Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy; LTTA - Electron Microscopy Center, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
Environ Pollut. 2021 Nov 1;288:117708. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117708. Epub 2021 Jul 4.
Plastic pollution is an emerging problem and is a consequence of the post-consumer plastic waste accumulation in the environment coupled to mismanaged waste programmes. Countries are counteracting the continuous growth of plastic litter with different strategies: introducing bans and limits on both plastic items and materials, promoting plastic recycling and recovery strategies and encouraging voluntary clean up actions, as well as raising public awareness. However, the toxicity of plastics to the environment and organisms is not only related to their polymer chains, but also to the fact that plastic materials contain hazardous additives and can adsorb environmental pollutants (i.e. heavy metals and persistent organic contaminants, respectively). The plastic/additives/pollutants combination may be ingested by marine organisms and then enter in the food chain. Therefore, legislation for additives and contaminants is crucial both to reduce environmental pollution and their toxic effects on organisms, which of course includes humans. In this review, the current policies on plastics and related contaminants are described focusing on current laws. Moreover, recommendations for seafood consumption are suggested, since each fish or mollusc eaten may potentially result in plastic particles, additives or contaminants ingestion.
塑料污染是一个新出现的问题，是消费后塑料废物在环境中积累与废物管理不善相结合的结果。各国正在采取不同的策略来应对塑料垃圾的持续增长：引入对塑料物品和材料的禁令和限制，推广塑料回收和恢复策略，并鼓励自愿清理行动，以及提高公众意识。然而，塑料对环境和生物的毒性不仅与其聚合物链有关，还与塑料材料中含有危险添加剂以及可以吸附环境污染物（即重金属和持久性有机污染物）的事实有关。这种塑料/添加剂/污染物的组合可能被海洋生物摄入，然后进入食物链。因此，添加剂和污染物的立法对于减少环境污染及其对生物体的毒性影响至关重要，当然也包括人类。在这篇综述中，我们描述了当前关于塑料和相关污染物的政策，重点是现行法律。此外，还对海鲜消费提出了建议，因为每吃一种鱼或贝类，都可能导致摄入塑料颗粒、添加剂或污染物。
