Black plastics: Linear and circular economies, hazardous additives and marine pollution

Environment International
Andrew Turner

Abstract

Black products constitute about 15% of the domestic plastic waste stream, of which the majority is single-use packaging and trays for food. This material is not, however, readily recycled owing to the low sensitivity of black pigments to near infrared radiation used in conventional plastic sorting facilities. Accordingly, there is mounting evidence that the demand for black plastics in consumer products is partly met by sourcing material from the plastic housings of end-of-life waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE). Inefficiently sorted WEEE plastic has the potential to introduce restricted and hazardous substances into the recyclate, including brominated flame retardants (BFRs), Sb, a flame retardant synergist, and the heavy metals, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb. The current paper examines the life cycles of single-use black food packaging and black plastic WEEE in the context of current international regulations and directives and best practices for sorting, disposal and recycling. The discussion is supported by published and unpublished measurements of restricted substances (including Br as a proxy for BFRs) in food packaging, EEE plastic goods and non-EEE plastic products. Specifically, measurements confirm the linear econom...Continue Reading

Citations

Jan 6, 2021·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Emmanuel Olusegun Akindele, Chibuisi Gideon Alimba
Dec 5, 2020·Environment International·Ksenia J GrohJane Muncke
Feb 20, 2021·The Science of the Total Environment·Andrew TurnerLee A Green
Mar 23, 2021·Waste Management & Research : the Journal of the International Solid Wastes and Public Cleansing Association, ISWA·Cuauhtémoc Araujo-AndradeMartin Schlummer
Mar 1, 2020·International Journal of Biological Macromolecules·Joanna M JardinTizazu H Mekonnen
May 25, 2021·Environment International·Andrew Turner, Montserrat Filella
May 19, 2021·Water Research·Kristina KleinJörg Oehlmann
Aug 10, 2019·The Science of the Total Environment·Andrew TurnerDelia Webb
Jan 27, 2019·The Science of the Total Environment·Andrew Turner
Feb 16, 2019·The Science of the Total Environment·Andrew TurnerRob Arnold
Nov 24, 2019·The Science of the Total Environment·Emma J Shaw, Andrew Turner
Jun 23, 2021·Environmental Science & Technology·Helene WiesingerStefanie Hellweg
Aug 5, 2021·Environmental Science & Technology·Charles N LoweKristin K Isaacs
Jun 12, 2019·Environmental Science & Technology·Andrew Turner
Aug 27, 2021·Archives of Toxicology·Enzo Zini Moreira SilvaDaniela Morais Leme
Apr 25, 2020·The Science of the Total Environment·Oluwatoyin T FatunsinStuart Harrad

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