Toward sustainable election campaigns: Addressing microplastic pollution from promotional materials

Abstract

Objective: Global election campaigns generate substantial amounts of plastic waste, particularly banners and posters, which degrade into microplastics through weathering processes. Despite growing awareness of microplastic pollution, little attention has been paid to campaign materials as a potential source. This study aimed to qualitatively assess the potential for microplastic generation from election banners and posters and to explore sustainable strategies to reduce this emerging form of pollution. Methods: We collected seven campaign materials (six banners and one poster) that had been displayed in typical urban environments for over one month under average conditions of 16.3 °C, 33.2 mm precipitation, 56.0% relative humidity, and 558.15 MJ/m² cumulative solar radiation. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to identify polymer composition, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to examine surface morphology before and after controlled abrasion simulating environmental weathering. Relevant literature and sustainability frameworks were further reviewed to propose mitigation strategies. Results: FTIR analysis identified polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyester (PES), and polypropylene (PP) as the dominant polymers in the collected materials. SEM images revealed distinct degradation patterns: mesh structures of banners exhibited severe surface cracking and fragment detachment, while poster fibers showed cotton-like morphologies after abrasion. Inset images (1500×) displayed fragments in the tens-of-micrometer range, suggesting the potential for respirable microplastics. Although this study did not quantify microplastic loads, the results provide qualitative evidence of their generation under real-world weathering. Conclusions: This study provides the first qualitative evidence that election campaign materials can act as a source of microplastics, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable alternatives. Future research should focus on quantitative recovery and exposure assessment to strengthen risk evaluation. Integrated approaches—combining regulatory frameworks, sustainable material innovation, community-based recycling, and digital campaigning—are recommended to reduce the environmental footprint of political campaigns and align with global sustainability goals.