Biowaste (biodegradable waste) is organic matter that gets broken down into CO2, water, methane or other simple organic molecules. This is done by micro-organisms like bacteria to produce compost and fertilizers. Inorganic materials also ends up in the waste, some of which can be decomposed by bacteria, but some can't, like microplastics.
Microplastics
Source, flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Microplastics are very small particles of plastic that find their way into the environment. The U.S. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration classifies them as less than 5 mm in diameter. Two sources of microplastics exist:
- primary: from manufacturing for various human use, like in clothing, cosmetics and other iductrial processes
- secondary: from macroplastic (larger plastic) debris breakdown, like the bulk of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
In Water
The main place they are found is in aquatic and marine ecosystems, carried there by the water ways and run offs in our urban environments. Plastics take a long time to break down and end up being consumed and accumulate in the bodies of many species, including humans. Plastic contain substances that act as endocrine disruptors which are harmful to human health and the health of other organisms.
In Soil
The accumulation of microplastics in the water isn't the only concern, as they are also being fond in soil. A recent publication in Science Advances discusses research into microplastics that end up in biowaste used for organic composts and fertilizers that get put into soil and used to grow food.
Organic fertilizers are made from plant and animal waste. Microorganisms break down the organic matter via aerobic composting by mixing it with soil, and anaerobic biowaste digestion that produces fertilizer and biogas. When microplastics are present in the waste, they get incorporated into the compost and fertilizer.
New Research
The research was conducted in Germany where municipalities already have specialized bins for collecting table scraps, expired food and other waste to make compost. Farms are also part of the waste collection process. The food waste is then processed in facilities where they also comb through it to clean up the waste before it's converted into fertilizer.
Aerobic and anaerobic processing facilities that use all types of waste had fertilizer samples tested, and both had microplastics in the resulting product. A control facility that only used plant waste from a farm was tested as well. It was the only one that had no microplastics, while there were more microplastics found in aerobic processing facilities.
It seems that the plastic containers used to store food in the grocery stores ends up in the composting bins that get collected by municipalities. Despite efforts to clean them calm through the food waste, not everything can be detected and removed for processing.
As a result, there are microplastics that end up in organic fertilizers, which are then used on soil. The endocrine disrupting chemicals then leach from the plastics, and get absorbed into the food supply that we consume, which negatively affects our health. With rain and water runoffs, the microplastics make their way back into the water supply for us to consume, as well as making the way into rivers, lakes and oceans for other animals to consume.
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals
Whether used in large-scale agriculture or small scale gardening, microplastics are finding their way into the environment through various forms of fertilizer and biowaste fermentation. The treatment methods matters, as aerobic treatment shows higher microplastic results than anaerobic treatment. If we stop using plastics to store and preserve food, we would be reducing the potential introduction of microplastics into our environment and the negative health effects of the endocrine disrupting chemicals that are leached from plastics.
Endocrine disrupting chemicals are not good to have in our bodies. They cause cancerous tumors, birth defects, learning disabilities, severe attention deficit disorder, cognitive and brain development problems; deformations of the body (including limbs); breast cancer, prostate cancer, thyroid and other cancers; sexual development problems such as feminizing of males or masculinizing effects on females. They can also affect obesity, diabetes, female reproduction, male reproduction, hormone-sensitive cancers in females, prostate cancer in males, thyroid, and neurodevelopment.
What You Can Do
When shopping, you can try to only use reusable bags, and avoid the plastic at the grocery store. Some grocery stores are part of a zero-waste effort and don't package any of their food in plastics. This helps to cut down on garbage waste that can or can't be recycled (like Styrofoam containers), as well as prevent endocrine disrupting chemicals from leaching into the food.
Source
There is a business close to where I live that doesn't use plastic packaging for its food. I shop there frequently. Montreal has also introduced a ban on plastic bags less than 50 microns thick that goes into effect this year. Grocery stores will no longer provide those plastic bags.
At home, you can also avoid putting leftovers in plastic containers. Instead, opt for glass containers. At least try to avoid using plastic containers for hot food, because that increases the rate of leaching chemicals into your food. Having water in plastic water bottle also has endocrine disrupting chemicals leach into the water. It's best to avoid plastic altogether if you can.
References:
- Biodegradable waste
- Microplastics
- Great Pacific garbage patch
- Marine pollution
- Organic fertilizers
- Endocrine disruptor
- Scientists flag plastics concern over organic composts.
- Another Place Plastics Are Turning Up: Organic Fertilizer From Food Waste
- Study shows microplastics in biowaste wind up in organic compost and fertilizers
- Plastic particles found in bottled water
- Organic fertilizer as a vehicle for the entry of microplastic into the environment, Science Advances 04 Apr 2018: Vol. 4, no. 4, eaap8060, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aap8060
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