公害ジャーナル

Micro plastic pollution has emerged as a significant environmental concern worldwide, with urban rainwater drainage systems serving as conduits for the transport of micro plastics into aquatic environments. These drainage systems, designed to manage storm water runoff in urban areas, can become reservoirs for micro plastic accumulation due to various anthropogenic activities and inadequate waste management practices. This essay explores the causes, impacts, and mitigation strategies associated with micro plastic pollution in sediments of urban rainwater drainage systems, highlighting the need for concerted action to address this growing environmental problem, Urbanization leads to increased impervious surfaces such as roads, pavements, and rooftops, which facilitate surface runoff during rainfall events. This runoff carries micro plastics from various sources, including littered plastic debris, degraded plastic products, and micro beads from personal care products, into the drainage system.