Abstract: Approximately 91% of all plastics are not recycled. This is due to consumers not recycling items, item contamination, or because certain plastics cannot be recycled. When recyclable materials are not properly disposed of they end up in landfills, nature, or in water sources. These plastic materials can contaminant the water sources, and can then cause health issues in humans. A survey on residential recycling practices was taken by 50 Indiana University students living in Bloomington. Results showed that 52% of these students recycled, however only 34% have access to a recycling service. Data from the Environmental Working Group’s tap water database was analyzed to determine if plastics are one of the contaminants in Bloomington tap water. 15 total contaminants were found, with 4 exceeding EWG health guidelines. Two plastic contaminants were detected, Hexachlorocyclopentadiene and Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, confirming that plastic, potentially recyclable plastic, is contaminating the Bloomington water sources.
Introduction:
In 2017, the United States generated 267.8 million tons of solid waste in municipal areas, and only 67 million tons were recycled (EPA, 2020). Approximately 91% of plastic is not recycled (Parker, 2018). Plastics not recycled end up in landfills, or worse, in oceans and water sources. Plastic can take over 400 years to fully decompose, and many types are not biodegradable (Parker). It is estimated that every year 8 billion metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean, polluting waters and harming wildlife (EPA). When recyclables are contaminated with food, or with other unrecyclable items, they cannot be recycled and must be incinerated, put in a landfill, or they end up in nature. When plastics are discarded in a landfill, they can cause further harmful emissions like carbon dioxide, or harmful leachate. Leachate is the term used to describe water runoff from landfills. Leachate can contain dangerous contaminants which can pollute crops or water sources (Biohabitats).
Up until 2018 the United States exported their recyclables to China and other East Asian countries. These countries paid the US to process their recycling. China required the materials while they grew as a manufacturing force. In 2018 China banned the import of the majority of recyclables, setting new purity standards for what they would import. The ban included 24 different solid wastes, though it mainly focused on the ban on non-industrial plastics (Wang, 2019). In 2017, the US exported 900 million tons of plastic waste (this includes all waste, like industrial, not just municipal). When the ban was placed in 2018, this amount dropped dramatically to around 120 million tons exported to China (Wang, 2019). Due to this foreign policy change, the US found other countries to export to, like Malaysia and Thailand, whose recycling imports greatly increased in 2018. In the 3 years since China’s ban on recyclables, the US invested $185 billion in their own recycling infrastructure.
As the US begins to process more of their own recycling, there is greater potential for plastics to contaminant nature and water sources within the US. Using information from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Environmental Working Group’s tap water database the contaminants in water sources around the country have been shared and made easily accessible to the public. This data could allow researchers to connect plastics and incorrect recycling practices to water contamination and human health issues in certain areas.
Materials & Methods:
Recycling is common practice in the US, but the practice is not perfect, as recyclable items still end up in landfills and in nature. To determine how residents of Bloomington, IN recycle, a survey was sent to Indiana University students living in Bloomington. The survey asked the following questions about where the students live on campus, and their recycling practices. 50 responses were received, which was enough to provide sufficient data on a small amount of students recycling practices. Research on recycling in Bloomington included the cost of recycling, where recycling is available, city recycling services, and how a resident could find recycling services in Bloomington.
- Where do you live in Bloomington?
- Off campus rental apartment or house
- Fraternity or sorority house
- On campus housing (dorms, IU apartments, etc.)
- Do you recycle?
- Yes
- No
- Do you have a recycling service that picks up your recycling?
- Yes
- No
- If you do recycle, but do not have a service, do you take your recycling somewhere?
- Yes
- No
- N/A I have a recycling service or I do not recycle
- If you take your recycling somewhere, where do you take it?
- Free response
Table 1: Recycling survey questions and response options
To determine what contaminants are present in Bloomington water, the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG, 2020) tap water database was utilized. The EWG receives their data from state environmental departments, for Indiana this is the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. The EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database also contributes water quality and contamination data for the EWG. The total contaminants in Bloomington tap water, legal limits of contaminants, and EWG recommended health guidelines were gathered from the EWG website. Further research was completed on how the federal government is addressing plastic contamination in water, and how Bloomington residents can ensure their water is safe to consume.
Results:
From the 50 survey responses from students, it was determined that 52% recycled, and 66% do not have a recycling service. 94% of responses came from students living off campus in rental houses or apartments. The recycling services are provided by the student’s landlord or rental company. A large amount of students in rental housing do not have a recycling service, due to the trash service their landlord provides. For private trash services, which are necessary for large complexes who utilize dumpsters, an extra fee is added to receive recycling services. Landlords likely do not want to pay this extra fee, so they do not provide recycling for their renters. However, in smaller rental homes, the landlord may utilize the City of Bloomington’s waste service, which offers free recycling pickup (Bloomington, 2020). Allowing 34% of students to have access to a recycling service.
