CHAPTER 1
Background introduction
With the development of science and technology, the application of plastic has become increasingly widespread. Plastic is an organic polymer synthetic material widely used in agriculture, industry, construction, and other fields because of its easy processing, transportation, storage, and chemical stability [1]. Plastic was once considered to be one of the greatest inventions in the world. With the increasing demand for human life, traditional materials such as metak, wood, and paper are replaced by plastic in food packaging, bottled kettles, agricultural mulch, building materials, and other products [2]. With the wide application of plastic products, global annual plastic production is gradually increasing. Since the 1960s, plastic products have grown at an annual rate of about 8.7% [3]. Annual global plastic production from 1950 to 2018 is shown in Fig. 1.1. Global plastic increased from 1.5 million tons in 1950 to 359 million tons in 2018.
1.1 Current situation and hazards of plastic waste
While people enjoy the convenience brought by plastic products, the harm caused by plastic products has gradually become a problem plaguing humanity. In large-scale production, use, and disposal of plastics by humans, toxic substances added to plastic inevitably affect human health. Due to its easy aging, poor heat resistance, and flam-mability, plastic has a limited use time. Intense consumption and rapid scrapping of plastic products have led to significant waste plastic accumulation. The pollution caused by the accumulation of plastic waste poses an increasingly severe threat to the ecological environment.
It is clear from the study that the recycling rate and incineration rate of plastic waste have greatly improved compared to 1950 [4]. It can be seen that people’s awareness of the disposal and utilization of waste plastic has increased significantly. In addition, the researchers concerned provide statistics on the global production and final destiny of polymer resins, synthetic fibers, and additives in 2015 [4]. Of these plastics, 79% are discarded in landfills or the natural environment, 12% are incinerated, and only 9% are recycled [5]. If the current trend continues, it is predicted that by 2050, 26,000 Mt of primary plastic will be produced, while 9000 Mt of waste plastic will be recycled, 12,000 Mt of waste plastic will be incinerated, and 12,000 Mt of waste plastic will be discarded in landfills or the natural environment. The direct result of the huge consumption of plastic products is a dramatic increase in plastic waste that will seriously threaten the healthy development of the ecological environment and human society.
The complex decomposition of plastics and people’s unreasonable waste plastic treatment have brought great harm to human society and the natural environment.
1.1.1 Pollution to the natural environment
With the mass production and application of plastic, the amount of plastic entering the environment cannot be underestimated. By 2015,the amount of plastic detected in the global environment was believed to be 60—99 Mt. It is estimated that by 2060,the total amount of plastic in the environment will be quadruple that of 2015 [6].
The waste plastic in the environment is mainly microplastic. The particle size of microplastic ranges from a few microns to a few millimeters. It is a mixture of heterogeneous plastic particles with various shapes that is often difficult to distinguish with the naked eye. Microplastic contains organic pollutants, including polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), petroleum hydrocarbons, poly— brominated diphenyl ethers, alkylphenols, and bisphenol A [7]. Since ordinary plastic is not biodegradable, it will break into smaller plastic fragments or microplastic. Microplastic is dispersed along the terrestrial structure and washed into the deep sea via gravity flow [8]. Plastic is transferred in water and terrestrial environments in the manner shown in Fig. 1.2. This section will introduce the hazards of waste
1.1.1.1 The hazards of plastic on the water environment
Plastic waste harms the marine environment. The amount of plastic in the ocean is huge. More than 5 trillion plastic fragments are on the world’s sea surface, and more than 250,0001 are floating on the sea [9]. The plastic in the ocean is mainly microplastic. In Fig. 1.3, the formation process and impact of microplastic in the ocean are shown. Waste plastic on the sea surfece is exposed to the sea for a long time. Under die action of solar radiation and wave impact, the plastic degrades, embritdes, and fiag-ments, forming microplastic [10]. It can be seen that waste plastic on the ocean surface is mainly microplastic, that is, plastic particles with a diameter of less than 5 mm [11].
Waste plastic has a signicant impact on the marine ecosystem. Due to the chemical additives contained in plastic, plastic poses a huge threat t