What are microplastics? And why are they causing concern?
Microplastics are tiny particles of plastic, less than five millimetres in length, which are produced as products break down over time. These particles are becoming more prevalent in our environment, accumulating in rivers, oceans, and soil. Microplastics are not biodegradable, meaning they persist in the environment for hundreds or even thousands of years.
Microplastics are regularly consumed or inhaled by humans, with some research suggesting we even absorb microplastics through our skin. Research into the effects of microplastics on the human body is still ongoing, but studies continue to find extremely damaging consequences.
How packaging plastic waste contributes to the microplastic crisis
Microplastic exposure is an issue across all industries from food production to the fashion sector. Common exposure points include the use of plastic packaging, using machinery with plastic parts, and the handling of plastic materials.
One daily culprit is the handling of plastic waste. Any business that produces any type of plastic waste will need to store, potentially separate, transport, and dispose of this waste. During this process, it’s common for materials to break down into microplastics and be released into the wider environment.
How can packaging businesses reduce microplastic exposure from plastic waste?
Opt for enclosed waste storage
Where possible, make sure all plastic waste is stored in sealed bins or in covered bays. This will prevent wind or rain exposure, which could cause materials to deteriorate, resulting in the breakdown of plastics into microplastics. Alongside this, it prevents wind from blowing microplastic particles into the surrounding environment and reduces the chances of runoff contamination from rainwater carrying microplastics into drainage systems.
Placing waste in a dedicated and enclosed space preserves site hygiene and prevents microplastic contamination from entering other areas of your premises.
Ensure routine cleaning and monitoring of waste storage
It’s important to consistently monitor your waste storage area to ensure there isn’t overflowing or untidy plastic waste. Any stored incorrectly in bins can degrade much quicker, leading to the creation and escape of microplastics into other areas of the premises or into the wider environment. Consider spot checking areas of your business property where plastic waste is often left behind.
Check your waste collection regularly to ensure you don’t see repeat overflows of waste. If this is the case, it may be worth speaking with your provider to increase the number of bins on site or increase the frequency of collections.
It’s also imperative to keep any waste storage areas clean, preventing any degrading plastic waste from becoming airborne. Quickly cleaning away any plastic waste debris can prevent it from escaping into ventilation systems or outside of the premises.
Provide thorough staff training
Putting these changes in place is only effective if staff are adequately trained. It’s important to stress to workers what the environmental risks are, explaining the prevalence of microplastics and the public concern around them
Set clear rules for waste sorting, containment, and collection and provide signage that offers helpful reminders to your staff.
While there aren’t any specific UK regulations on controlling microplastics exposure, it’s likely this may be addressed in the near future as reports suggest we’re falling behind on tackling the problem of microplastics2. Therefore, it’s wise to get ahead of the curve and put microplastics on the agenda sooner rather than later.
Know where your plastic waste goes
Once you have handed your waste over to a management company, it’s vital that you are compliant and understand how the waste is handled.
Always make sure any waste collectors are licensed and provide you with waste transfer notes. Check collection methods and ensure disposal routes are as environmentally friendly as possible.
Graham Matthews, plastic waste expert at BusinessWaste.co.uk, comments: "Researchers have now found microplastics in everything from our brains to human placentas, causing a lot of concern among the public. While consumers look to reduce exposure in everyday lives, a lot of attention is turning to how those in the packaging business can reduce the creation of these particles on a larger scale.
“Those in the packaging business have a responsibility to manage any generation of microplastics, but given the huge scale of the problem, it can be difficult to know where to start. Fortunately, waste management is one area where it’s quick and effective to employ simple changes, which will have a real effect on the reduction of microplastic exposure.
“Long term, it’s vital that governments, industries, and even consumers look at how we can reduce our reliance on plastic. Without reducing the sheer volume of plastic in use, it will be difficult to address the root cause of microplastic pollution.”