Microplastics research in Japan 2020 (EN)

2020 Microplastic Leakage Survey Report
Challenges and next steps to solving the problem
- About Pirika Inc. / Pirika Association
- Why microplastic leakage is a problem
- About the Albatross project
- The 2020 Microplastic Leakage Survey
- Next steps and challenges to solving the problem

Transcript

1. 2020 Microplastic Leakage Survey Report
   Challenges and next steps to solving the problem
   Pirika Inc. / Pirika Association
   1
   25 March 2021
   

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2. Contents
   2
   - About Pirika Inc. / Pirika Association
   - Why microplastic leakage is a problem
   - About the Albatross project
   - The 2020 Microplastic Leakage Survey
   - Next steps and challenges to solving the problem
   

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3. About Pirika Inc. / Pirika Association
   Representative：Fuji Kojima
   Set sights on solving environmental issues after reading a
   book when aged 7. Majored in environmental engineering at
   Osaka Prefecture University and energy economics at Kyoto
   University Graduate School. Traveled around the world while
   still at graduate school and witnessed how human-created
   waste was spilling into nature. Started development of the
   Pirika litter picking social network app upon returning to
   Japan. Dropped out of Kyoto University in 2011 and
   established Pirika Inc..
   Pirika is supported by a diverse team of more than 50 members including part-timers and interns
   3
   A non-profit organization / startup that aims to use
   science and technology to solve all kinds of
   environmental issues.
   For their first step, Pirika is focused on the issue of
   human-created waste (especially plastic) spilling
   into nature.
   ※Pirika = “Beautiful” in Ainu, a language spoken by the indigenous people of
   northern Japan
   Timeline：
   2010 Begins as a student-led project at the University of Kyoto
   2011 Members drop out of university, establish Pirika Inc. in Tokyo
   2018 Wins Ministry of Environment Award (2018 Cleaning Award)
   Establishes non-profit organization
   2019 Pirika’s efforts are picked up in the Ministry of
   the Environment’s Annual Report on the Environment 2019
   

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4. Why plastic leakage is an issue
   4
   Both the global population and volume of plastic used per person have
   increased
   → Exponential increase in plastic consumption and leakage
   Concerns over plastic leakage’s negative impact on ecosystems
   - Impact on marine life (suffocation, starvation, injury)
   - Impact on climate change (inhibits planktons from absorbing CO2)
   Predicting the impact of plastic leakage is difficult but there are concerns of
   serious and irreversible consequences and it is an issue that, as with global
   warming, warrants the application of the precautionary principle*.
   ※Precautionary principle：a system or concept that allows for regulatory measures even if
   there is a hypothetical danger to the new technology that has a significant and irreversible
   effect on the environment, even if the causal relationship is not sufficiently proved
   scientifically.
   

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5. Why microplastic leakage is a problem
   5
   Microplastics = plastics smaller than 5 mm
   - Microplastics are believed to be a greater risk to
   the human body when compared to larger
   plastics as they can easily be ingested through
   drink and food.
   - Plastic itself is harmless but may contain
   substances that are harmful to the human body.
   

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6. About the Albatross project
   ？
   A survey on the outflow mechanisms to stop the leakage of plastics
   Clarifying the causal items and
   leakage paths are essential to
   stopping the leakage.
   6
   

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7. Conventional plastic leakage survey methods
   Conventional methods such as trawling are expensive and
   impossible in some locations.
   Boats cannot enter
   shallow or narrow rivers
   Boats are costly
   

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8. Development of microplastic collection devices
   A small survey device was developed, allowing surveys anywhere and at low cost.
   Albatross 1
   Albatross 3
   Albatross 7
   Patent pending
   

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9. Expanding Albatross survey network
   Also used by the UN, now one of the world’s largest microplastic survey networks
   ※Surveys in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos were conducted as
   part of project CounterMEASURE under the UN environment programme
   

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10. Deducing the causal plastic product
    Each of the more than 5,000 samples collected were analyzed. The causal plastic product was deduced in collaboration
    with the Tokyo Institute of Technology, the Tokyo University of Science and plastic molding companies.
    

