Microplastics may enter freshwater and soil via compost

New study suggests that private households that put plastic materials in their organic waste bins may be contributing to environmental pollution. The reason is that communal facilities often use these wastes to produce biogas and process the final residue into organic fertilizer. Tiny plastic particles frequently remain in these fertilizers, thus making their way into soil and water.
When the majority of the organic waste comes from private households, the number of plastic particles it contains is remarkably high. The particles are usually made of polystyrene or polyethylene. An article about the research is published in Science Advances (Press Release University of Bayreuth, 5 April 2018).
Click here for the press release.
Click here for the published article (1.54 MB).
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