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Journal articles on the topic 'Plastic pollution'
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1
Wagh, Ameya, Falguni Bhavsar, and Raj Shinde. "Plastic Pollution." International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology 10, no. 3 (March 31, 2022): 1564–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.22214/ijraset.2022.40921.
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Abstract: Plastic pollution is one of the fastest growing environmental challenges of our time. Since the 1960’s, various concerns were raised regarding plastic waste generation (Plastic pollution) around the globe. Everyday tons of plastic waste is generated in various cities across the world. Since the 1950’s close to half of the plastic is ended up in landfills or dumped in the wild which is one of the most common ways of disposing plastics, and only 9% of plastic has been adequately recycled. It is also estimated that around 4 to12 million metric tons of plastic waste ends up in the oceans. This points out that this is a collective failure of all human kind to find a feasible solution for the plastic disposal.
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Rifa, Tasfiea, and Mohammad Belayet Hossain. "Micro Plastic Pollution in Southasia: The Impact of Plastic Pollution over the Unsustainable Development Goals." Lex Publica 9, no. 2 (February 4, 2023): 01–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.58829/lp.9.2.2022.01-28.
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Abstract.
One of the most pressing environmental issues facing the world right now is plastic waste. Once in the environment, plastics continuously degrade into microplastics, which are fragments of plastic. There are more national and international promises to reduce microplastic pollution as the world's plastic production rises. National governments are increasingly banning single-use plastic products or imposing taxes on them. Consider the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the UN Environment Assembly Resolutions on Marine Litter and Microplastics, and Addressing Single-Use Plastic Products Pollution as examples of these commitments. In 2015, the UN announced the adoption of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In an effort to increase their sustainability, the SDGs have been extensively adopted by governments and businesses. There are 17 SDGs, comprising 169 targets, which are measurable against 247 unique indicators but there is only one indicator under Goal 14, specifically related to reducing impacts from microplastics. There are various international and regional legal policies which have provisions that indicate plastic pollution but none of them have mentioned microplastic pollution. There are some recent national legislations regarding microplastic pollution. This paper briefly discusses the concept of microplastics and the situation of microplastics pollution in selected South Asian countries including India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. There is a brief overview of international and regional legal policies along with litigations are cultivated in this paper. The paper also analyzes the impact of plastic pollution over The Un Sustainable Development Goals.
Abstrak.
Salah satu masalah lingkungan paling mendesak yang dihadapi dunia saat ini adalah sampah plastik. Begitu berada di lingkungan, plastik terus terdegradasi menjadi mikroplastik, yang merupakan pecahan plastik. Ada lebih banyak janji nasional dan internasional untuk mengurangi polusi mikroplastik saat produksi plastik dunia meningkat. Pemerintah nasional semakin melarang produk plastik sekali pakai atau mengenakan pajak pada mereka. Pertimbangkan Tujuan Pembangunan Berkelanjutan PBB, Resolusi Majelis Lingkungan PBB tentang Sampah Laut dan Mikroplastik, dan Mengatasi Polusi Produk Plastik Sekali Pakai sebagai contoh dari komitmen ini. Pada 2015, PBB mengumumkan adopsi 17 Tujuan Pembangunan Berkelanjutan (SDGs). Dalam upaya meningkatkan keberlanjutannya, SDGs telah diadopsi secara luas oleh pemerintah dan bisnis. Ada 17 SDGs, yang terdiri dari 169 target, yang dapat diukur dengan 247 indikator unik, tetapi hanya ada satu indikator di bawah Tujuan 14, khususnya terkait pengurangan dampak mikroplastik. Terdapat berbagai kebijakan hukum internasional dan regional yang memiliki ketentuan yang mengindikasikan pencemaran plastik namun belum ada satupun yang menyebutkan pencemaran mikroplastik. Ada beberapa undang-undang nasional baru-baru ini.
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Maric, Filip, Margherita Poto, and Giuliana Panieri. "Human impact: Plastic pollution." Septentrio Educational, no. 1 (April 28, 2023): 98–100. http://dx.doi.org/10.7557/8.7062.
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Focus:
To comprehend that plastic pollution is a major problem and is having an impact on oceans everywhere. These impacts are seen on beaches and shorelines and all the way to the deepest places in the ocean.
Learning objectives:
In this activity, pupils will gain an appreciation for the extent of plastic pollution in and around oceans. They will start to understand how plastic pollution can have a negative impact on life below the surface of the sea.
Key words:
Ocean pollution, plastics, microplastics.
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Baierl, Tessa-Marie, and Franz X. Bogner. "Plastic Pollution." American Biology Teacher 83, no. 5 (May 1, 2021): 320–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/abt.2021.83.5.320.
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Plastic pollution is ubiquitous and there is growing concern about its consequences. Given that current research findings often reach the public insufficiently, the issue should be addressed at school. To create a fruitful learning experience, we propose three associated hands-on, inquiry-based learning activities that require little equipment. Students learn about the origins and properties of plastics, investigate everyday sources, learn about recycling, address and reflect upon the material’s (dis)advantages, and are encouraged to consider solutions. All activities align with the Next Generation Science Standards and are primarily designed for the middle school classroom; we further provide modifications for elementary and high school settings.
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Sadjadi, Sepideh Sadat. "A survey on the effect of plastic pollution in the Great Lakes." Journal of Future Sustainability 1, no. 1 (2021): 5–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.5267/j.jfs.2021.1.002.
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Plastic pollution is one of the most importation subjects of water contaminations in the world. Plastic pollutions not only threats locally, but also, they are widespread, posing broader risks to the world and environment. Plastics which act as pollutants are categorized by size into micro-, meso-, or macro debris. The micro plastics move through oceans from one region to another region. Today, there are several evidence of micro plastics in south pole where we believe it as a clean area. This paper surveys the effects of micro plastics on the Great Lakes.
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Rhodes, Christopher J. "Plastic Pollution and Potential Solutions." Science Progress 101, no. 3 (September 2018): 207–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.3184/003685018x15294876706211.
