The performance and environmental impact of pro-oxidant additive containing plastics in the open unmanaged environment—a review of the evidence
Pro-oxidant additive containing (PAC) plastics is a term that describes a growing number of plastics which are designed to degrade in the unmanaged natural environment (open-air, soil, aquatic) through oxidation and other processes. It is a category that includes ‘oxo-degradable’ plastics, ‘oxo-biod...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Royal Society
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.230089 |
| _version_ | 1797829305917505536 |
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| author | Fabiola Sciscione Helen C. Hailes Mark Miodownik |
| author_facet | Fabiola Sciscione Helen C. Hailes Mark Miodownik |
| author_sort | Fabiola Sciscione |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pro-oxidant additive containing (PAC) plastics is a term that describes a growing number of plastics which are designed to degrade in the unmanaged natural environment (open-air, soil, aquatic) through oxidation and other processes. It is a category that includes ‘oxo-degradable’ plastics, ‘oxo-biodegradable’ plastics and those containing ‘biotransformation’ additives. There is evidence that a new standard PAS 9017 : 2020 is relevant to predicting the timescale for abiotic degradation of PAC plastic in hot dry climates under ideal conditions (data reviewed for South of France and Florida). There are no reliable data to date to show that the PAS 9017 : 2020 predicts the timescale for abiotic degradation of PAC plastics in cool or wet climatic regions such as the UK or under less ideal conditions (soil burial, surface soiling etc.). Most PAC plastics studied in the literature showed biodegradability values in the range 5–60% and would not pass the criteria for biodegradability set in the new PAS 9017 : 2020. Possible formation of microplastics and cross-linking have been highlighted both by field studies and laboratory studies. Systematic eco-toxicity studies are needed to assess the possible effect of PAC additives and microplastics on the environment and biological organisms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T13:18:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e2bdf7f272994dbdae54e90bfbf5346f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T13:18:21Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-e2bdf7f272994dbdae54e90bfbf5346f2023-05-11T14:33:53ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032023-05-0110510.1098/rsos.230089The performance and environmental impact of pro-oxidant additive containing plastics in the open unmanaged environment—a review of the evidenceFabiola Sciscione0Helen C. Hailes1Mark Miodownik2UCL Plastic Waste Innovation Hub, University College London, London, UKUCL Plastic Waste Innovation Hub, University College London, London, UKUCL Plastic Waste Innovation Hub, University College London, London, UKPro-oxidant additive containing (PAC) plastics is a term that describes a growing number of plastics which are designed to degrade in the unmanaged natural environment (open-air, soil, aquatic) through oxidation and other processes. It is a category that includes ‘oxo-degradable’ plastics, ‘oxo-biodegradable’ plastics and those containing ‘biotransformation’ additives. There is evidence that a new standard PAS 9017 : 2020 is relevant to predicting the timescale for abiotic degradation of PAC plastic in hot dry climates under ideal conditions (data reviewed for South of France and Florida). There are no reliable data to date to show that the PAS 9017 : 2020 predicts the timescale for abiotic degradation of PAC plastics in cool or wet climatic regions such as the UK or under less ideal conditions (soil burial, surface soiling etc.). Most PAC plastics studied in the literature showed biodegradability values in the range 5–60% and would not pass the criteria for biodegradability set in the new PAS 9017 : 2020. Possible formation of microplastics and cross-linking have been highlighted both by field studies and laboratory studies. Systematic eco-toxicity studies are needed to assess the possible effect of PAC additives and microplastics on the environment and biological organisms.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.230089oxo-degradableoxo-biodegradablebiodegradablepro-degradantpro-oxidantsmicroplastics |
| spellingShingle | Fabiola Sciscione Helen C. Hailes Mark Miodownik The performance and environmental impact of pro-oxidant additive containing plastics in the open unmanaged environment—a review of the evidence Royal Society Open Science oxo-degradable oxo-biodegradable biodegradable pro-degradant pro-oxidants microplastics |
| title | The performance and environmental impact of pro-oxidant additive containing plastics in the open unmanaged environment—a review of the evidence |
| title_full | The performance and environmental impact of pro-oxidant additive containing plastics in the open unmanaged environment—a review of the evidence |
| title_fullStr | The performance and environmental impact of pro-oxidant additive containing plastics in the open unmanaged environment—a review of the evidence |
| title_full_unstemmed | The performance and environmental impact of pro-oxidant additive containing plastics in the open unmanaged environment—a review of the evidence |
| title_short | The performance and environmental impact of pro-oxidant additive containing plastics in the open unmanaged environment—a review of the evidence |
| title_sort | performance and environmental impact of pro oxidant additive containing plastics in the open unmanaged environment a review of the evidence |
| topic | oxo-degradable oxo-biodegradable biodegradable pro-degradant pro-oxidants microplastics |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.230089 |
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