Another reason why plastic is bad for the environment – it heats the atmosphere Scientists have discovered another environmental hazard posed by plastic – greenhouse gases. Researchers from Hawai have found that plastics release potent planet warming gases […]

Scientists have discovered another environmental hazard posed by plastic – greenhouse gases.

plastics release potent planet warming gases such as methane and ethylene when they are exposed to sunlight. Researchers from Hawai have found thatrelease potent planet warming gases such as methane and ethylene when they are exposed to sunlight.

The findings are of considerable concern after the Met Office warned this week that our summers are getting wetter and warmer – in keeping with the predicted effects of climate change.

Furthermore, a report on Tuesday warned that heatwave deaths in the UK were set to quadruple by 2080 if nothing is done to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Emissions rate set to increase

Mass production of plastics started nearly 70 years ago and the production rate is expected to double over the next two decades.

“Considering the amounts of plastic washing ashore on our coastlines our finding provides further evidence that we need to stop plastic production, especially single-use plastic ,” said David Karl, of the University of Hawaii.

Greenpeace senior oceans campaigner Louise Edge, said:”Ocean plastic pollution has already been described as a ‘toxic time-bomb’ by the UN, and this new study suggests that when plastic degrades in sunlight, it emits greenhouse gases which are harmful to our climate. This is yet another example of why more research is needed into the full risks that plastic poses to the environment.”

Releases more over time

Adding to concerns about the damage plastic is causing, the researchers found that the emission rate of the gases from virgin pellets of plastic increased during a 212-day experiment and that LDPE debris found in the ocean also emitted greenhouse gases when exposed to sunlight.

Once initiated by solar radiation, the emission of these gases continued in the dark

Lead author Sarah-Jeanne Royer, of the University of Hawaii, said: “We attribute the increased emission of greenhouse gases with time from the virgin pellets to photo-degradation of the plastic , as well as the formation of a surface layer marked with fractures, micro-cracks and pits.”

“With time, these defects increase the surface area available for further photo-chemical degradation and therefore contribute to an acceleration of the rate of gas production,” she added.

Next stage of research

She is working to develop estimates of the amount of plastic exposed to the environment in oceanic and terrestrial regions, globally, in order to constrain the overall greenhouse gas emissions from plastics .