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A review is presented of the manufacture and use of different types of plastic, and the effects of pollution by these materials on animal, human and environmental health, insofar as this is known. Since 2004, the world has made as much plastic as it did in the previous half century, and it has been reckoned that the total mass of virgin plastics ever made amounts to 8.3 billion tonnes, mainly derived from natural gas and crude oil, used as chemical feedstocks and fuel sources. Between 1950 and 2015, a total of 6.3 billion tonnes of primary and secondary (recycled) plastic waste was generated, of which around 9% has been recycled, and 12% incinerated, with the remaining 79% either being stored in landfills or having been released directly into the natural environment. In 2015, 407 million tonnes (Mt) of plastic was produced, of which 164 Mt was consumed by packaging (36% of the total). Although quoted values vary, packaging probably accounts for around one third of all plastics used, of which approximately 40% goes to landfill, while 32% escapes the collection system. It has been deduced that around 9 Mt of plastic entered the oceans in 2010, as a result of mismanaged waste, along with up to 0.5 Mt each of microplastics from washing synthetic textiles, and from the abrasion of tyres on road surfaces. However, the amount of plastics actually measured in the oceans represents less than 1% of the (at least) 150 Mt reckoned to have been released into the oceans over time. Plastic accounts for around 10% by mass of municipal waste, but up to 85% of marine debris items – most of which arrive from land-based sources. Geographically, the five heaviest plastic polluters are P.R. China, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Sri Lanka, which between them contribute 56% of global plastic waste. Larger, primary plastic items can undergo progressive fragmentation to yield a greater number of increasingly smaller ‘secondary’ microplastic particles, thus increasing the overall surface area of the plastic material, which enhances its ability to absorb, and concentrate, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), with the potential to transfer them to the tissues of animals that ingest the microplastic particles, particularly in marine environments. Although fears that such microparticles and their toxins may be passed via food webs to humans are not as yet substantiated, the direct ingestion of microplastics by humans via drinking water is a distinct possibility – since 92% of samples taken in the USA and 72% in Europe showed their presence – although any consequent health effects are as yet unclear. Foodstuffs may also become contaminated by microplastics from the air, although any consequent health effects are also unknown. In regard to such airborne sources, it is noteworthy that small plastic particles have been found in human lung tissue, which might prove an adverse health issue under given circumstances. It is also very striking that microplastics have been detected in mountain soils in Switzerland, which are most likely windborne in origin. Arctic ice core samples too have revealed the presence of microplastics, which were most likely carried on ocean currents from the Pacific garbage patch, and from local pollution from shipping and fishing. Thus, sea ice traps large amounts of microplastics and transports them across the Arctic Ocean, but these particles will be released into the global environment when the ice melts, particularly under the influence of a rising mean global temperature. While there is a growing emphasis toward the substitution of petrochemically derived plastics by bioplastics, controversy has arisen in regard to how biodegradable the latter actually are in the open environment, and they presently only account for 0.5% of the total mass of plastics manufactured globally. Since the majority of bioplastics are made from sugar and starch materials, to expand their use significantly raises the prospect of competition between growing crops to supply food or plastics, similarly to the diversion of food crops for the manufacture of primary biofuels. The use of oxo-plastics, which contain additives that assist the material to degrade, is also a matter of concern, since it is claimed that they merely fragment and add to the environmental burden of microplastics; hence, the European Union has moved to restrict their use. Since 6% of the current global oil (including natural gas liquids, NGLs) production is used to manufacture plastic commodities – predicted to rise to 20% by 2050 – the current approaches for the manufacture and use of plastics (including their end-use) demand immediate revision. More extensive collection and recycling of plastic items at the end of their life, for re-use in new production, to offset the use of virgin plastic, is a critical aspect both for reducing the amount of plastic waste entering the environment, and in improving the efficiency of fossil resource use. This is central to the ideology underpinning the circular economy, which has common elements with permaculture, the latter being a regenerative design system based on ‘nature as teacher’, which could help optimise the use of resources in town and city environments, while minimising and repurposing ‘waste’. Thus, food might be produced more on the local than the global scale, with smaller inputs of fuels (including transportation fuels for importing and distributing food), water and fertilisers, and with a marked reduction in the use of plastic packaging. Such an approach, adopted by billions of individuals, could prove of immense significance in ensuring future food security, and in reducing waste and pollution – of all kinds.
7
Smeets, R., L. Winkelmann, R. Knoester, T. H. Heikoop, and C. B. C. Castro. "Plastic pollution in Ambon Bay." IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1207, no. 1 (July 1, 2023): 012024. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1207/1/012024.
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Abstract Ambon has problems with plastic pollution, both in the rivers and the bay. Due to faults in the waste system, 60 tons of waste is not collected in Kota Ambon. This waste ends up in illegal landfills, the waste is burned or thrown in the water. The plastic pollution in the bay contributes to the global problem of plastic soup. Research was conducted based on question; which recommendations can be given to collect the floating plastics in the rivers around Ambon Market by using the litter traps. To answer the main question, sub-questions are drafted covering the sources of pollution, possible locations, and the possibilities for a trap. The research is conducted using different methods that is interview to local experts, observation, literature research and talks to residents. Most of the plastic found are single-use plastics, like water and food packaging materials. The most feasible location for a litter trap is the end of Batu Merah River due to the abundance of plastic, the depth, and the nearby presence of Speed Sampah. The concept litter trap showed that this device could be effective at Batu Merah River. Further research is needed to create a more definitive solution for plastic pollution. Several aspects must be taken into account, such as the circumstances like the rainy season, sedimentation, current, and tide can impact the working of the litter trap and should be considered during the designing process.
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Sugathan, Mahesh, Carolyn Deere Birkbeck, Ronald Steenblik, and David Vivas Eugui. "A Review of Trade Policies and Measures Relevant to Trade in Plastics and Plastic Pollution." Global Trade and Customs Journal 16, Issue 7/8 (July 1, 2021): 303–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.54648/gtcj2021036.
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This article presents a first scholarly review of the trade policies and measures applied to trade in plastics, including those relevant to plastic pollution. It reviews existing tariff policies applied to plastics (section 1) and non-tariff measures applied to plastics (section 2). Section 3 provides a synopsis of environment-related trade measures relevant to plastic pollution. Analysis of the current state of play provides important insights that can inform both the United Nations ongoing discussions on intergovernmental cooperation to address plastic pollution and the dialogue underway at the WTO to identify how trade related policies could support the Sustainable Development Goals. Plastic pollution, trade measures, plastic trade, WTO, environment and trade
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Prata, Joana C., Ana L. Patrício Silva, João P. da Costa, Catherine Mouneyrac, Tony R. Walker, Armando C. Duarte, and Teresa Rocha-Santos. "Solutions and Integrated Strategies for the Control and Mitigation of Plastic and Microplastic Pollution." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, no. 13 (July 7, 2019): 2411. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16132411.
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Plastic pollution is generated by the unsustainable use and disposal of plastic products in modern society, threatening economies, ecosystems, and human health. Current clean-up strategies have attempted to mitigate the negative effects of plastic pollution but are unable to compete with increasing quantities of plastic entering the environment. Thus, reducing inputs of plastic to the environment must be prioritized through a global multidisciplinary approach. Mismanaged waste is a major land-based source of plastic pollution that can be reduced through improvements in the life-cycle of plastics, especially in production, consumption, and disposal, through an Integrated Waste Management System. In this review paper, we discuss current practices to improve life cycle and waste management of plastics that can be implemented to reduce health and environmental impacts of plastics and reduce plastics pollution. Ten recommendations for stakeholders to reduce plastic pollution include (1) regulation of production and consumption; (2) eco-design; (3) increasing the demand for recycled plastics; (4) reducing the use of plastics; (5) use of renewable energy for recycling; (6) extended producer responsibility over waste; (7) improvements in waste collection systems; (8) prioritization of recycling; (9) use of bio-based and biodegradable plastics; and (10) improvement in recyclability of e-waste.
10
An, Rongrong, Chengguo Liu, Jun Wang, and Puyou Jia. "Recent Advances in Degradation of Polymer Plastics by Insects Inhabiting Microorganisms." Polymers 15, no. 5 (March 5, 2023): 1307. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/polym15051307.
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Plastic pollution endangers all natural ecosystems and living creatures on earth. Excessive reliance on plastic products and excessive production of plastic packaging are extremely dangerous for humans because plastic waste has polluted almost the entire world, whether it is in the sea or on the land. This review introduces the examination of pollution brought by non-degradable plastics, the classification and application of degradable materials, and the current situation and strategy to address plastic pollution and plastic degradation by insects, which mainly include Galleria mellonella, Zophobas atratus, Tenebrio molitor, and other insects. The efficiency of plastic degradation by insects, biodegradation mechanism of plastic waste, and the structure and composition of degradable products are reviewed. The development direction of degradable plastics in the future and plastic degradation by insects are prospected. This review provides effective ways to solve plastic pollution.
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Kamau, Moses, Mwakio Tole, and Mohamed K. Timamy. "Micro-plastics in Aquatic Environment: Source, Fate, Emerging Threats, and Regulatory Effort." International Journal of Environment and Climate Change 13, no. 10 (September 14, 2023): 3218–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.9734/ijecc/2023/v13i102989.
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Presences of plastics in aquatic environment, and their possible cascading along the food chain are an environmental concern. To understand the current setup in plastics pollution, we submit the evolution of the plastics industry, the production process, and the magnitude of plastics produced and plastic waste generated. In the second section, we give an over view of sources of micro plastics in aquatic environment including; domestic, leisure, aquaculture, maritime activities and horticulture. Thirdly, we address the behavior and distributions of micro plastics in aquatics system (rivers, estuaries, lakes and ocean) and their matrixes (surfaces, water column, and sediments). In fourth section, we raise the insidious natures of micro plastics pollutions, as a threat to life, and, in the fifth section we identify the developments in policies that targets to mitigate plastic pollution.
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Barrowclough, Diana, and Carolyn Birkbeck. "Transforming the Global Plastics Economy: The Role of Economic Policies in the Global Governance of Plastic Pollution." Social Sciences 11, no. 1 (January 14, 2022): 26. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/socsci11010026.
