[Perspective] Global Perspective on the Impact of Plastic Waste as a Source of Microplastics and Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in the Environment
By Sarawut Sangkham
ACS ES&T Water
December 8, 2023
DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.3c00607
Plastics are widely used in industry, food, and healthcare and have caused the spread of plastic waste around the world. (1) It is estimated that 6300 million tons of plastic waste has been generated, with 79% of this waste ending up in landfills or accumulating in the environment; (2,3) ∼50% of plastic is single-use disposable material. (4) Especially since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there has been a huge demand for face masks as personal protection equipment. In 2020, a study conducted by Sangkham in Asia revealed that the demand for face masks exceeded a staggering 2.22 billion pieces. (5) Additionally, there was a significant shift in consumption habits, with people moving from dining in restaurants to purchasing or ordering delivery food to enjoy at home, and a majority of these food services utilized plastic packaging. (6) Therefore, the use of plastic packaging is mostly limited to food and groceries. They come in thin film, foam, or thick plastic materials. (7) In addition, improper waste management enhances the potential for the spread of COVID-19 in developing countries. (8) Therefore, plastic litter and mask waste litter are potential sources of microplastic (MPs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), and other chemical contaminants. Because most leachate is released directly without any prior treatment, (4) contamination of landfill leachate is a growing source of microplastics in the environment. As a result, they spread to terrestrial and coastal marine ecosystems. Thus, the concept of interaction and transport of PFAS-adsorbed microplastics in the environment is currently challenging, coupled with ecotoxicology and adverse health concerns.
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