Figure 1: City of Bloomington recycling bins used by residents.
For question 5, “If you take your recycling somewhere, where do you take it?” one student responded, “We really want to recycle, but can’t find anywhere near.” This response led to further research in recycling options in Bloomington, IN. The Monroe County Solid Waste Management District offers free recycling drop off, and has multiple centers in and around Bloomington and the Indiana University campus allowing recycling access to residents with cars or transportation to these locations (Monroe Recycling Centers, 2020).
| Recycling Center | Distance from campus | What they accept |
| South Walnut Recycling Center | 3.2 miles | Paper, metal, glass, CDs, DVDs, plastics (1-7), electronics, hazardous waste, appliances |
| Southside Recycling Center | 5.4 miles | Paper, metal glass, plastics (1-7), electronics |
| Westside Recycling Center | 5.3 miles | Paper, metal, glass, plastics (1-7), electronics |
Table 2: Monroe County Waste Management Recycling District Centers in Bloomington, IN.
According to the Environmental Working Group’s tap water database, there are 15 total contaminants in the Bloomington tap water. Of these 15 contaminants, 4 exceeded EWG recommended health guidelines. The EWG sets these guidelines separate from the legal limits. The EWG has created their own health guidelines because the Environmental Protection Agency has not developed new tap water standards in 20 years, and some of the standards are over 40 years old. Since these standards were set, there has been more research on the adverse health effects of tap water contaminants. The 4 contaminants that exceeded EWG guidelines were bromodichloromethane, chloroform, haloacetic acids, and total trihalomethanes. These contaminants are all disinfectant by-products, they come from chemicals used to clean the water of microbials (CDC, 2016). When consumed by humans they can have cancerous properties.
| Contaminant | Amount in Water | EWG Guideline | Legal Limit | How much it exceeds EWG guideline |
| Bromodichloromethane | 4.63 ppb | 0.06 ppb | N/A | 77x |
| Chloroform | 40.0 ppb | 0.4 ppb | N/A | 100x |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 37.2 ppb | 0.1 ppb | 60 ppb | 372x |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) | 45.5 ppb | 0.15 ppb | 80 ppb | 303x |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate | 0.154 ppb | 3 ppb | 6 ppb | N/A |
| Hexachlorocyclopentadiene | 0.0308 ppb | 2 ppb | 50 ppb | N/A |
Table 3: contaminants in Bloomington, IN tap water from EWG database.
Bromodichloromethane can cause cancer in liver, kidney, and intestines (ASTDR, 1986). Chloroform can affect the cardiovascular system, developmental periods, liver, nervous system, renal system, and reproductive system (ASTDR, 2011). Haloacetic acids can icrease risk of bladder, rectal & colon cancer as well as reproductive issues. Total trihalomethanes can cause cancers and reproductive issues. These 4 contaminants exceed health guidelines, but do not exceed legal limits, although two of them do not have set legal limits. These contaminants also do not have a direct relation to plastic waste. However, within the other 11 contaminants found there were two contaminants that could potentially be related to the contamination of plastics in water sources. One of these contaminants was Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, which is added to PVC plastics to soften them, and can cause hormone disruption in the male reproductive system. Some common PVC products are wire/cable insulation, shoes, medical devices, car interiors, packaging, and credit cards (Wang, 2020). The EWG website notes that the pollution sources for this contaminant are typically from runoff or industry.
Figure 2: Screenshot from EWG website of contaminants detected.
Another contaminant potentially related to incorrect disposal of plastic recyclables is Hexachlorocyclopentadiene. This contaminant is used in the production of plastics, as well as flame retardants and resins. It was also used in the production of some pesticides which have now been banned. This contaminant can harm organs like the stomach, intestines, liver, kidneys, and lungs (ASTDR, 2011).
Discussion:
After finding Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and Hexachlorocyclopentadiene in Bloomington tap water, it can be assumed there has been a mishandling of plastics in this area, which has led to the contamination of water with plastic byproducts. Whether this pollution came from Indiana University students not having access to a recycling service, and their recyclable plastics ending up in water sources or in a landfill, or if the pollution came from landfills with industry waste, cannot yet be determined. Further study is necessary to discover where the contamination is originating from, however we cannot rule out the possibility that the contamination came from the incorrect disposal of recyclable items. Suggestions for further study would be to research the sources that City of Bloomington pulls their water from. As well as research into surrounding areas near this water source that could have water runoff causing these contaminants.