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International policy discussions on plastic pollution are entering a new phase, with more than 100 governments calling for the launch of negotiations for a new global plastics agreement in 2022. This article aims to contribute to efforts to identify effective international policy levers to address plastic pollution. It takes stock of the evolution of views and perceptions on this complex and multi-faceted topic—from concerns about marine pollution and waste management towards new strategic directions that involve the entire plastics life-cycle and include climate and health impacts associated with the proliferation of plastics. It also traces the progressive development of responses—from voluntary approaches involving multiple stakeholders to national and international approaches focused on regulation. The paper is informed by desk research, a literature review and participation by the authors in informal and formal global governance processes on plastic pollution, the environment and development in the United Nations and World Trade Organization between 2019 and 2021. It also draws on empirical findings from a novel and original database on the life-cycle of plastic trade created by the authors. The paper argues that the important focus on downstream dimensions of plastic pollution—and strategies to address them—needs to be complemented by a broad life-cycle and “upstream” perspective that addresses plastic pollution at its source. It highlights the political economy tensions and inconsistencies at hand, observing that while some countries are taking concerted efforts to reduce pollution (including through bans on certain kinds of plastic and plastic products); to promote more circular plastic economies; and to reduce the carbon footprint of plastics (as part of a wider effort to decarbonize their economies), trade and investment in the plastic industry continues to rise. The paper argues that to reduce plastic pollution, emerging global governance efforts must integrate international environmental law and cooperation with a complementary and enabling global framework that addresses the economic, financial, industrial and trade policies needed to drive the necessary transformation of the plastics sector.
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Prasad, E. Harichandra, L. T. Guru Chandra Sekhar, Maddipati Ram Rishik Narayana, Prachika Rajput, and Anupama Rajput. "Plastic Pollution and its Impact on Environment." Ecology, Environment and Conservation 29 (2023): 65–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.53550/eec.2023.v29i03s.014.
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Beginning around 1950 to 2021, about 6.3 billion tons of plastics have been delivered around the world, out of which only 9% is reused, individually. Human population increment is eventually related to the increasing use of plastic. Plastic items are answerable for consistent expansion in the development of plastic. We have surveyed in this paper, the most important written works on the various sorts of plastics underway, the negative impacts of these constituents to air, water, soil, organic entities and human wellbeing viz-a-viz the different removal technique. Papers that revealed ecological and general wellbeing impacts of plastic looked in to assortments of plastic utilized in the creation of numerous consumable items including clinical gadgets, food bundling and water bottles containing harmful synthetic substances like phthalates, weighty metals, and Nonyl phenol. Yearly 8 million tons of plastic is delivered into the sea, prompting corruption of marine living space which at last influences amphibian life forms and creates health hazards. The increased usage of plastic and plastic items when exposed to high temperatures leads to the release of toxins into food items and water.
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Farrelly, Trisia A., Stephanie B. Borrelle, and Sascha Fuller. "The Strengths and Weaknesses of Pacific Islands Plastic Pollution Policy Frameworks." Sustainability 13, no. 3 (January 25, 2021): 1252. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su13031252.
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The rate of plastic pollution entering the environment is accelerating with plastic production predicted to increase by 40% over the next decade. Plastic pollution transcends territorial boundaries on ocean and air currents. Large Ocean Small Island Developing States (LOSIDS) are on the frontline of the plastics crisis and associated climate change impacts. This desktop gap analysis identified potential strengths and weaknesses in national policy frameworks in 52 key documents relevant to plastic pollution in ten Pacific LOSIDS. The study found considerable gaps in the vertical and horizontal integration of plastic pollution-related policy, and a lack of access to current science-based evidence on plastic pollution including evidence related to human health impacts and microplastics. The study concludes that, even if Pacific LOSIDS were to include best practice management of plastic pollution across all policy frameworks, they could not prevent plastic pollution, and that a plastic pollution convention is needed.
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Gupta, Archita, and Anjana Roy. "A Study on Plastic Waste in Households." JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC ADVANCEMENT 1, no. 2 (2022): 49–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.58574/jaa.2022.v1.i2.05.
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Plastics are indispensable part of the society but it effects directly or indirectly in the environment, wildlife, aquatic life as well as the human health also. Households use plastics the most frequently and due to unavailability of proper tools, most individuals simply throw the used plastics into nature without following the correct recycling procedure. As a result of the ecology system, people face several health problems. Although Single-Use Plastics and Plastic Polybags are prohibited, our society has continued to utilise it. In order to prevent plastic pollution, government must play a crucial role, otherwise future generations will have to face a dire situation by plastic pollutions. A clean environment and a healthy lifestyle are both possible if we can continue to be conscious of plastic.
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Hassan, Sidra, and Ihsan Ul Haq. "Pervasive Pollution Problems Caused by Plastics and its Degradation." International Journal of Online and Biomedical Engineering (iJOE) 15, no. 10 (June 27, 2019): 29. http://dx.doi.org/10.3991/ijoe.v15i10.10873.
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We are living in a period of time where gaining access to clean water, food and even air is almost impossible. Everything on the planet Earth is contaminated in one form or another. Not only humans but all the creatures of the planet are under constant threat from at least one of the forms of pollution. Like other forms of pollution, plastic pollution is also a huge and mounting problem and it demands a similarly ambitious and influential solution. As ‘human-caused climate change’ received so much attention, this issue also needs the same consideration and it should be approached in the same way. Plastic pollution is killing our planet! It’s choking our oceans by making plastic gyres, entangling marine animals, poisoning our food and water supply, and ultimately inflicting havoc on the health and well-being of humans and wildlife globally. With the exception of a small amount that has been incinerating, virtually every piece of plastic that was ever made in the past still exists in one form or another. And since most of the plastics don’t biodegrade in any meaningful sense, all that plastic waste could exist for hundreds or even thousands of years. If plastic production isn’t circumscribed, plastic pollution will be disastrous and will eventually outweigh fish in oceans. It’s time to think about the plastics, banning the single-use plastics, thinking about the recycling and going towards the zero-waste concept. This paper covers the reviews about current research on the plastic disasters by plastic industry and biodegradation of the conventional synthetic plastics by different microorganisms and major concerns related to ocean plastic pollution
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Kumar, Rakesh, Anurag Verma, Arkajyoti Shome, Rama Sinha, Srishti Sinha, Prakash Kumar Jha, Ritesh Kumar, et al. "Impacts of Plastic Pollution on Ecosystem Services, Sustainable Development Goals, and Need to Focus on Circular Economy and Policy Interventions." Sustainability 13, no. 17 (September 6, 2021): 9963. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su13179963.
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Plastic pollution is ubiquitous in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Plastic waste exposed to the environment creates problems and is of significant concern for all life forms. Plastic production and accumulation in the natural environment are occurring at an unprecedented rate due to indiscriminate use, inadequate recycling, and deposits in landfills. In 2019, the global production of plastic was at 370 million tons, with only 9% of it being recycled, 12% being incinerated, and the remaining left in the environment or landfills. The leakage of plastic wastes into terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems is occurring at an unprecedented rate. The management of plastic waste is a challenging problem for researchers, policymakers, citizens, and other stakeholders. Therefore, here, we summarize the current understanding and concerns of plastics pollution (microplastics or nanoplastics) on natural ecosystems. The overall goal of this review is to provide background assessment on the adverse effects of plastic pollution on natural ecosystems; interlink the management of plastic pollution with sustainable development goals; address the policy initiatives under transdisciplinary approaches through life cycle assessment, circular economy, and sustainability; identify the knowledge gaps; and provide current policy recommendations. Plastic waste management through community involvement and socio-economic inputs in different countries are presented and discussed. Plastic ban policies and public awareness are likely the major mitigation interventions. The need for life cycle assessment and circularity to assess the potential environmental impacts and resources used throughout a plastic product’s life span is emphasized. Innovations are needed to reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover plastics and find eco-friendly replacements for plastics. Empowering and educating communities and citizens to act collectively to minimize plastic pollution and use alternative options for plastics must be promoted and enforced. Plastic pollution is a global concern that must be addressed collectively with the utmost priority.