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11. The Albatross project implementation in 2020
    11
    Implementing body Pirika Association
    Technical cooperation Pirika Inc.
    (development and provision of equipment and know-how)
    Financial support (grants, sponsorship, donations)
    The Nippon Foundation
    (The Ocean and Japan Project)
    The FP Corp. Environment Fund
    Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd.
    FANCL Corporation
    Advisers and partners
    Tokyo Institute of Technology, Prof. Gaku Fukuhara Guidance and supervision of analysis procedures
    Osumi Co., Ltd. Commissioned for analysis services
    Miyoshi Inc. Help in deduction of causal plastic product
    Tokyo University of Science, Prof. Yasuo Nihei Advised the leakage calculation process
    Yachiyo Engineering Co., Ltd. Provided water outflow data
    Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. Assisted in analysis of artificial turf
    

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12. Project flow for 2020
    Project flow for 2019
    Project flow (compared to previous year)
    12
    Collect candidate plastic particles
    Pre-treatment
    Analysis
    Deduction of product
    Consideration
    Select survey locations
    Build partnerships
    Calculation of leakage volume
    Development of solution businesses
    Measurement and calculation of mass
    

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13. 1. Building partnerships
    In partnership with 20 municipalities nation-wide and 2 universities, survey in each area was continued
    even during the COVID-19 crisis.
    13
    Region Partner
    Hokkaido Hokkaido Prefecture
    Kanto
    Saitama Prefecture, Tama City, Fukaya City, Abiko
    City, Tateyama City, Minato Ward, Setagaya Ward,
    Tokyo City University
    Chubu Yamanashi Prefecture, Mie Prefecture, Shima City,
    Toyohashi City, Mishima City, Yokkaichi University
    Kansai Shiga Prefecture, Sakai City, Kameoka City, Kobe
    City (Rokko Island High School)
    Chugoku Okayama City
    Kyushu Fukuoka City (in collaboration with the towns of Umi
    and Shime), Kirishima City
    

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14. The survey locations were selected upon consultation with
    each of the partners and in consideration of various factors
    such as survey requests from local communities and safety.
    (Right：example of Minato Ward)
    In addition to conventional surface-level plastic collection,
    plastics were also collected from near the bottom of the water
    in some areas. (see below)
    2. Selection of survey locations
    14
    Surface
    Bottom
    

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15. Candidate plastic particles were collected using the Albatross 7, a sampling device with a battery-powered
    propeller that passes surface-level water into a net.
    3. Collection of candidate plastic particles
    15
    How the Albatross 7 sampling device works
    Uses a 0.3mm
    mesh
    plankton net
    Water filter meter to
    measure volume of
    passed water
    Battery-powered
    (Can be used at a flow rate of 0)
    Collects 1 to 5 m3 of water in 3
    minutes
    Can be
    transported and
    stored in a single
    cardboard box
    

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16. 3. Collection of candidate plastic particles: images
    16
    

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17. Chemicals used for
    gravitational separation
    Water surface sample:
    NaCl, 1.2 g/cm3
    Water bottom sample:
    NaI, 1.5 g/cm3
    Chemicals and conditions for
    water purification
    30 wt% H
    2
    O
    2
    +0.05 M
    Fe(II) (1:1), 50℃, 1h
    4. Pre-treatment
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    Candidate plastic particles were separated from natural particles such as sand, plants and
    corpses using a solution for gravitational separation and an oxidizing agent for purification
    

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18. 5. Analysis
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    Parameters such as composition, color, size, thickness and shape of the candidate plastic particles were
    obtained using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), microscopes and calipers.
    

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19. 6. Deduction of causal plastic product
    19
    With the help of Miyoshi Inc. and Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., the procedure to determine the causal
    plastic product for the microplastics was developed and improved for use in this project. For instance,
    visually identical pieces of artificial turf were classified in 3 categories based on composition, shape and
    size, allowing for the source of the leakage to be identified.
    Injection-molded type
    (door mats, golf driving ranges, etc.)
    Extruded type – Long pile
    (football fields, etc.)
    Extruded type - Other
    (tennis courts, etc.)
    

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20. 7. Measurement & calculation of microplastic mass
    20
    Developed procedure to determine the mass of microplastics from composition, shape and
    surface area. Microplastic mass can now be calculated at low cost (patent pending).
    　
    1. Determining the composition, shape and surface area
    of the microplastic
    2. The mass is calculated by entering the surface area
    into the composition and shape specific formula
    Surface area
    mass
    Relationship between PE (particle) surface area and mass
    

