Bare Truth by Rose de la Cruz
Bare Truth

Nuclear gamma rays can get rid of plastic pollution

May 29, 2021, 6:08 AM
Rose De La Cruz

Rose De La Cruz

Writer/Columnist

I shirk each time I see someone—coming from a party, or hosting one, just throwing away all those plastic microwavable containers, plastic bags, paper bags and other reusable and recyclable stuff right into the bin. You see, I make sure I recycle all these things because 1) I don’t want to contribute anymore to the landfills which are already filled to the brim and edges and 2) those things have further use if only we give them more chance to be of use at all.

I have always been for segregating and recycling because our Mother Earth is already pleading with us to be more mindful of how we use and throw things away—even if we or others can find some purpose to them.

I came across a story written by Rob Waugh about gamma rays helping get rid of plastic pollution.

Plastic pollution can now be corrected by gamma rays

Nuclear technology such as gamma rays could help to deal with the world's plastic problem, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Gamma rays and electron beams could be used on plastic waste to turn it into plastic and pellets that can be recycled or up- cycled as experts believe.

Normal plastic recycling lowers the quality of the plastics generated – but radiation can break down plastic polymers into reusable products.

Najat Mokhtar, IAEA deputy director general and head of its Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, said: "The IAEA is poised to provide unique nuclear solutions to plastic pollution through development and promotion of radiation technologies to help replace petroleum-based plastics with biodegradable ones to improve conventional recycling practice and to renew end-of-life plastic.

"You can use radiation to break down plastic polymers having insufficient quality into smaller components and use these to generate new plastic products, thus extending the plastic waste lifecycle."

Only 9 percent has been recycled

Of all plastic produced between 1950 and 2015 or in 65 years, only 9 percent has been recycled, and 17 percent remains in use – the rest has been buried in landfill, incinerated, or ended up in the ocean.

By 2025, the ocean will contain one ton of plastic for every three tons of fish.

By 2050, there may be more plastic in the ocean than fish, according to projections.

Uniting to solve global problems

Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA director general, said: "The times we are living – as we are still struggling with the pandemic – have confirmed to all of us in a powerful and painful way that global problems need global solutions. We can only solve big issues when we come together.

"Nuclear techniques can help in assessing and understanding the dimension of the problem but also in the recycling of plastic through radiation techniques, which allow us to produce materials that can be further used in the concept of a circular economy."

The IAEA has 25 projects relating to plastics, including research to help trace micro-plastics.

Rivers carry plastics to the sea

Research this year found that thousands of rivers, including smaller ones, are responsible for most of the plastic pollution worldwide.

Previously, researchers believed that 10 large rivers, such as the Yangtze in China, were responsible for the bulk of plastic pollution.

But in fact, 1,000 rivers – 1 percent of all rivers worldwide – carry most of the plastic to the sea.

The research by the non-profit The Ocean Cleanup means that areas like tropical islands are likely to be among the worst polluters, the scientists said.

They used measurements and modelling to work out that 1,000 rivers worldwide are behind 80% of plastic emissions.


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