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Li, Daming, Canyao Liu, Yu Shi, Jiaming Song, and Yiliang Zhang. "Trade Flow Optimization Model for Plastic Pollution Reduction." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 23 (November 30, 2022): 15963. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315963.
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Managing plastic waste from an international perspective is complex, with many countries in the trade network playing distinct roles at different stages of the life-cycle of plastics. Trade flows are therefore the key to understanding global plastic market and its supply chains. In this paper, we formulate an optimization problem from the perspective of reducing global ocean plastic pollution, and create a novel framework based on a network flow model to identify the optimal international trade flows over the life-cycle of plastics. Our model quantifies global flows of production, consumption, and trade across the life-cycle of plastics from raw inputs and subsequent plastic products to its final stage as waste. Using panel data on plastic consumption, waste, and production, we compare the trade flows in reality and the optimal trade flows determined by our model and find that the two are highly correlated. We highlight the policy implications based on our model: increasing trade capacity and improving recycle rates in developing countries.
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Zhou, Ziheng. "Analysis on Chinas Plastic Control Based on Promotion Challenges of Plastic Ban and Degradable Plastic." Applied and Computational Engineering 3, no. 1 (May 25, 2023): 305–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.54254/2755-2721/3/20230502.
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The production of plastics has made many aspects of modern life easier, but at the expense of the environment in ways that cannot be reversed. Since every country began enacting its own set of regulations to curb the manufacturing and consumption of conventional plastics, the question of biodegradable polymers has been at the forefront of public discourse. The use of biodegradable plastic is fraught with difficulties that need for decisive measures to be taken in light of extensive research. The paper highlights the urgent need to stress plastic pollution, and it analyzes the progress and current barriers of China's pushing plastic ban and degradable plastic. The paper also focuses on the urgent need to stress plastic pollution. In addition, the paper offers recommendations for China's policies and activities, serving as a point of reference for the treatment of plastic pollution and the prevention of it in a manner that is environmentally responsible.
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Viel, Thomas, Loredana Manfra, Valerio Zupo, Giovanni Libralato, Mariacristina Cocca, and Maria Costantini. "Biodegradation of Plastics Induced by Marine Organisms: Future Perspectives for Bioremediation Approaches." Polymers 15, no. 12 (June 14, 2023): 2673. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/polym15122673.
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Plastic pollution is a distinctive element of the globalized world. In fact, since the 1970s the expansion and use of plastics, particularly in the consumer and commercial sectors, has given this material a permanent place in our lives. The increasing use of plastic products and the wrong management of end-of-life plastic products have contributed to increasing environmental pollution, with negative impacts on our ecosystems and the ecological functions of natural habitats. Nowadays, plastic pollution is pervasive in all environmental compartments. As aquatic environments are the dumping points for poorly managed plastics, biofouling and biodegradation have been proposed as promising approaches for plastic bioremediation. Known for the high stability of plastics in the marine environment, this represents a very important issue to preserve marine biodiversity. In this review, we have summarized the main cases reported in the literature on the degradation of plastics by bacteria, fungi, and microalgae and the degradation mechanisms involved, to highlight the potential of bioremediation approaches to reduce macro and microplastic pollution.
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Tang, Kuok Ho Daniel. "Attitudes towards Plastic Pollution: A Review and Mitigations beyond Circular Economy." Waste 1, no. 2 (June 15, 2023): 569–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/waste1020034.
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Plastic pollution has received unprecedented attention globally, and there are increasing calls to control it. Despite this, the uptrends of plastic consumption and mismanaged plastic waste show little sign of reversal. This review aims to examine the attitudes of various societal groups towards plastics to identify the behavioral barriers to reduce plastic pollution and synthesize effective countermeasures. It achieved the aim through content analysis of the most recent literature related to attitudes and behaviors towards plastic pollution, consumption and management, as well as an important emerging theme on plastics recycling ecosystem and economy. It reveals the general negative attitudes of the participants in the studies reviewed towards plastic pollution and their willing attitude to act against it by supporting campaigns, paying for environmentally friendly alternatives and supporting solution-based interventions from governments including policies, regulations and guidelines. Inconvenience due to limited options for plastic items and habits are two main barriers to behavioral changes. This underscores the crucial roles of governments to tap into these attitudes to lead and intensify plastic pollution control through a multi-pronged approach that facilitates systematic substitution of conventional plastics with environmentally friendly alternatives as well as the stepping-up of the circular plastic economy and industrial symbiosis. This review deems that progressively regulated capping of conventional plastic production and consumption could help the transition, and the public could complement government endeavors through education, mutual influence and awareness-raising which could also be driven by governmental policies and programs.
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Miao, Yu, Annette von Jouanne, and Alexandre Yokochi. "Current Technologies in Depolymerization Process and the Road Ahead." Polymers 13, no. 3 (January 30, 2021): 449. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/polym13030449.
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Although plastic is considered an indispensable commodity, plastic pollution is a major concern around the world due to its rapid accumulation rate, complexity, and lack of management. Some political policies, such as the Chinese import ban on plastic waste, force us to think about a long-term solution to eliminate plastic wastes. Converting waste plastics into liquid and gaseous fuels is considered a promising technique to eliminate the harm to the environment and decrease the dependence on fossil fuels, and recycling waste plastic by converting it into monomers is another effective solution to the plastic pollution problem. This paper presents the critical situation of plastic pollution, various methods of plastic depolymerization based on different kinds of polymers defined in the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) Resin Identification Coding System, and the opportunities and challenges in the future.
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De Vita, Riccardo Luciano, and Anna Giunone Giannuzzi. "Plastic marine pollution." Prosperitas 6, no. 3 (2019): 23–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.31570/prosp_2019_03_3.
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Guha Roy, Aimee. "Detailing plastic pollution." Nature Sustainability 2, no. 8 (August 2019): 654. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0367-2.
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HUZAISHAM, NUR ATHIRAH. "APPLICATION OF WASTE BANANA PEELS AS BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC." Science Proceedings Series 1, no. 2 (April 24, 2019): 128–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.31580/sps.v1i2.786.
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The world today seems unimaginable without plastics or synthetic organic polymer, however their large-scale production and use only dates back to 1950 (1). The resulting rapid growth in plastics production is remarkable, surpassing most other man-made materials. The study presents the utilization of banana peel as biodegradable plastic to substitute the existing non-biodegradable plastic. The objectives of this research are to aims to develop and produce biodegradable plastic that will substitute the existing non-biodegradable plastic to help in saving the environment as well as to compare the properties of biodegradable plastic based on banana peel with the commercial biodegradable plastic. The use of waste banana peel in this study is mainly to replace the synthetic materials used in the conventional biodegradable plastic. Furthermore, the environmental pollutions can be reduced due to the usage of waste banana peels to produce a new value-added biodegradable plastic.
Keywords : Banana peel, biodegradable plastic, pollution, environment
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Herberz, Timo, Claire Y. Barlow, and Matthias Finkbeiner. "Sustainability Assessment of a Single-Use Plastics Ban." Sustainability 12, no. 9 (May 5, 2020): 3746. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su12093746.
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Governments around the world are introducing single-use plastics bans to alleviate plastic marine pollution. This paper investigates whether banning single-use plastic items is an appropriate strategy to protect the environment. Product life cycle assessment was conducted for single-use plastic and single-use non-plastic alternatives. The life cycle impacts of the two product categories were compared and scaled according to EU consumption of 2016. The results show that a single-use plastics ban would decrease plastic marine pollution in the EU by 5.5% which equates to a 0.06% decrease globally. However, such a ban would increase emissions contributing to marine aquatic toxicity in the EU by 1.4%. This paper concludes that single-use items are harmful to the environment regardless of their material. Therefore, banning or imposing a premium price on single-use items in general and not only single-use plastic items is a more effective method of reducing consumption and thereby pollution. The plastics ban only leads to a small reduction of global plastic marine pollution and thus provides only a partial solution to the problem it intends to solve.
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Bajrami, Ani, Fundime Osmani, and Elvisa Sokoli. "Plastic Pollution in Albania: Survey on Citizen’s Perceptions and Attitudes." European Journal of Natural Sciences and Medicine 6, no. 1 (April 1, 2023): 36–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/ejnsm-2023-0004.
