Maya Ellison
Plastic is a versatile material that has improved our lives in numerous ways. However, its proper disposal has become a significant concern. Plastic is designed to be durable, lasting for decades or even centuries. Its longevity is due to its chemical composition, which lacks the natural chemical bonds necessary for biodegradation. As a result, plastic breaks down very slowly, releasing toxic chemicals and causing harm to the environment and wildlife. This process can be accelerated by factors such as sunlight, oxidation, or friction, leading to the creation of microplastics and nanoplastics, which can have detrimental effects on human and animal health.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sunlight exposure | Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun breaks down the molecules in plastic |
| Oxidation | N/A |
| Friction | N/A |
| Animal interference | Animals nibbling on plastic |
| Incompatible packaged products | Causes "stress cracking" and molecular degradation |
| Surface-active substances | Detergents can be harmful to plastic |
| Impurities | N/A |
| Incompatible tightening torque | N/A |
| Contamination | N/A |
| Hot products | Closing packaging too quickly after filling causes collapse |
| Migration of packaged product | Loss of volume is compensated by shrinkage of packaging |
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What You'll Learn
Sunlight exposure
The effects of sunlight exposure on plastic can be mitigated by storing plastic items in a sheltered place away from direct sunlight. However, this is not always possible, especially for plastic waste that has already been disposed of. Landfills often expose plastic waste to sunlight to accelerate the breakdown process.
When plastic is exposed to sunlight, it undergoes visual and physico-chemical modifications. The plastic can become brittle and is more susceptible to mechanical forces such as wind, currents, and tides, which can induce fragmentation and dissolution. This process of UV weathering can also lead to the oxidation of the plastic surface.
The impact of sunlight exposure on plastic is particularly relevant in marine environments, where plastic debris is exposed to sunlight, temperature, humidity, and physical stress. Floating microplastics on the ocean's surface are broken down into smaller nanoplastic particles that can spread throughout the water column. These nanoparticles can be ingested by marine organisms and may have harmful effects on marine ecosystems.
Research has shown that sunlight could have degraded a substantial amount of the plastic that has been littered into the oceans since the 1950s. While some of these broken-down plastic particles can be completely broken down by bacteria, others remain in the water as invisible nanoparticles, contributing to the increasing concentration of microplastics and nanoplastics in the environment.
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Incompatible packaged products
Plastic packaging can crack or break due to several reasons, one of them being the incompatibility of the plastic with the packaged product, resulting in "stress cracking". This phenomenon degrades the molecular structure of the plastic, making it brittle. Surface-active substances are particularly responsible for this problem. For instance, detergents can be very harmful to seemingly harmless plastic.
Incompatibility between the inner varnish and the packaged product can also cause the varnish to peel off. An impact causing the varnish to peel off, a scratch affecting the varnish, and inadequate application or baking of the varnish can all compromise the quality of the packaged product. Therefore, it is recommended to carry out an ageing test to ensure compatibility.
In some cases, organic chemicals are sold in HDPE containers despite compatibility charts indicating that such containers are not appropriate. For example, acetone is often packaged in HDPE containers. To overcome incompatibility issues, a process called fluorination is used to make bottles compatible. Fluorination involves exposing HDPE to fluoride gas under precise control of time, temperature, and pressure. This treatment converts the outer layers of polyethylene into a highly fluorinated polymer similar to Teflon, preventing the solvent from diffusing into the plastic and softening it.
Additionally, the migration of the packaged product out of the packaging can cause the packaging to collapse. This occurs when there is a loss of volume in the product, which is compensated for by shrinkage of the packaging. This can be due to the consumption of oxygen trapped in the packaging or the presence of water or a corrosive substance in the packaged product, leading to deterioration and leakage.
To avoid issues with plastic packaging, it is recommended to store it in a sheltered place away from direct sunlight, as UV light and solar radiation can cause molecular degradation, making the plastic brittle.
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Plastic's chemical composition
Plastic is a polymeric material that can be moulded or shaped. It is a synthetic or semisynthetic organic polymer, which always includes carbon and hydrogen, and may contain other elements. Plastics can be classified based on the chemical structure of the polymer's backbone and side chains. The two main categories are plastics with aliphatic (linear) carbon atoms in their backbone chains and heterochain polymers, which contain atoms such as oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur in their backbone chains, in addition to carbon.
