Verster Carina, Minnaar Karin, Bouwman Hindrik
North-West University, Research Unit, Environmental Sciences and Management, Potchefstroom, North West Province, South Africa.
Integr Environ Assess Manag. 2017 May;13(3):533-535. doi: 10.1002/ieam.1900.
South Africa has a vibrant plastics manufacturing industry, but recycling is limited and insufficient with a notable proportion of the unmanaged waste entering the environment. South Africa is a developing country with microplastics research in its inception. Very little is known about freshwater microplastics, and studies on South African marine microplastics are limited but actively being pursued. In a water-scarce country, protection of freshwater resources remains a priority, but in the face of other socioeconomic issues (poverty, unemployment, and HIV/AIDS), it receives insufficiently effective attention. The full impact and risks of microplastics pollution in water is yet to be discovered. The risks may be enhanced in a developing country where many communities remain largely dependent on the land and natural waters. With South Africa being a water-scarce country, the quality of its aquatic resources is at an even greater risk with an assumed increasing background of microplastics, emphasizing the need for further research. A South African Water Research Commission-funded project is being undertaken to derive research priorities, but there is an immediate need for improved recycling and waste management. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:533-535. © 2017 SETAC.
南非拥有蓬勃发展的塑料制造业，但回收利用有限且不足，相当一部分未经管理的废物进入了环境。南非是一个发展中国家，微塑料研究尚处于起步阶段。人们对淡水微塑料知之甚少，对南非海洋微塑料的研究有限，但正在积极开展。在一个水资源匮乏的国家，保护淡水资源仍然是优先事项，但面对其他社会经济问题（贫困、失业和艾滋病毒/艾滋病），这方面并未得到足够有效的关注。水中微塑料污染的全面影响和风险尚未被发现。在许多社区仍在很大程度上依赖土地和天然水域的发展中国家，这些风险可能会加剧。由于南非是一个水资源匮乏的国家，在微塑料背景水平假定不断上升的情况下，其水生资源质量面临更大风险，这凸显了进一步开展研究的必要性。一个由南非水研究委员会资助的项目正在进行，以确定研究重点，但当下迫切需要改善回收利用和废物管理。《综合环境评估与管理》2017年；13:533 - 535。© 2017 SETAC。