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Abstract Plastics are polymers synthesized from petrochemicals or from biomass raw materials. In recent decades, worldwide plastics production has increased exponentially. An estimated 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced worldwide resulting in an estimated 6.3 billion tons of plastic waste disposed in landfill or discarded into the natural environment. Plastic is widely used: is inexpensive, durable, resource efficient and easily attainable. The article makes some preliminary observations based on questionnaire data distributed through probability stratified random sampling method between November 2021 and July 2022. The data provides some useful insights into citizens perceptions and attitudes about plastic pollution. Majority of respondents agree on the fact that plastic pollution is harmful to the environment (94%). Additionally, 77.1% of respondents agree both on the fact that nature conservation activities are necessary and successful if community or citizens are involved. Strategies which can be used to reduce plastic pollution need to provide further incentives for public participation. An example is using citizen science, to address and mitigate plastic pollution both at local and national level.
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Boeve, Marlon, and Ida Mae de Waal. "Global Plastic Pollution and the Transition Towards a Circular Economy: Lessons from the EU’s Legal Framework on Plastics." Environmental Policy and Law 53, no. 5-6 (February 26, 2024): 461–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/epl-239016.
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Since the 1950s, billions of tons of primary plastic waste have been generated around the globe to date. Instead of the current linear make-use-dispose plastic economy, a circular plastics economy is said to be able to reduce plastic pollution in the environment. Recently, the United Nations Environment Assembly adopted a resolution to forge a globally binding treaty addressing plastic pollution by addressing the full life cycle of plastics and by taking such a circular approach. A circular approach for plastics has already been adopted by the EU. Therefore, this contribution sets out some lessons that the UN Treaty can learn from the implementation of the EU’s circular approach for plastics. These relate to the restriction on placing on the market of certain plastic products, the introduction of ecodesign requirements and the establishment of EPR schemes. The EU legal framework on plastics shows that it is important to take into account the inherent interlinkage between not only plastic life cycle stages, but also between the different provisions and obligations, in order to maximize the contribution to and unlock synergies in tackling plastic pollution.
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Dalu, Mwazvita T. B., Ross N. Cuthbert, Hulisani Muhali, Lenin D. Chari, Amanda Manyani, Current Masunungure, and Tatenda Dalu. "Is Awareness on Plastic Pollution Being Raised in Schools? Understanding Perceptions of Primary and Secondary School Educators." Sustainability 12, no. 17 (August 21, 2020): 6775. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su12176775.
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Plastic pollution is a major global issue and its impacts on ecosystems and socioeconomic sectors lack comprehensive understanding. The integration of plastics issues into the educational system of both primary and secondary schools has often been overlooked, especially in Africa, presenting a major challenge to environmental awareness. Owing to the importance of early age awareness, this study aims to investigate whether plastic pollution issues are being integrated into South African primary and secondary education school curriculums. Using face-to-face interviews with senior educators, we address this research problem by investigating (i) the extent to which teachers cover components of plastic pollution, and (ii) educator understandings of plastic pollution within terrestrial and aquatic environments. The results indicate that plastic pollution has been integrated into the school curriculum in technology, natural science, geography, life science, life skills and life orientation subjects. However, there was a lack of integration of management practices for plastics littering, especially in secondary schools, and understanding of dangers among different habitat types. This highlights the need for better educational awareness on the plastic pollution problem at both primary and secondary school level, with increased environmental programs needed to educate schools on management practices and impacts.
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Lakhiar, Imran Ali, Haofang Yan, Jianyun Zhang, Guoqing Wang, Shuaishuai Deng, Rongxuan Bao, Chuan Zhang, et al. "Plastic Pollution in Agriculture as a Threat to Food Security, the Ecosystem, and the Environment: An Overview." Agronomy 14, no. 3 (March 7, 2024): 548. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14030548.
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Plastic products in plant production and protection help farmers increase crop production, enhance food quality, and reduce global water use and their environmental footprint. Simultaneously, plastic has emerged as a critical ecological issue in recent years, and its pollution has significantly impacted soil, water, and plants. Thus, this review examines the multifaceted problems of plastic pollution in agriculture as a risk to food security, the ecosystem, and the environment. The study’s objective was to review and present the most recent information on using different plastic products in agriculture, the sources of plastic pollution, the advantages and drawbacks of using plastic products, and the strategies for mitigating plastic pollution in agriculture. Furthermore, after examining current plastic applications, benefits, adverse effects, and risks to soil, plants, and the environment, we addressed the requirements for technological advancements, regulations, and social processes that could contribute to mitigating plastic pollution in our ecosystems. We identified different pathways toward more sustainable use of plastics in agriculture and discussed future research directions.
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Nayak, Shailesh. "On the Challenge of Plastic Wastes and Litter in Oceans: Some Policy Reflections." Environmental Policy and Law 51, no. 4 (August 16, 2021): 235–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/epl-210048.
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The increasing pollution in oceans, especially of the plastics litter, has degraded health of the oceans in many parts of the world. As plastic degrade very slowly, its accumulation in oceans expected to rise exponentially in coming decades and critically affect marine ecosystems, ocean fauna and humans. Microplastics, generated due to mechanical breakdown of plastic waste, is particularly affecting the pelagic ecosystems and can even alter them. It is necessary to generate and update scientific knowledge about production, transport, sinks of plastics and their impacts, develop innovative approaches to manage plastic waste, and bringing awareness about effects of plastic pollution to communities. The issue of plastic pollution needs be tackled at local as well as regional levels through effective policy and multi-national cooperation.
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Sarp, Sarper. "How about nano? Impact of size of plastics on plastic pollution and the magnitude of the problem." Indonesian Journal of Applied Environmental Studies 4, no. 1 (April 30, 2023): 1–2. http://dx.doi.org/10.33751/injast.v4i1.7441.
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In the last decade we have realized that the plastics we use every day, and for practically everything, may be the biggest environmental polluters humans have ever released to the environment (EU DG, 2011). Since the first reports of plastic pollutions, we have learned so much about the issue. Macro and micro plastic pollution topics have been extensively studied, investigated, regulated, and in some cases litigated (Uren Webster et al., 2020)(Barnes, Galgani, Thompson, Barlaz, 2009)(Environment Agency, 2018). As it happened in most of the past cases, we have started with the most obvious and visible problem: macro plastics.
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Oguge, Nicholas, Francis Oremo, and Salome Adhiambo. "Investigating the Knowledge and Attitudes towards Plastic Pollution among the Youth in Nairobi, Kenya." Social Sciences 10, no. 11 (October 22, 2021): 408. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/socsci10110408.
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Kenya has made many attempts to regulate the production of single-use plastics through partial bans and the imposition of hefty taxes. Whereas government initiatives are crucial to resolving single-use plastic pollution, commitments made by youths can be an important part of the solution. Yet, youths are habituated to using single-use plastics without understanding fully their negative impacts. Understanding the knowledge and attitudes of youths is of the utmost importance in the effort to turn the tide against plastic pollution. This study set out to investigate knowledge and attitudes towards single-use plastics among youths in Nairobi, Kenya. This was a mixed study approach, where both qualitative and quantitative data were derived. The results showed that youths perceive single-use plastics as a serious environmental and health issue. Most respondents expressed willingness to switch to reusable alternatives if provided with financial incentives. In addition, the results showed stronger support for enhanced awareness campaigns and plastic recycling infrastructure. Social media was the most preferred channel to disseminate plastic pollution messaging among the youth. These findings are important in policy development for intensifying awareness and targeting a range of communication and financial support to reduce single-use plastic pollution.
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Abu Lubaba, Farah Fadhilah, and Wandi Hidayat. "Processing Plastik Waste into Creative Handicrafts to Reduce Plastik Waste in West Palimanan Village." Community: Jurnal Hasil Penelitian dan Pengabdian Masyarakat 3, no. 1 (April 2, 2024): 11–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.61166/community.v3i1.57.
