Plastics in the environment in the context of UV radiation, climate change and the Montreal Protocol: UNEP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, Update 2023

Jansen, Marcel, Andrady, Anthony, Bornman, Janet ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4635-4301 , Aucamp, Pieter, Bais, Alkiviadis, Banaszak, Anastazia, Barnes, Paul, Bernhard, Germar, Bruckman, Laura, Busquets, Rosa, Häder, Donat, Hanson, Mark, Heikkilä, Anu, Hylander, Samuel, Lucas, Robyn, Mackenzie, Roy, Madronich, Sasha, Neale, Patrick, Neale, Rachel, Olsen, Catherine, Ossola, Rachele, Pandey, Krishna, Petropavlovskikh, Irina, Revell, Laura, Robinson, Sharon, Robson, Matthew ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8631-796X , Rose, Kevin, Solomon, Keith, Andersen, Mads P Sulbæk, Sulzberger, Barbara, Wallington, Timothy, Wang, Qing-Wei, Wängberg, Sten-Åke, White, Christopher, Young, Antony, Zepp, Richard and Zhu, Liping (2024) Plastics in the environment in the context of UV radiation, climate change and the Montreal Protocol: UNEP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, Update 2023. Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences .

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Abstract

This Assessment Update by the Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) considers the interactive effects of solar UV radiation, global warming, and other weathering factors on plastics. The Assessment illustrates the significance of solar UV radiation in decreasing the durability of plastic materials, degradation of plastic debris, formation of micro- and nanoplastic particles and accompanying leaching of potential toxic compounds. Micro- and nanoplastics have been found in all ecosystems, the atmosphere, and in humans. While the potential biological risks are not yet well-established, the widespread and increasing occurrence of plastic pollution is reason for continuing research and monitoring. Plastic debris persists after its intended life in soils, water bodies and the atmosphere as well as in living organisms. To counteract accumulation of plastics in the environment, the lifetime of novel plastics or plastic alternatives should better match the functional life of products, with eventual breakdown releasing harmless substances to the environment.

Item Type:	Article
Journal / Publication Title:	Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences
Publisher:	Springer
ISSN:	1474-9092
Departments:	Institute of Science and Environment > Forestry and Conservation
Additional Information:	T. Matthew Robson, UK National School of Forestry, University of Cumbria, Ambleside, UK and Faculty of Biological & Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made.
Depositing User:	Insight Administrator
SWORD Depositor:	Insight Administrator
Date Deposited:	11 Apr 2024 20:57
Last Modified:	12 Apr 2024 08:00
URI:	https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/7627

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