The properties of plastics depend on the chemical composition of the subunits, the arrangement of these subunits, and the processing method. Plastic polymers consist of chains of linked subunits called monomers. Identical monomers form homopolymers, while different monomers link to form copolymers. Homopolymers and copolymers can be either straight or branched chains.
Plastics can also be classified based on the chemical processes used in their synthesis, such as condensation, polyaddition, and cross-linking. They can be further classified by their physical properties, including hardness, density, tensile strength, thermal resistance, and glass transition temperature.
Another important classification of plastics is the degree to which the chemical processes used to make them are reversible. Thermoplastics do not undergo chemical change when heated and can be moulded repeatedly. Examples include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Thermosets, or thermosetting polymers, can only melt and take shape once. After solidification, they retain their shape permanently and decompose if reheated. Examples of thermosets include epoxy resin and polyimide.
High-performance plastics are a category of polymers that exhibit superior properties compared to commodity and engineering plastics. They can withstand high temperatures, are highly resistant to chemical corrosion and degradation, have excellent mechanical and electric properties, and are lightweight and versatile. Examples include aramids, ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylenes (UHMWPE), and polyetheretherketone (PEEK).
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Landfill decomposition
Plastic is a human-made material that has revolutionised the way we live. However, it is also a significant source of pollution, with about half of all plastic on Earth produced since 2000. Plastic waste ends up in landfills, the natural environment, or the ocean, where it can remain for hundreds of years.
The decomposition of plastic in landfills is a complex process influenced by various factors. Firstly, the material and structure of plastic impact its degradation rate. For example, single-use plastic bags take about two decades to break down, while plastic water bottles made with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) can take approximately 450 years. Secondly, sunlight exposure accelerates plastic decomposition through photodegradation, where UV radiation breaks down plastic molecules. Landfills often expose plastic waste to sunlight to hasten this process.
Additionally, plastic waste in landfills can undergo biodegradation, defined as the conversion of materials into simpler products by solubilization, hydrolysis, or biologically formed entities like enzymes. Methanotrophs, for instance, are crucial decomposers in plastic biodeterioration, thriving in the methane oxidation conditions of landfills. However, the biodegradation process can be slow and incomplete, leading to the formation and spread of microplastics. These tiny plastic particles can be transported by air and leachate, ending up in the environment and impacting various ecosystems.
Moreover, as plastic degrades in landfills, it can release toxins into the surrounding soil, creating additional environmental challenges. The complexity of plastic chemical bonds compared to natural molecular bonds makes it challenging and energy-intensive to break them down. Nevertheless, advancements have been made with the development of biodegradable plastics or bioplastics. These include plant-based plastics derived from corn or sugarcane and modified petroleum-based plastics with enhanced biodegradability.
The discovery of plastic-eating bacteria at dumpsites offers another promising solution. These bacteria can consume plastic and tolerate the toxic chemicals released during the breakdown process. While these innovations provide hope, the key to reducing plastic pollution lies in producing and using less plastic, as the current rate of plastic waste generation surpasses our capacity to manage it.
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Age and storage
The age of plastic items and how they are stored can significantly impact their breakdown. Plastic was invented in 1907 and has been used to create products designed to last decades, if not hundreds of years. However, the durability of plastic items can vary depending on their material and structure.
The chemical bonds in plastic materials are not accessible to bacteria in nature, which is why plastic does not easily break down. Plastic items can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years or more to decompose, depending on their composition. For example, plastic bags can take a thousand years to begin the decomposition process, while plastic bottles can take 450 to 700 years. Even then, the breakdown process is very slow, and plastic continues to break down into smaller pieces, known as microplastics, and eventually nanoplastics.
The speed of plastic degradation is influenced by factors such as sunlight exposure, oxidation, friction, and animal interactions. UV light, in particular, can cause molecular degradation, making plastic items brittle and prone to breaking. Therefore, it is recommended to store plastic items in a sheltered place, away from direct sunlight, to slow down the degradation process. Additionally, the incompatibility of plastic with certain packaged products can cause "stress cracking," further degrading the molecular structure and leading to brittleness.
Proper storage conditions, such as protecting plastic items from UV light exposure, can help prolong their lifespan. However, over time, plastic items will inevitably degrade and contribute to the growing problem of plastic pollution.
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