Sources of microplastic- pollution to the marine environment 04.12.2014 Project report Prosjekt/Project no: 1032 Rapportdato/Report date: 4 Dec. 2014 Report no: M-321|2015 Distribusjon/Distribution: Open Tittel/Titel: Sources of microplastics-pollution to the marine environmnet Forfatter(e)/Author(s): Peter Sundt Antall sider/Number of pages: 86 Per-Erik Schulze Frode Syversen Antall vedlegg/Attachments: 4 Oppdragsgiver/Client: Norwegian Kontaktperson/Contact person: Hannah Hildonen Environment Agency Miljødirektoaret Utdrag/Excerpts: The overall objective of this study ordered by the Norwegian Environment Agency is to provide a good overview of the different sources contributing to microplastic pollution both in Norway and globally. For Norway, we also provide a first assessment of the type and amount of microplastics each source contributes. Importantly, we characterize the microplastic sources only at their upstream origin, ideally just where the microplastic particles start their “life” as environmental pollutants, for example at “the start of the pipe”, on land or at sea. The report analyses and estimates the emissions/littering from both primary and secondary sources of microplastic pollution. For primary sources, we estimate the annual emissions in Norway at about 10.000 tons. For secondary sources, it is not possible to make an estimate. However, the report concludes that both sources are important for the generation of microplastics in the Norwegian oceans. The definition and understanding of “microplastics” is crucial and therefore discussed thoroughly in Appendix B. Mepex has also developed a conceptual model for different kinds of microplastic sources, presented in chapter 5.8, giving the reader a systematic overview of sources. It is necessary to underline that the calculations made in this report are our best estimates, based on defined assumptions and often, poor data. In some cases, industry has taken an active part and helped providing data. In other cases, industry is not even aware of the microplastic issue or do not want to involve themselves. It is also likely that some areas of pollution may also have been overlooked by the authors of this pre-study. Front page photo: Erik Skabo, “Polymer marine pollution”, from Lofoten, Norway Emneord/ Microplastics Geografi/ Norway Keywords:Front page photo: Erik Skabo,Marine “ PolymerLittering marine pollution”, from Geograpic:Lofoten, Norway North Sea Plastic wate North Atlantic ocean Prosjektleder/ Peter Sundt Kontrollert av/ Frode Syversen Project manager: Controlled by: Table of content 1. Summary ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1. General summary .............................................................................................................. 1 1.2. Key knowledge gaps and need for further studies ................................................ 2 1.3. Sammendrag på norsk ..................................................................................................... 2 2. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 4 3. Aim and scope of study .............................................................................................. 7 4. Methods .......................................................................................................................... 8 5. General findings and overview of microplastic sources in Norway .......... 9 5.8. Conceptual model for microplastic pollution sources ...................................... 11 6. Primary sources of microplastic pollution ....................................................... 16 6.1. Microplastics intentionally created ......................................................................... 16 6.1.1. Personal Care consumer Products ................................................................................. 16 6.1.2. Industrial or commercial products ................................................................................ 20 6.2. Unintentional spill in production and transport ................................................ 22 6.2.1. Pellets loss from plastic factories and transport ...................................................... 22 6.3. Microplastic as a by-product / dust emission ...................................................... 26 6.3.1. Maritime coatings: shipyards, marinas and boatyards .......................................... 26 6.3.2. Building surface maintenance .......................................................................................... 30 6.3.3. Commercial cleaning of synthetic fibers: textiles ..................................................... 32 6.4. Emissions from wear and tear of plastic products during normal use. ...... 33 6.4.1. Households, dust and laundry .......................................................................................... 33 6.4.2. City dust and road wear ...................................................................................................... 37 6.4.3. Indoor dust at public and commercial buildings ...................................................... 41 6.4.4. Wear and tear of products in aquaculture, fishery and agriculture ................. 42 6.5. Microplastic particles created by waste handling and recycling .................. 43 6.5.1. Landfills ..................................................................................................................................... 43 6.5.2. Organic waste treatment .................................................................................................... 44 6.5.3. Paper recycling ....................................................................................................................... 47 6.5.4. Metal shredding ...................................................................................................................... 48 6.5.5. Food waste shredders .......................................................................................................... 49 6.5.6. Decommissioning of ships and oil rigs ......................................................................... 49 6.5.7. Plastic recycling facilities ................................................................................................... 50 7. Secondary sources of microplastics pollution ................................................ 51 7.1. A model for macro plastic litter sources to Norwegian oceans ..................... 51 7.2. Macro plastic littering, a global issue ...................................................................... 54 7.2.1. Global estimates on macro plastic littering ................................................................ 55 7.3. Identifying marine litter sources based on beach litter monitoring ........... 57 7.3.1. OSPAR monitoring of 7 Norwegian beaches, preliminary results ..................... 57 7.3.2. Regular regional beach clean ups ................................................................................... 59 7.3.3. National NGO clean ups in Norway ................................................................................ 60 7.3.4. National NGO clean ups in Sweden ................................................................................ 61 7.3.5. Identifying marine litter sources based on trawling and submarine observations ............................................................................................................................................. 62 7.4. National waste surveys as an indicator of plastic littering ............................. 63 7.5. Volume estimates on four of the major Norwegian macrolitter sources ... 64 Client: Norwegian Environment Agency Project: Sources of microplastic pollution to the marine environment 7.5.1. Plastic bags and recreational littering .......................................................................... 64 7.5.2. Plastic litter and lost equipment from fisheries and aquaculture ..................... 65 7.5.3. Sewage related plastic littering ....................................................................................... 67 7.6. From macroplastics to microplastics ...................................................................... 68 7.6.1. The major natural mechanisms and sites creating microplastics from macro plastics 68 7.7. Towards the first estimates of total Norwegian volume of marine littering and microplastics from macroplastics ............................................................................... 71 7.7.1. A best guess Norwegian emission scenario for secondary microplastics ...... 71 7.7.2. Estimates on macrolitter amount entering Norway from long range transport .................................................................................................................................................... 72 7.7.3. Beach scenarios on microplastic generation from macroplastics ..................... 73 7.7.4. Conclusion on microplastics from macroplastic littering ..................................... 73 7.8. Biodegradable and Oxo-degradable plastics vs. microplastics ..................... 74 7.9. Sediments and soils as a macro plastic sink and/or microplastics source? 79 8. Summary of major microplastic pollution sources ....................................... 81 9. Knowledge gaps and proposal for further studies ........................................ 84 9.1. Overall knowledge gaps