secondary microplastics to be addressed, so a degree of effort is needed from everyone that uses plastic products to minimise the risk of plastic waste leaking into the environment. This can be by helping to recycle wherever possible and disposing of plastic items correctly, for example, while industry continues to address the various areas in which it has control.
Any company (for example ports and logistics companies) that handles plastic pellet, flake and powder is encouraged to sign up to OCS to minimise the risk of any material ending up in the oceans or waterways.
First Published March 2021
Reviewed and Updated 5 April 2024
Sources
[1] https://plasticseurope.org/sustainability/circularity/waste-management-prevention/pellet-loss-prevention/
[2] https://ecodesign-centres.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Primary-Microplastics-in-the-Oceans_Plastic-Leak-Project.pdf
[3] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20181116STO19217/microplastics-sources-effects-and-solutions
[4] https://echa.europa.eu/hot-topics/microplastics#:~:text=Microplastics%20can%20be%20unintentionally%20formed,in%20facial%20or%20body%20scrubs