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Plastics waste is a major problem in environmental pollution, both land and sea pollution. Plastik waste has properties that cannot be decomposed and will decompose completely over a period of 80 to 300 years. This plastic waste has quite promising business potential so that we can process it into creative handicrafts. This creation of plastik waste has a selling value that generates profits. By using plastic waste, we can overcome the problem of environmental pollution and environmental sustainability. Apart from that, it increases the creativity of the local community and has very minimal capital. This research is about handling plastic waste which can provide added value to make handicrafts. The object of the research was carried out in West Palimanan Village with an observational approach to problems and intervention to the problems raised. In detail, the processing of plastik waste is powdered drink packaging. The intervention method was carried out by providing guidance to Mrs. Karsini in the Rahayu Block, West Palimanan Village, who works as a plastik waste craftsman. The approach was carried out over a period of 4 weeks on 30 November – 31 December 2020. The result of this activity was the formation of creative products in the form of bags, wallets, mats which had selling value and could be consumed by the public.
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Ballent, A., A. Purser, P. de Jesus Mendes, S. Pando, and L. Thomsen. "Physical transport properties of marine microplastic pollution." Biogeosciences Discussions 9, no. 12 (December 19, 2012): 18755–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bgd-9-18755-2012.
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Abstract. Given the complexity of quantitative collection, knowledge of the distribution of microplastic pollution in many regions of the world ocean is patchy, both spatially and temporally, especially for the subsurface environment. However, with knowledge of typical hydrodynamic behavior of waste plastic material, models predicting the dispersal of pelagic and benthic plastics from land sources into the ocean are possible. Here we investigate three aspects of plastic distribution and transport in European waters. Firstly, we assess patterns in the distribution of plastics found in fluvial strandlines of the North Sea and how distribution may be related to flow velocities and distance from source. Second, we model transport of non-buoyant preproduction pellets in the Nazaré Canyon of Portugal using the MOHID system after assessing the density, settling velocity, critical and depositional shear stress characteristics of such waste plastics. Thirdly, we investigate the effect of surface turbulences and high pressures on a range of marine plastic debris categories (various densities, degradation states and shapes tested) in an experimental water column simulator tank and pressure laboratory. Plastics deposited on North Sea strandlines varied greatly spatially, as a function of material composition and distance from source. Model outputs indicated that such dense production pellets are likely transported up and down canyon as a function of tidal forces, with only very minor net down canyon movement. Behaviour of plastic fragments under turbulence varied greatly, with the dimensions of the material, as well as density, playing major determining roles. Pressure was shown to affect hydrodynamic behaviours of only low density foam plastics at pressures ≥ 60 bar.
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Mete, Yuliana Yenita, Berty Sadipun, Marselina Rian, and Elfrida Yosefina Marlon. "PELATIHAN DAUR ULANG SAMPAH PLASTIKMENJADI KERAJINAN TANGAN YANG MENARIK." SELAPARANG: Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Berkemajuan 6, no. 2 (June 7, 2022): 838. http://dx.doi.org/10.31764/jpmb.v6i2.6048.
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ABSTRAKPermasalahan mitra pada kegiatan ini yakni terkait dengan kebiasaan masyarakat seperti membuang sampah plastik tidak pada tempatnya, sampah plastik di buang di sungai, sampah plastik di kubur, sampah plastikdi bakar. Dengan kebiasaan masyarakat tersebut maka akan menimbulkan berbagai macam polusi baik polusi udara, polusi tanah, maupun polusi air. serta dapat merusak biota yang ada di air dan di laut. Maka diberikan pelatihan daur ulang sampah plastik untuk ibu-ibu PKK di desa Bheramari menjadi berbagai jenis bunga.Kegiatan ini bertujuan untuk mengurangi sampah plastik dan agar dapat meningkatkan keterampilan ibu-ibu PKK di desa Bheramari serta dapat menambah ekonomi keluarga. Metode yang digunakan adalah langsung praktek membuat berbagai jenis bunga sesui dengan langka-langkah yang telah berikan. Hasilnya ibu-ibu PKK berhasil membuat berbagai jenis bunga dan sudah terjual. Kata Kunci : plastik kresek; bunga; polusi; ekonomi. ABSTRACTPartner problems in this activity are related to community habits such as throwing plastic waste out of place, plastic waste being dumped in rivers, plastic waste being buried in the grave, plastic waste being burned. With these people's habits, it will cause various kinds of pollution, both air pollution, soil pollution, and water pollution. and can damage the biota in the water and in the sea. So, training was given to recycle plastic waste for PKK women in Bheramari village into various types of flowers. This activity aims to reduce plastic waste and in order to improve the skills of PKK mothers in Bheramari village and can increase the family economy. The method used is the direct practice of making various types of flowers according to the steps that have been given. As a result, PKK women managed to make various types of flowers and have been sold. Keywords: crackle plastic; flowers; pollution; economy.
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Sutkar, Pankaj R., Smita M. Pore, and Vinayak P. Dhulap. "A Review on Plastic Pollution and Biodegradation of Polyethylene: Indian Region." Current World Environment 17, no. 2 (September 10, 2022): 289–305. http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/cwe.17.2.2.
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Plastic is a broad category of organic polymers with a high molecular weight derived from a variety of hydrocarbons and petroleum derivatives. Plastic utilization has accelerated with the global population as a result of technological advancements; plastics and their types have shown a wide range of applications in every aspect of human life, most notably in packaging, transportation, and storage of industrial and agricultural products, raising the serious issue of plastic waste pollution and disposal. Plants, animals, and humans have all been harmed by the ever-increasing proportion of plastics in the environment. Among all plastic types, Polyethylene is the most common type of plastic that is used, therefore it needs to study overall pollution caused by polyethylene plastic type. So, our objective is toprovide a brief review of plastic pollution with preference to polyethylene plastictype , its increasing concentration, and degradation mechanisms. This review focuses on plastic classification, with a focus on plastic biodegradation, specifically polyethylene, and the methodologies and microorganisms utilized for polyethylene biodegradation, with a greater emphasis on India. It will help to understand the status of polyethylene degradation and add preventive measures for its increasing quantity.
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Gurgacz, Natalia S., Karin Kvale, Michael Eby, and Andrew J. Weaver. "Impact of plastic pollution on atmospheric carbon dioxide." FACETS 8 (January 1, 2023): 1–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/facets-2023-0061.
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Since the beginning of its large-scale production in the early 20th century, plastics have remained an important material in widespread use throughout modern society. Nevertheless, despite possessing many benefits, plastics are resistant to degradation and instead accumulate in the ocean and terrestrial sediments, thereby potentially affecting marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Plastics release CO2 throughout their entire lifecycle; during the extraction of materials used in their production, through plastic–carbon leaching in the marine and terrestrial environment, and during their different end-of-life scenarios, which include recycling, landfill, and incineration. Here, we use the University of Victoria earth system climate model to quantity the effects on atmospheric CO2 and the ocean carbon cycle by using upper-bound estimates of carbon emissions from marine plastic–carbon leaching or land-based incineration. Despite the suggestions of some, our results indicate that it has only a very minor influence and an insignificant effect on the earth's global climate system. This holds even if plastic contamination increases well beyond current levels. On the other hand, carbon emissions associated with plastic production and incineration have a greater impact on climate while still dwarfed by emissions associated with the combustion of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) and other anthropogenic sources. Our results have important policy implications for ongoing United Nations Environment Programme Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution negotiations.
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Mastrolia, Cristina, Domenico Giaquinto, Christoph Gatz, Md Nahid Pervez, Shadi Wajih Hasan, Tiziano Zarra, Chi-Wang Li, Vincenzo Belgiorno, and Vincenzo Naddeo. "Plastic Pollution: Are Bioplastics the Right Solution?" Water 14, no. 22 (November 8, 2022): 3596. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w14223596.