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21. 8. Calculation of microplastic (MicP) leakage volume
    Calculated using methods described in papers by Tokyo University of Science and Yachiyo Engineering
    (Yasuo Nihei,Takushi Yoshida,Tomoya Kataoka and Riku Ogata. High-Resolution Mapping of Japanese Microplastic and Macroplastic Emissions
    from the Land into the Sea. Water 2020, 12(4), 951. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/4/951)
    21
    *1 Of the results obtained from the 2020 Albatross project, the data used was collected from the surface-level of rivers
    *2 Calculations made by Pirika only considered urban area ratios and didn’t include population density
    *3 The data for water outflow volume per 1km grid was provided by Yachiyo Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Calculation method
    1. MicP concentration for a 1km grid is calculated from the
    observed MicP concentration*1 and river basin
    characteristics (population density and urban area ratio*2)
    2. The water outflow volume is calculated for the 1km grid*3
    3. [1]×[2] gives the MicP leakage volume for a 1km grid, and
    the sum of all figures for Japan gives the MicP leakage
    volume of Japan.
    

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22. Microplastics collected at 112 of the 120 survey locations in Japan
    - Collected products included artificial turf, coated fertilizers, polystyrene foam, etc.
    - Compared to other countries, Japan had a much higher proportion of artificial turf in its microplastic leakage
    Microplastics collected at 28 of the 29 locations where samples were taken from the bottom of
    the water
    - As with surface-level surveys, the majority were low specific gravity plastics such as PE
    - Presence of several types of high specific gravity plastics that weren’t found in surface-level surveys.
    Calculating the mass revealed new findings regarding the leakage
    - The seriousness of coated fertilizer leakage has become apparent
    - The leakage volume of artificial turf from doormats and golf driving ranges were 4 times greater than from other sporting facilities
    Japan has an annual microplastic leakage of 157 tonnes
    Newly revealed facts
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23. Microplastics collected at 112 out of 120 locations
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    Region Prefecture Rivers, harbors and lakes in which microplastics were present
    Hokkaido Hokkaido Abira River, Yufutsu River, Pacific Ocean
    Kanto
    Tokyo Arakawa River, Kottagawa River, Okuri River, the canal near Shibaura Park, the canal near Shibaura Island Tower, Tennozu Canal, Keihin
    Canal, Tokyo Bay, Tamagawa River, Nogawa River, Kanda River, Nihonbashi River, Sendaibori River, Sumida River, Meguro River
    Saitama Arakawa River, Tonegawa River, Fukukawa River, Karasawa River, Nakagawa River
    Chiba Tateyama Bay, Choshi Port, Tonegawa River, Lake Teganuma
    Ibaraki Tonegawa River, Lake Kasumigaura
    Chubu
    Aichi Toyokawa River, Umeda River
    Yamanashi Shiokawa River, Fuji River, Arakawa River, Byodo River, Fuefuki River
    Shizuoka Matsuge River, Sakai River, Oba River, Goten River
    Kansai
    Osaka Ishizu River, Higashiyoke River, Hazama River,
    Yamato River
    Shiga Sofu River, Chagama River, Lake Biwa, Setagawa River
    Hyogo Osaka Bay (Port of Kobe)
    Kyoto Chiji River, Toshitani River, Nango Pond, Nishikawa River,
    Hozugawa River
    Mie Ago Bay, Matoya Bay, Kaizou River
    Chugoku Okayama Sunagawa River, Sasagase River, Kurashiki River,
    Ashimori River
    Kyushu
    Fukuoka Umi River
    Kagoshima Amori River, Korida River
    

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24. Examples of plastic products found in 2020
    24
    Artificial turf
    (injection-molded type)
    Tarpaulin (blue tarp, etc.) Ropes (PE rope, PP rope, etc.)
    Coated fertilizer
    Styrofoam
    Artificial turf
    (extruded type)
    

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25. Compared to Southeast Asia and the EU (Surface level)
    Having compared the results of this survey (Japan) with those from
    Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia) and the EU (France,
    the Netherlands, the UK), significant regional differences were
    found in the proportion of microplastic products in the leakage.
    - Artificial turf
    Artificial turf amounted to 19.5% of the microplastic leakage in Japan.
    This proportion of artificial turf in Japan’s leakage was almost 2 times
    that of Southeast Asia (11.3%) and 25 times that of the EU (0.8%).
    - Styrofoam
    The proportion of Styrofoam in Japan’s microplastic leakage was
    10.3%. The corresponding figure was a similar 10.8% in Southeast
    Asia while the proportion of Styrofoam was much higher in the EU at
    64.7%.
    25
    Proportion of artificial turf among microplastics
    Proportion of Styrofoam among microplastics
    Percentage
    Percentage
    Japan Southeast
    Asia
    The EU
    Japan Southeast
    Asia
    The EU
    

