In this paper, global plastic usage and its impact on human health and the environment are highlighted. Plastic entering the oceans is estimated at 12.7 million metric tonnes, with roughly 40% of it ending up in the waste stream. It is estimated that over 5.25 trillion bits of plastic garbage are found on land, in water, in oceans, and in the air as a result of the rise in single-use consumer plastics. The effects of petroleum-based polymers on human health and the environment and the impossibilities of managing and controlling plastic trash are also studied in this paper. The study highlights that producing single-use bioplastics from agro-waste substrates is the only practical answer for reducing plastic production and use while improving waste management to prevent this material from entering the environment at the source. Further, it was emphasised that advocacy should be backed up by cutting-edge technology. It is important to minimise overreliance on petroleum-based polymers to prevent harmful substances from entering the environment. The knowledge gained from this study can serve as a solid foundation for policymakers to defend the global population’s health and the environment.
The current study examines the contamination of microplastics in three greenhouse types: abandoned, normal, and simple. The findings revealed that the abundance of microplastics was found to be the highest in the abandoned greenhouse, followed by the normal greenhouse and simple greenhouse. The mean abundance of microplastic organic fertilizer and irrigation water was also high.[…]
The study examines the distribution of residual film after eight years of film mulching in mid-April 2018. Results from the study revealed that eight years of mulching significantly increased the quantity of agricultural mulch film residues in the soil. The size of residual film fragments was found to vary from 0.25 cm2 to 109 cm2,[…]
A study in Yuanmou County, Yunnan Province, investigated microplastic pollution in different land uses, including facility farmland, traditional farmland, orchard, grassland, and woodland. Results showed a significant difference in microplastic abundance and characteristics between different land use types. Facility farmlands, traditional farmlands, and orchard lands had higher microplastic abundance than grasslands and woodlands. The main[…]
The study analysed 225 soil samples from maize planting zones in northern China, revealing that long-term plastic film mulching increases microplastic pollution in agricultural soils. The abundance of microplastics was significantly higher in mulched soils (754 ± 477 items kg-1) than in non-mulched soils (376 ± 149 items kg-1). The length of time with film[…]
The study examined the relative abundances and morphological distributions of microplastics (MPs) in water, sediments, and farmland soils in the Caohai Lake region. The estuary in the study area was considered a potential sink for MP transportation. Transparent and black MPs accounted for a large proportion of MPs in the five environments, with possible sources[…]