Plastic ‘bio-beads’ from sewage plants are polluting the oceans and spreading superbugs – but there are alternatives – The Conversation

Report on Bio-Bead Plastic Pollution and its Conflict with Sustainable Development Goals

A recent environmental incident involving the spillage of plastic bio-beads has highlighted significant challenges to achieving several key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These pellets, used in some wastewater treatment facilities, represent a persistent form of pollution that undermines progress on environmental protection, public health, and sustainable infrastructure.

1.0 Introduction: The Nature of the Problem

Bio-beads are small, concertina-shaped plastic pellets designed to cultivate bacterial biofilms for breaking down sewage in wastewater treatment plants. While intended as an efficient treatment method, their escape into the environment poses a multifaceted threat that directly contravenes the principles of the SDGs.

• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): The failure of wastewater facilities to contain these plastics represents a breakdown in sustainable sanitation management.
• SDG 14 (Life Below Water): Once in the environment, bio-beads contribute to plastic pollution, harming marine ecosystems.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The pellets act as vectors for harmful pathogens and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, posing a direct risk to human health.

2.0 Analysis of Environmental and Public Health Impacts

The release of bio-beads creates significant negative externalities, impacting ecosystems and human populations and hindering the attainment of critical SDGs.

2.1 Contamination of Aquatic Ecosystems (SDG 14)

The physical presence of bio-beads in coastal and riverine environments constitutes a direct threat to aquatic life.

• Plastic Pollution: Billions of pellets have been deposited into coastal waters from historical and recent spills, adding to the global plastic burden.
• Wildlife Ingestion: Their size and colour lead to mistaken ingestion by marine wildlife, including commercially important fish and shellfish, introducing plastic into the food chain.
• Chemical Risks: Many bio-beads are manufactured from recycled electronics, containing hazardous substances like lead and bromine, which can leach into the environment.

2.2 Risks to Public Health and Water Quality (SDG 3 & SDG 6)

Beyond their physical form, the primary concern with bio-beads is the biological and chemical payload they carry from sewage systems.

• Pathogen Transport: Bio-beads carry biofilms that may include harmful bacteria such as E. coli, transporting them from treatment plants to public beaches, swimming areas, and shellfish cultivation sites.
• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): Research confirms that these plastics harbour antibiotic-resistant “superbug” bacteria. The plastic surfaces may facilitate horizontal gene transfer, potentially accelerating the spread of AMR in marine environments, a major global health threat identified under SDG 3.

3.0 Root Causes: Infrastructure and Regulatory Deficiencies

The persistent leakage of bio-beads points to systemic failures in infrastructure and oversight, which are critical focus areas for several SDGs.

3.1 Inadequate Infrastructure (SDG 6 & SDG 11)

The primary cause of bio-bead release is failing infrastructure, which conflicts with goals for resilient and sustainable community services.

• Aging Facilities: Many wastewater treatment plants have outdated retention mechanisms, such as mesh screens that are no longer fit for purpose.
• Improper Storage: Reports indicate poor handling and storage practices at facilities, leading to spills before the treatment process even begins.
• Material Degradation: Bio-beads fragment over time into smaller particles that can pass through containment screens, ensuring a continuous release of microplastics.

3.2 Lack of Transparency and Accountability (SDG 12)

A lack of data and reporting on bio-bead losses prevents a full understanding of the problem’s scale, undermining efforts towards responsible production and consumption patterns.

• Water companies are known to replenish their bio-bead supplies, yet data on the volume and frequency of these losses are not publicly available.
• This lack of transparency hinders the ability to hold polluters accountable and drive investment in more sustainable alternatives.

4.0 Recommendations for Aligning with SDG Targets

Addressing the bio-bead pollution problem is an achievable objective that requires a multi-pronged approach involving technological transition, policy reform, and enhanced collaboration, in line with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

4.1 Transition to Sustainable Alternatives (SDG 12)

Viable and proven alternatives to plastic bio-beads exist and should be adopted to eliminate this pollution source.

1. Phase-out Bio-Beads: Implement a strategic phase-out of floating plastic pellet systems in wastewater treatment.
2. Invest in Alternative Technologies: Promote the use of alternative methods such as activated sludge processes, fixed-surface systems using denser materials (ceramic, stone), and complementary treatments like UV processing.
3. Research Safer Materials: Support research, in collaboration with water companies, to identify materials that do not promote the spread of antimicrobial resistance.

4.2 Strengthening Policy and Oversight (SDG 6 & SDG 14)

Robust regulatory frameworks are essential to prevent future pollution and ensure accountability.

