THE LIFECYCLES OF CONCRETE AND PLASTIC

WHILST EFFORTS CONTINUE APACE TO REDUCE AND OFTEN ELIMINATE THE CARBON EFFECTS OF CONCRETE USE, THE Environmental concentrations of anthropogenic microplastic and nanoplastic, polymer-based particulates have increased exponentially over the past half century.

the information around microplastics and nanoplastics remains with significant knowledge gaps. Whilst plastic particles are being found Almost everywhere, the effects they have are not fully known - this is mainly due to the fact that, because of how widespread they are, there is no control group against which to measure any effects.

Accurate information and research around Microplastics is hard to come by and for this section we use as a main source of information a report by the European Commission for The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). They DEFINE two categories OF MICROPLASTICS. thEse are ‘Primary particles’ which include the deliberate production of plastic particles less than 5mm in diameter for the purpose of function such as abrasives, inks and sprays AND, in contrast, ‘Secondary particles’ - particles less than 5mm in diameter that are made from mechanical, chemical and light induced degradation or breakdown of larger items, such as bulk and microplastics litter as well as tyre wear or textile fibres; these particles may also be made by ‘biological’ effects such as Arctic krill digesting microplastics to nanoplastics of 1-1000nm in size.

Rising global concentrations of environmental microplastics and nanoplastics have driven concerns for human exposure and health outcomes. Tests have confirmed the presence of microplastics in human kidney, liver and brain. Brain tissues have been identified with higher proportions of polyethylene compared to the composition of the plastics in liver or kidney.