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The adverse effects of the accumulation of plastic on our planet are no longer sustainable; plastic is a major threat to all forms of life in all environments in addition to contributing to global warming. The academic world has been focusing on registering the damages caused by plastic pollution and finding solutions to refrain from and substitute plastic and its usages, which our consumer society is so heavily dependent on. A pathway towards limiting the use of plastic comes from the European Union 2019/904 Directive for limiting the production of single-use and oxo-degradable plastics. Currently, bioplastics are one of the major alternatives in substituting fossil-based plastics, but question remain about its use. as too what extent could bioplastics be a long-term solution to plastic pollution? Is it a misconception to consider bioplastics completely harmless to the environment? This short review article aims to draw attention to the counter effects connected to the limitations and mismanagement of bioplastics through their life cycle by collecting data not published until now. A review of several cradle-to-Grave Life Cycle Assessments has been made to analyse bioplastics from production to end-of-life options. The result produced from this review article shows that bioplastics do not represent a long-term solution to plastic pollution and, on the contrary, may seem to contribute to overall environmental endangerment. The novelty of this work lies in pointing out the misconception of bioplastics’ healthy effects on the environment by thoroughly analysing all environmental impacts of current production and disposal of bioplastics and by providing a more sustainable production of bioplastic through wastewater treatment plants.
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Cordova, Muhammad Reza. "PENCEMARAN PLASTIK DI LAUT." OSEANA 42, no. 3 (October 30, 2017): 21–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.14203/oseana.2017.vol.42no.3.82.
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PLASTICS POLLUTION IN THE SEA. Indonesia is considered as the second biggest plastic waste producer in the sea. Information on waste pollution and its impact on marine organisms in Indonesia is still limited. Waste disposal and solid waste (plastics) into the sea are continuously occuring; elevating the thoughts of global impact of plastic waste contamination. Increased use of plastic is a consequence of the development of technologies, industries and also the population. This paper is expected to provide knowledge and information of plastics that exist in the sea, especially Indonesian Sea.
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Mykhailova, E. "PLASTIC POLLUTION IS ONE OF THE MAIN ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM OF HUMANITY." Municipal economy of cities 4, no. 157 (September 25, 2020): 109–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.33042/2522-1809-2020-4-157-109-121.
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Тhe article is devoted to the global environmental problem of plastic waste pollution. Now, about 9 billion tons of primary plastic have been produced. Of this amount, 6.3 billion tons is plastic waste, of which 9 % was recycled, 12 % incinerated, and 79 % accumulated in landfills or in the environment. The main feature of plastic materials is their stability. Once in the environment as waste, plastic can be in its original state for more than 450 years. The purpose of the article is to study the current state of production and use of plastics, as well as the field of plastic waste management; identification of perspective methods for solving the problem of plastic pollution. Plastics are organic macromolecular compounds that have high quality characteristics. Due to this, they became widespread. There are different types of plastics: thermoplastics, thermosets, foams and bioplastics. Currently, 40% of plastic is used once, after which it is discarded. Under the influence of various factors in the environment plastic slowly breaks down into small fragments, known as microplastics. Microplastic particles get into the soil, water, and through food chains can enter the human body. Potentially microplastics can negatively affect the human body. To solve the problem of accumulation of plastic waste in the environment, many countries around the world, including Ukraine, are implementing a waste management system based on the European waste management hierarchy. The hierarchy reflects five approaches to waste management: Removal (waste disposal and incineration without energy production), Recovery (waste incineration with energy production), Recycling (waste conversion into secondary raw materials for reuse), Reuse (waste reuse without recycling) and Prevention (waste amount minimization). Disposal is the least efficient way of waste management, and recycling and prevention are the most effective ways. Keywords: plastic, waste, pollution, environment, landfill, recycling.
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Hakuzimana, Janvier. "BREAK FREE FROM PLASTICS: ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVES AND EVIDENCE FROM RWANDA." Environment & Ecosystem Science 5, no. 1 (March 31, 2021): 27–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.26480/ees.01.2021.27.36.
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Plastics production (i.e 450 million tons per annum globally), use and disposal (i.e 300 million tons per annum globally) are one of the top environmental concerns and global waste management impediments. Nevertheless, nearly 90% of all plastics ever produced to present has never been recycled. Over the past decades, researchers’ voices have repeatedly been raised for acting and saving inland as well as aquatic ecosystems being harmed by the increasing plastic pollution. Microplastics have been reported by several studies to be in tap water, bottled drinks and in fish we eat. Consequently, conventions and agreements have been signed, laws and regulations enforced (banning, increased taxation, etc) in various regions and countries across the globe for lessening plastics harm on the environment. In this struggle, Rwanda looks to be in front line in beating plastic pollution crisis compared to other regional and continental countries; hence resulted in calling its capital Kigali by many, “the Africa’s cleanest city”. This success behind plastics break free could be attributed to Rwanda’s current strong institutional, political will (promotion of plastic recycling and reuse), legal frameworks (e.g non- biodegradable plastic bags ban, outlawing of single-use plastic items, penalties, severe fines, etc) and active citizens (e.g monthly community works also known as umuganda etc) in terms of eliminating plastic pollution, foster socio-economic development and environmental protection. These strategies do not only protect the environment but also save the money that the government would spend in cleaning the cities and facilitate the advertising of the country for its eco-friendliness; resulting in its tourism development. Recently, similar initiatives of reducing or banning plastics have been taken by several governments in African ,, lower-income countries and developed ones from other regions across the globe due to either limited recycling facilities, inadequate plastics trash disposal or as a solution to overcome the increase of plastic pollution which harm humans, farm animals, aquatic lives (fishes, sea turtles, etc), and the environment health. Thus, the present paper reviews the current knowledge of environmental impacts of plastics, approaches adopted for alleviating the harm from plastics in Rwanda and their implementation procedures which gave credits to the country on global environmental protection scene so that lessons from these practices can be implemented by other countries which aim at reducing plastics waste and associated pollution. The current solid waste management (i.e mainly plastics) and challenges are also discussed in order to be addressed by the authority in charge. Data and literature were retrieved from peer-reviewed journal articles, websites, books, reports, dissertations, local and international online newspapers. Despite significant efforts made towards a plastic free country, less has been written on plastic pollution in Rwanda; making it difficult to get reliable data and information for quantifying past impacts of plastic wastes. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge no scientific research or report has been so far conducted to prove how plastic wastes contributed over the past years to flooding, prevented crops from growing, to what extent plastic litters have restrained rainwater from penetrating various soil types and other forms of plastic pollution in the country. Such studies are paramount for scientifically justify the ban initiatives in the country. This review resulted into encyclopedia that other researchers can build on to better understand environmental impacts of plastics to learn best plastics management practices for a sustainable environment.
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Karakus, Burak Batuhan. "Strengthening plastic pollution governance in the Mediterranean: The Barcelona Convention's role." Proceedings of London International Conferences, no. 8 (December 7, 2023): abs2. http://dx.doi.org/10.31039/plic.2023.8.169.
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Plastic pollution constitutes a critical threat to the Mediterranean marine ecosystem, with immense volumes of plastic waste flowing into the shared sea from over 20 bordering states. This research analyzes plastic pollution governance in the Mediterranean region through the lens of the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean. It scrutinizes the policy gaps between the Barcelona Convention’s protocols and decisions concerning plastic waste, against on-the-ground implementation shortcomings enabling the continuity of plastic pollution. Absent monitoring capacities, limited enforcement of regulations, inadequate waste management infrastructure, and unchecked plastic production and use are examined as foremost implementation weaknesses. To bridge the governance gap, the paper delineates prospective policy, technological, financial and capacity-building interventions to curb plastic pollution based on the Barcelona Convention’s architecture. Proposed priority actions include consolidating monitoring programs, implementing Extended Producer Responsibility, integrating informal waste sectors, establishing a regional plastic waste fund, standardizing labeling, and banning select single-use plastics. This study aims to uncover governance solutions to advance regional anti-plastic pollution efforts. The research employs textual analysis of Barcelona Convention protocols and decisions, complemented by third-party data on plastic waste flows, management capacities, and policy evaluations for Mediterranean nations.
Strategically bridging the governance gap is critical for Barcelona Convention members to progress on commitments to mitigate plastic pollution and safeguard the Mediterranean Sea.
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Tudor, Valentina Constanta, Dorina Nicoleta Mocuta, Ruxandra Florina Teodorescu, and Dragos Ion Smedescu. "The Issue of Plastic and Microplastic Pollution in Soil." Materiale Plastice 56, no. 3 (September 30, 2019): 484–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.37358/mp.19.3.5214.
