Plastic Pollution

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-021219",
  "term": "Plastic Pollution",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "Plastic waste that, intentionally or unintentionally, enters the environment during the production, consumption, and disposal phases of the product lifecycle, though it is most common at the end of its useful life. Plastic pollution can originate from: Resin pellets leaking during plastic production; Mismanaged waste (e.g., waste collected but improperly or illegally disposed of or waste that is not collected in areas where solid waste management services exist); Litter (e.g., items discarded in the environment); Abrasion (e.g., “wear-and-tear”) and losses of microplastics. Industrial and marine activities; Catastrophic events; Urban and stormwater runoff; Washing machine wastewater. [About Plastic Pollution, https://www.epa.gov/plastics/about-plastic-products-and-plastic-pollution] Plastic pollution from land-based sources that ends up in oceans and waterways includes littered items such as packaging (e.g., flexible films), single-use products, durable consumer products, household products, and microplastics (e.g., tire wear particles and microfibers from textiles). Plastic pollution from sea-based sources can include abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded boating, fishing, or aquaculture gear. The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine estimate that land-based sources account for up to 80% of plastic waste that pollutes waterways and oceans. Once in the environment, plastic pollution can fragment into smaller pieces of plastic. Microplastics are plastic particles ranging in size from five millimeters to one nanometer; nanoplastics are plastic particles smaller than one micrometer. Both are found in every ecosystem on the planet from the Antarctic tundra to tropical coral reefs.",
  "references": [
    "EPA EV-Outcomes-Environmental Impacts"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/plastic-pollution/"
}