February 10, 2023 Journal article Open Access

Askham; Pauna; Boulay; Fantke; Jolliet; Lavoie; Booth; Coutris; Verones; Weber; Vijver; Hajjar

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{
  "DOI": "10.2139/ssrn.4171913", 
  "language": "eng", 
  "title": "Generating environmental sampling and testing data for micro- and nanoplastics for use in life cycle impact assessment", 
  "issued": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2023, 
        2, 
        10
      ]
    ]
  }, 
  "abstract": "<p>Published in Science of The Total Environment,&nbsp;Volume 859, Part 2, 10 February 2023, 160038</p>\n\n<p><strong>Ongoing efforts focus on quantifying plastic pollution and describing and estimating the related magnitude of exposure&nbsp;and impacts on human and environmental health. Data gathered during such work usually follows a receptor perspective.&nbsp;However, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) represents an emitter perspective. This study examines existing data gathering&nbsp;and reporting approaches for field and laboratory studies on micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) exposure and&nbsp;effects relevant to LCA data inputs. The outcomes indicate that receptor perspective approaches do not typically&nbsp;provide suitable or sufficiently harmonised data. Improved design is needed in the sampling, testing and recording&nbsp;of results using harmonised, validated and comparable methods, with more comprehensive reporting of relevant&nbsp;data. We propose a three-level set of requirements for data recording and reporting to increase the potential for LCA&nbsp;studies and models to utilise data gathered in receptor-oriented studies. We show for which purpose such data can&nbsp;be used as inputs to LCA, particularly in life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods. Implementing these requirements&nbsp;will facilitate proper integration of the potential environmental impacts of plastic losses from human activity&nbsp;(e.g. litter) into LCA. Then, the impacts of plastic emissions can eventually be connected and compared with other&nbsp;environmental issues related to anthropogenic activities.</strong></p>", 
  "author": [
    {
      "family": "Askham"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Pauna"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Boulay"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Fantke"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Jolliet"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Lavoie"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Booth"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Coutris"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Verones"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Weber"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Vijver"
    }, 
    {
      "family": "Hajjar"
    }
  ], 
  "note": "Published in Science of The Total Environment,\u00a0Volume 859, Part 2, 10 February 2023, 160038", 
  "version": "first", 
  "type": "article-journal", 
  "id": "7404487"
}