Less than 10% of recyclables actually end up recycled, and the byproducts of those items (plastics, metals) can end up in our water sources, and in our bodies. However, elected officials within the House of Representatives are working to change this. The Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2020 was introduced to the house in February of 2020. This bill would require that producers of plastic products and single use products would be fiscally responsible for the collection and recycling of those products after they have been used. It would phase out single use products, like plastic utensils, starting January 1, 2022. This bill would also refund consumers for returning drink containers, like plastic bottles, and would create a tax on plastic bags. In addition, it would limit how much plastic waste the US can export to other countries. The Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act would have a massive influence on plastic waste accumulated in the US and could help drastically reduce the amount of plastics that end up in landfills, water sources, nature, and in human’s bodies. The bill has been referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment and has not yet passed the house (H.R. 5845). One step taken by the federal government against plastic pollution was banning the use of plastic microbeads. Plastic microbeads are used mainly in skin exfoliants and end up in water sources harming the marine life (FDA).
Researchers are also working to figure out how to limit recyclable contamination at the source. There has been a greater interest in recycling, especially in younger generations. However the recent surge in recycling trends can lead to “wish-cycling.” This is when someone recycles an item that should go in the garbage, because they are unsure if it can be recycled, but believe that it is better to try. This practice causes recycling contamination, which causes many recyclables to not be recycled. Suggestions to fix this issue include focusing recycling education on millennials and Gen Z, to help grow their knowledge of what can and cannot be recycled, so that more items are recycled, and less end up contaminated. There are video games in development to teach people what they can and cannot recycle, targeted towards younger generations. Another suggestion to fix recycling contamination is a program that would give people feedback on their recycling. They would receive an email or note from their recycling service, letting the household know if they have a high amount of contamination in their recycling, and what they should no longer be putting in their bins (Price, 2020).
Conclusion:
The amount of materials recycled must increase as the production of plastics continues. This can be accomplished through recycling education, and the implementation of stronger policies on the manufacturers of plastic products. Tap water standards should be reevaluated by the EPA, as there are dangerous contaminants present in the majority of water sources around the US which have not been reviewed in many years and are causing harm to human health. Awareness of the contaminants in tap water needs to increase along with public pressure on the EPA to reevaluate their standards. Greater awareness would also help inform people on how to ensure their drinking water is safe. The information on tap water contamination in the US is easily accessible, people are just unaware that this data exists. There must be greater education, awareness, and regulation of plastics, recycling, and water contamination to improve human and climate health.
References:
ASTDR. (1989). Public Health Statement for Bromodichloromethane. Retrieved Fall, 2020, from https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=706&tid=127#bookmark04
ASTDR. (2011). Public Health Statement for Chloroform. Retrieved Fall, 2020, from https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/toxsubstance.asp?toxid=16
ASTDR. (2011). Public Health Statement for Hexachlorocyclopentadiene. Retrieved Fall, 2020, from https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/toxsubstance.asp?toxid=208
Biohabitats. Monroe County Landfill. Retrieved Fall, 2020, from www.biohabitats.com/wp-content/uploads/MonroeCountyLandfill-2.pdf
Bloomington. (2020). Recycling Services for City of Bloomington, Indiana. Retrieved Fall, 2020, from https://bloomington.in.gov/sanitation/recycling
CDC. (2016, December 02). Disinfection By-Products. Retrieved Fall, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/safewater/chlorination-byproducts.html
CDC. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. (2020). The Microbead-Free Waters Act. Retrieved Fall, 2020, from https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-laws-regulations/microbead-free-waters-act-faqs
Environmental Working Group. EWG’s Tap Water Database: What’s in Your Drinking Water? EWG Tap Water Database, 2019, www.ewg.org/tapwater/system.php?pws=IN5253002
Environmental Working Group. Figure 1. Image. Retrieved Fall, 2020, from www.ewg.org/tapwater/system.php?pws=IN5253002.
EPA. (2020, November 10). National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Wastes and Recycling. Retrieved Fall, 2020, from https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials
H.R. 5845, 116th Cong., Https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/5845 (2020) (enacted).
Monroe County Recycling Centers. (2020). Retrieved Fall, 2020, from http://gogreendistrict.com/recycling
Parker, L. (2018, December 20). A whopping 91% of plastic isn’t recycled. Retrieved Fall, 2020, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/07/plastic-produced-recycling-waste-ocean-trash-debris-environment/
Price, K. R. (2020). The Millennial Wish-cycler: Best Practices for Reducing Recycling Contamination. College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida. https://www.jou.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The-Millennial-Wish-cycler-Kaitlin-Robb-Price.pdf
Wang, W., Themelis, N. J., Sun, K., Bourtsalas, A. C., Huang, Q., Zhang, Y., & Wu, Z. (2019). Current influence of China’s ban on plastic waste imports. Waste Disposal & Sustainable Energy, 1(1), 67-78. doi:10.1007/s42768-019-00005-z
Leave a Reply