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26. Microplastics collected from 28 out of 29 locations (water bottom)
    26
    Region Prefecture Rivers, harbors and lakes in which microplastics were present
    Kanto
    Tokyo
    Arakawa River, Kanda River, Nihonbashi River, Sendaibori River, Sumida River,
    Meguro River
    Chiba Tateyama Bay, Choshi Port, Lake Teganuma
    Chubu
    Aichi Toyokawa River
    Shizuoka Sakai River, Oba River
    Kansai
    Osaka Ishizu River
    Shiga Lake Biwa, Setagawa River
    Kyoto Inukai River, Hozugawa River
    Kyushu
    Fukuoka Umi River
    Kagoshima Amori River
    

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27. New plastics with heavy specific gravity + light plastic too
    ● As was the case with the surface-level survey, plastics with a light specific gravity (PE, PP, etc.) made up for the
    majority and accounted for more than 80% of the plastics collected from the bottom of the water.
    ● Several varieties of heavy specific gravity plastics such as PVC were found at the bottom of the water.
    ● Artificial turf was widely present at the bottom of the water too and made up for 11.2% of the total.
    27
    Proportion of microplastic composition
    Water surface Water bottom
    

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28. Leakage mass ratio shows severity of coated fertilizers
    The proportion of products in the plastic leakage varied greatly between unit ratio and mass ratio. In
    particular, coated fertilizers accounted for 15%* of the total mass while only representing 1.1% of the total
    number of collected units. From a mass ratio standpoint, it has become clear that the leakage of
    coated fertilizers plays a significant part in the overall microplastic leakage problem.
    *The leakage of coated fertilizers vary greatly depending on conditions and it is possible that the proportion may be even
    larger depending on the region and time of year.
    28
    Proportion of microplastic causal products per number of units Proportion of microplastic causal products per mass
    Unknown
    Artificial turf
    Films
    Other ropes
    Coated
    fertilizers
    Ropes
    Styrofoam
    Tarpaulin
    Unknown Artificial turf
    Other ropes
    Coated
    fertilizers
    Films
    Styrofoam
    Ropes
    Tarpaulin
    

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29. Reference: About coated fertilizers
    29
    Fertilizers that have a plastic surface coating for a longer lifespan. Mainly used in paddy fields,
    it accounts for more than 60% of the microplastic leakage in rice-growing areas.
    

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30. Extruded artificial turf (mass ratio 16%)
    Other:
    Tennis courts, etc.
    Injection-molded artificial
    turf (mass ratio 83%)
    玄関マット, ゴルフ練習場など
    Artificial turf leakage revealed by detailed classification and mass ratio
    30
    Long pile:
    Football (outdoor and indoor), baseball, etc.
    Mass ratio of artificial
    turf per type
    Before
    degradation
    After
    degradation
    

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31. Microplastic (MicP) leakage of 157 tonnes per year
    31
    Japan’s yearly microplastic leakage was calculated to be 157 tonnes
    Calculations made using the results of this project's survey and based on the method described in a research paper by Tokyo University of Science and Yachiyo Engineering Co., Ltd. The
    results of the calculations by the same paper ranged from 204 to 294 tonnes/year.
    (Yasuo Nihei,Takushi Yoshida,Tomoya Kataoka and Riku Ogata. High-Resolution Mapping of Japanese Microplastic and Macroplastic Emissions from the Land into the Sea. Water 2020,
    12(4), 951. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/4/951)
    　
    [2] Calculation of water
    outflow volume per 1km grid
    [3] Calculation of MicP leakage volume per 1km grid
    The sum gives the MicP leakage volume for the whole of Japan
    [1] MicP concentration for a
    1km grid calculated from
    MicP concentration and
    urban area ratio
    urban area ratio
    MicP concentration
    Relationship between urban area ratio and MicP concentration
    

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32. Next steps and challenges to solving the problem
    1. Expand survey network and partnerships
    - Domestic：Build partnerships with companies and organizations from each region and undertake research work from local governing
    bodies and councilors
    - International：Expand Southeast Asia survey network in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme and local
    universities
    2. Accelerate information disclosure
    - The results of this survey are published as open data in principle
    - Making Pirika’s own management, analysis and open data system available to others
    3. Research into the source of plastic leakage
    - Dig deep into the leakage origin of products such as artificial turf (injection-molded type) that account for a large portion of plastic
    leakage
    - Funded as part of The Nippon Foundation‘s The Ocean and Japan Project for 2021
    4. Develop technologies and businesses aimed at solving the problem
    - Countermeasures for artificial turf leakage
    - Countermeasures for leakage of other products
    32
    

