Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Tackling plastic waste is No 1 priority, not climate change
THE refusal by China, Malaysia and Vietnam and other nations to import UK plastic waste, whether paid for or not, is having a massive effect on local authority stockpiles of waste materials. With the world generating 100 million tons of plastic each year, it is now said that six billion tons of nonbiodegradable plastic currently pollutes our planet in landfill sites and oceans.
Councils could incinerate plastic, although this would create a different pollutant. In Lincolnshire, the Eco Plastics company is processing 140 tons of plastic each year and the hope is they may double this amount in the next 12 months when their extended plant is complete.
Meanwhile across the UK landfill sites are reaching critical levels of particularly single use plastic waste and the dangers to the natural environment are now very evident. Scientists confirm that particles of plastic are already in our bodies, so with the scenario of Armageddon near, it is becoming essential we find ways of ridding humanity of man-made non-biodegradable material.
Removing plastic waste from the environment is now the world’s
Solutions have to be found to the world’s plastic problem if we are to save our planet, says Ian L Handford, chairman of Torbay Civic Society
number one priority. Clearing the oceans to save sea creatures and birds that swallow synthetic substances and chemicals is urgent. The priority should take precedence over even the climate change agenda. Researchers and scientists must find alternative materials that degrade automatically in the natural environment.
This will not be an easy or indeed quick problem to resolve, but thankfully thousands of scientists, entrepreneurs and manufacturers across the world are on the case.
The problems are two-fold: 1) finding ways to remove or destroy existing pollutants in the oceans and landfill sites, and 2) producing materials that replace those plastics that do not degrade in the natural environment including – polyethylene terephthalate, high and low density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polystyrene and other forms of plastic-resin.
The Oxford dictionary describes plastic as “synthetic resinous sub- stance that can be given any permanent shape” which is usually polymer based and suitable for use in manufacturing of virtually every man-made item on the planet.
Finding organisms that will naturally destroy plastic waste whilst trying to develop new forms of bioplastic (environmentally friendly) are currently seen as the way forward. On 1) above, removing existing waste from landfill or our seas is already in progress and the Government has even created a research fund of £20 million to assist anyone involved. Bacteria that eat plastic at landfill or in the sea are a research project of the Royal Botanical Gardens Kew.
They discovered fungus at a rubbish tip in Pakistan which was eating plastic. Portsmouth University scientists discovered a bacterium in a rubbish tip in Japan, which they believe could create a super-fast enzyme that is also capable of consuming plastic. Meanwhile, in Spain an embryologist has created the “wax- worm caterpillar” which eats mainly polythene as used in most plastic bags. Sadly, the downside of all these bacteria, is they will consume all plastic, not just the waste we want consumed.
Two Australian surfers have produced “Sea Bin”, while in America a man has created MrTrashWheel, both using a scoop to collect debris (which includes plastic) as an answer to cleaner oceans.
Two more innovative ideas came with the announcement that the“Ocean Cleanup 001 floating barrier ” in San Francisco, is cleaning up America’s West Coast, and the “Ocean Saviour” is being constructed by Southampton boat builders: a catamaran with wide arms able to funnel five tons of waste a day on to the vessel. This can incinerate the debris on board which creates energy for powering the vessel. When launched, its inventors intend to use the vessel along the south coast, sporting its new name, “the combine harvester of the seas”.
On 2) Warwick University are investigating a new plastic produced from wheat straw. Changing the DNA of bacteria found in soil can apparently create an enzyme that turns lignum into a more friendly bioplastic.
Meanwhile, in New Zealand a biotech company is concentrating on an insect, hoping to get the humble bee to produce more of the cellophanelike substance it produces for nesting. Being non-toxic, waterproof and flame-resistant it is especially suitable for replacing non-degradable plastics. A professor at the Victoria University Wellington says this discovery is “almost too good to be true – as its robustness is beyond what you would have expected”.
Most of us are now impatient to see cleaner oceans as non-degradable plastic has entered the food chain. Scientists have admitted that plastic is now found in every human gut examined, although thankfully it is not yet life-threatening.
Finding a permanent solution to the unwanted plastic already in the world and finding alternative materials is going to be very hard, yet we all know that solutions will have to be found if we are to save our planet.