1. Mandatory Reporting: Require water companies to publicly report on their use and loss of bio-beads to quantify the scale of the problem.
2. Update Infrastructure: Mandate investment in modernizing wastewater treatment infrastructure to ensure full containment of all treatment materials.
3. Implement International Guidance: Adhere to recommendations from bodies such as the OSPAR convention, which call for better management and a phase-out of bio-beads to protect the marine environment.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on bio-bead pollution from wastewater treatment facilities touches upon several interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary issues of plastic pollution, water contamination, public health risks, and inadequate infrastructure directly link to the following SDGs:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article highlights significant health risks associated with bio-beads, which act as vectors for harmful bacteria. It states, “that biofilm may include harmful bacteria, including E. coli and other pathogens dangerous to humans,” and more alarmingly, that they can “harbour ‘superbug’ bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.” This potential spread of water-borne diseases and antimicrobial resistance directly impacts public health.
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: The core of the problem lies in the failure of wastewater management systems. The article explains that bio-beads, used in wastewater treatment, escape into the environment, polluting rivers and coastal waters. This represents a failure to safely manage wastewater and protect water bodies from contamination, a central theme of SDG 6.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: The article explicitly attributes the spills to failing infrastructure. It notes, “The answer probably lies in ageing infrastructure. Many wastewater treatment works have outdated retention mechanisms that aren’t fit for purpose.” This points to a need for investment in modern, resilient, and sustainable infrastructure to prevent such environmental damage.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The use and subsequent mismanagement of bio-beads reflect unsustainable production and waste management practices. The article calls for accountability and better management, stating, “This issue demands transparency and accountability. If water companies disclose how many bio-beads they use and how frequently they require replacement, the scale of losses could be quantified.” This aligns with the goal of achieving environmentally sound management of waste.
• SDG 14: Life Below Water: The most direct environmental impact discussed is marine pollution. The article describes how “Millions of bio-beads recently washed up onto the beach” and how these plastics are “mistaken for food by marine wildlife.” This is a clear case of land-based pollution degrading coastal and marine ecosystems, which SDG 14 aims to prevent.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues raised, several specific SDG targets are relevant:

1. Target 3.3: End the epidemics of… water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases.
   • Explanation: The article’s concern that bio-beads transport “E. coli and other pathogens” from sewage works to “beaches, swimming areas and locations where shellfish are cultivated” directly relates to the risk of spreading water-borne diseases.
2. Target 3.d: Strengthen the capacity… for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks.
   • Explanation: The finding that bio-beads can spread “antimicrobial-resistant pathogens” and facilitate “the spread of antibiotic resistance across marine environments” represents a significant global health risk that requires management and mitigation.
3. Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials…
   • Explanation: The entire article is about the failure to prevent the release of polluting materials (plastic bio-beads) from wastewater treatment plants into rivers and the ocean, directly contravening this target.
4. Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure…
   • Explanation: The article identifies “ageing infrastructure” and “outdated retention mechanisms” as the root cause of the spills. Achieving this target by investing in modern infrastructure would be a direct solution to the problem.
5. Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle… and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil…
   • Explanation: The escape of bio-beads into the environment is a failure of waste management within the wastewater treatment life cycle. The mention that some beads contain “lead and bromine” also connects to the management of hazardous chemicals.
6. Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris…
   • Explanation: The spill of plastic bio-beads from land-based wastewater treatment plants into coastal waters is a textbook example of the type of pollution this target aims to eliminate.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article mentions or implies several ways to measure the problem and, therefore, progress towards solving it:

• Indicator for Plastic Pollution (Target 14.1): The quantity and density of bio-beads on beaches and in coastal waters. The article mentions “Millions of bio-beads recently washed up onto the beach” and their general “presence on beaches.” A reduction in these findings would indicate progress.
• Indicator for Waste Management Failure (Targets 6.3 & 12.4): The volume of bio-beads lost from facilities. The article suggests this could be quantified if water companies were transparent, asking them to “disclose how many bio-beads they use and how frequently they require replacement.” This data on losses would be a direct indicator of pollution prevention performance.
• Indicator for Health Risks (Target 3.d): The prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria on plastics in the environment. The article refers to research that has “demonstrated that antimicrobial-resistant pathogens are found on plastics sampled from source to sea.” Monitoring the presence and concentration of these pathogens would serve as a crucial health risk indicator.
• Indicator for Infrastructure Quality (Target 9.1): The number of wastewater treatment facilities upgraded with modern retention mechanisms or alternative, safer technologies. The article contrasts the problematic bio-bead method with alternatives like “activated sludge” or using “denser materials such as ceramic or stone.” Tracking the adoption of these better technologies would indicate progress in building resilient infrastructure.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: theconversation.com