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33. 1. Expanding survey network and partnerships
    Domestic operations
    - Undertake research work from local governing bodies and
    councilors
    - Fulfill by partnering with local businesses and organizations*
    - Develop into self-sustaining business without reliance on
    subsidies
    Overseas operations
    - Partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme
    (UNEP) for microplastic survey in the Mekong River Basin
    - Fulfill by partnering with local universities and such*
    * Upon completing a brief training course, each partner will be able to carry out
    research using the Albatross collection equipment and systems (commercial use
    permitted).
    33
    

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34. Survey results are disclosed as open data in principle
    - https://en.opendata.plastic.research.pirika.org
    - Free to use, including for commercial use
    - Aimed to promote problem solving and improve transparency
    A system developed by Pirika for this project
    - Implementation of functions such as sample management, analysis and
    open data conversion
    - Plans to actively make the system available to others
    - Already used for research by Chiba Institute of Technology and UNEP
    Global monitoring of microplastics in oceans all over the world,
    Chiba Institute of Technology, Kameda Laboratory
    https://www.casio.kamedalab.com
    2. Accelerating information disclosure
    34
    

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35. 3. Researching the source of plastic leakage
    Continued collaboration with The Nippon Foundation’s The Oceans and Japan Project for 2021.
    A new survey is planned to determine the yet to be identified sources of plastic leakage.
    35
    1. Takanome survey (litter survey using smartphones and AI) 2. Survey of potential leakage products
    (collection and analysis of litter near the waterfront)
    

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36. Cooperation aimed at solving the problem of artificial turf leakage
    - Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    - Shimizu Corporation
    - Project IKKAKU
    Other projects and collaborations aimed at solving plastic leakage
    - Expand partnerships for each product and distribution
    - Promote litter picking activities through the litter picking social network PIRIKA
    4. Developing technologies and businesses to solve the problem
    

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37. About Sumitomo Rubber Industries
    Cooperated in:
    1. Research into artificial turf
    2. Provision of samples for recycling
    Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ industry leading
    experience and knowledge in the field of artificial turf for
    sporting facilities was especially helpful in developing
    the classification method for the artificial turf.
    37
    ×
    Cooperation to solve the problem of
    artificial turf leakage
    Artificial turf deemed to originate
    from a tennis court
    Artificial turf deemed to originate
    from a football ground
    Artificial turf deemed to originate from panels
    

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38. In collaboration with the Shimizu Corporation Institute of Technology, research and development is
    underway for a filter that would prevent the leakage of artificial turf via waterways. A filter accounting for
    the size of the particles of artificial turf in the outflow is currently under consideration.
    38
    ×
    Cooperation to solve the problem of
    artificial turf leakage
    

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39. Retrieving artificial turf before leakage
    (Help: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, etc.)
    Cleaning and sorting (Help: Tokyo Institute of Science, TBM)
    Small stones and rubber
    chips will fall
    Artificial turf is
    blown away
    Cooperation to solve the problem of
    artificial turf leakage
    39
    ×
    Crushing and pelletizing (Help: Heiwa Kagaku Industry) Blow molding of plastic bottles (Help: Heiwa Kagaku Industry)
    

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40. Other projects and collaborations to solve the plastic leakage problem
    Expand partnerships for each product and distribution
    - Cooperation with manufacturers and distributors is necessary to solve the
    leakage problem, not only for extruded artificial turf but for other products too
    - Injection-molded artificial turf and coated fertilizers in particular are highly
    present in the leakage and require countermeasures
    Promote litter picking through the PIRIKA litter picking social network
    - Collecting litter prior to its leakage is an important, direct solution to the problem
    - In the 10 years since its launch, PIRIKA, the litter picking social network app,
    has grown to one of the world’s largest litter picking services
    - So far, a total of 180 million pieces of litter have been collected in 108 countries
    across the world
    - Pirika will continue to expand its cooperation with local authorities and
    businesses to further promote the spread of litter picking activities.
    40
    Pick up
    litter
    Take photo
    of the litter
    Share on social
    media!
    

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41. Q&A
    41
    Ask us anything!
    

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