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Soil pollution with plastics represents a great threat to plants, animals, but especially to humans, as a very small quantity of the plastic which is discarded daily is recycled or incinerated in waste facilities, much of it reaching landfills where their decomposition lasts up to 1000 years and during this time the toxic substances penetrate the soil and the water. If, initially, the pollution with plastics has been identified and recognized in the aquatic environment, recent studies show that plastics residues exist in huge quantities in the soil. The present study focuses on the analysis of factors that pollute soil, so the various studies that have been carried out claim that soil pollution with plastic is much higher and increases in an aggressive manner, being estimated to be 4 to 23 times higher than water pollution with plastics, and the accumulation of microplastics in the soil has a negative impact on soil biota. Thus, once the plastic material accumulates in the soil, it is assimilated to organic matter and the mineral substitutes of the soil and persists for several hundred years.
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Tasseron, Paolo, Hestia Zinsmeister, Liselotte Rambonnet, Auke-Florian Hiemstra, Daniël Siepman, and Tim van Emmerik. "Plastic Hotspot Mapping in Urban Water Systems." Geosciences 10, no. 9 (August 29, 2020): 342. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10090342.
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Reducing plastic pollution in rivers, lakes, and oceans is beneficial to aquatic animals and human livelihood. To achieve this, reliable observations of the abundance, spatiotemporal variation, and composition of plastics in aquatic ecosystems are crucial. Current efforts mainly focus on collecting data on the open ocean, on beaches and coastlines, and in river systems. Urban areas are the main source of plastic leakage into the natural environment, yet data on plastic pollution in urban water systems are scarce. In this paper, we present a simple method for plastic hotspot mapping in urban water systems. Through visual observations, macroplastic abundance and polymer categories are determined. Due to its simplicity, this method is suitable for citizen science data collection. A first application in the Dutch cities of Leiden and Wageningen showed similar mean plastic densities (111–133 items/km canal) and composition (75–80% soft plastics), but different spatial distributions. These observations emphasize the importance of long-term data collection to further understand and quantify spatiotemporal variations of plastics in urban water systems. In turn, this will support improved estimates of the contribution of urban areas to the plastic pollution of rivers and oceans.
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Proshad, Ram, Tapos Kormoker, Md Saiful Islam, Mohammad Asadul Haque, Md Mahfuzur Rahman, and Md Mahabubur Rahman Mithu. "Toxic effects of plastic on human health and environment : A consequences of health risk assessment in Bangladesh." International Journal of Health 6, no. 1 (December 18, 2017): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.14419/ijh.v6i1.8655.
Full textAbstract:
Plastics are used widely everywhere in our life and without plastic, modern civilization would indeed look very diverse. This study focuses on the toxic effects of plastic on human health and environment and possible consequences of health risk assessment in Bangladesh. Plastics are essential materials in modern civilization, and many products manufactured from plastics and in numerous cases, they promote risks to human health and the environment. Plastics are contained many chemical and hazardous substances such as Bisphenol A (BPA), thalates, antiminitroxide, brominated flame retardants, and poly- fluorinated chemicals etc. which are a serious risk factor for human health and environment. Plastics are being used by Bangladeshi people without knowing the toxic effects of plastic on human health and environment. Different human health problems like irritation in the eye, vision failure, breathing difficulties, respiratory problems, liver dysfunction, cancers, skin diseases, lungs problems, headache, dizziness, birth effect, reproductive, cardiovascular, genotoxic, and gastrointestinal causes for using toxic plastics. Plastics occur serious environment pollution such as soil pollution, water pollution, and air pollution. Application of proper rules and regulations for the production and use of plastics can reduce toxic effects of plastics on human health and environment.
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Xu, Jia, Zixuan Wu, Yazhi Zhao, and Jingsan Yang. "Analysis of the Correlation and Regional Distribution of Plastic Waste Pollution." E3S Web of Conferences 241 (2021): 03004. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202124103004.
Full textAbstract:
Plastic has brought great convenience to people’s lives, but it has also brought severe environmental pollution to the world. It is almost impossible to break down entirely in nature, and plastic waste, whether in rivers, oceans, or on land, can persist in the environment for centuries. The problem of plastic waste disposal has caused worldwide concern. It is necessary to reduce the production of plastic products through global cooperation effectively. However, achieving this goal will also involve some unexpected issues, such as controlling the adverse economic impact of plastics, and the rationality and fairness of the distribution of responsibilities between different countries. This paper collects massive data and takes China as an example to study the impact of plastic output reduction on China’s Express industry and the plastics manufacturing industry using multivariate regression. This paper summarizes the positive and negative effects of plastic waste reduction. Given the distribution and management of national and regional plastic waste responsibilities, the global carbon emission rights distribution method is used for reference. The comprehensive index allocation method is used to deal with the problem of both fairness and efficiency relatively. What is more, based on the conclusions, this paper also provides suggestions for a global joint response to plastic waste.
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Borrelle, Stephanie B., Jeremy Ringma, Kara Lavender Law, Cole C. Monnahan, Laurent Lebreton, Alexis McGivern, Erin Murphy, et al. "Predicted growth in plastic waste exceeds efforts to mitigate plastic pollution." Science 369, no. 6510 (September 17, 2020): 1515–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aba3656.
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Plastic pollution is a planetary threat, affecting nearly every marine and freshwater ecosystem globally. In response, multilevel mitigation strategies are being adopted but with a lack of quantitative assessment of how such strategies reduce plastic emissions. We assessed the impact of three broad management strategies, plastic waste reduction, waste management, and environmental recovery, at different levels of effort to estimate plastic emissions to 2030 for 173 countries. We estimate that 19 to 23 million metric tons, or 11%, of plastic waste generated globally in 2016 entered aquatic ecosystems. Considering the ambitious commitments currently set by governments, annual emissions may reach up to 53 million metric tons per year by 2030. To reduce emissions to a level well below this prediction, extraordinary efforts to transform the global plastics economy are needed.
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Maraveas, Chrysanthos, Ioannis Vasileios Kyrtopoulos, and Konstantinos G. Arvanitis. "Evaluation of the Viability of 3D Printing in Recycling Polymers." Polymers 16, no. 8 (April 16, 2024): 1104. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/polym16081104.
Full textAbstract:
The increased use of plastics in industrial and agricultural applications has led to high levels of pollution worldwide and is a significant challenge. To address this plastic pollution, conventional methods such as landfills and incineration are used, leading to further challenges such as the generation of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, increasing interest has been directed to identifying alternative methods to dispose of plastic waste from agriculture. The novelty of the current research arose from the lack of critical reviews on how 3-Dimensional (3D) printing was adopted for recycling plastics, its application in the production of agricultural plastics, and its specific benefits, disadvantages, and limitations in recycling plastics. The review paper offers novel insights regarding the application of 3D printing methods including Fused Particle Fabrication (FPF), Hot Melt Extrusion (HME), and Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) to make filaments from plastics. However, the methods were adopted in local recycling setups where only small quantities of the raw materials were considered. Data was collected using a systematic review involving 39 studies. Findings showed that the application of the 3D printing methods led to the generation of agricultural plastics such as Polylactic Acid (PLA), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), which were found to have properties comparable to those of virgin plastic, suggesting the viability of 3D printing in managing plastic pollution. However, limitations were also associated with the 3D printing methods; 3D-printed plastics deteriorated rapidly under Ultraviolet (UV) light and are non-biodegradable, posing further risks of plastic pollution. However, UV stabilization helps reduce plastic deterioration, thus increasing longevity and reducing disposal. Future directions emphasize identifying methods to reduce the deterioration of 3D-printed agricultural plastics and increasing their longevity in addition to UV stability.
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Willis, Paul. "Post-Plastic." Consumer Electronics Test & Development 2023, no. 1 (March 2, 2023): 32–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.12968/cetd.2023.2023.1.32.
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With plastic pollution causing untold damage to the environment, CET&D looks at how testing and certification can help consumer electronics companies in their shift to degradable and recycled plastics.