Integrated and consolidated review of plastic waste management and bio-based biodegradable plastics: challenges and opportunities

Abstract:

Cumulative plastic production worldwide skyrocketed from about 2 million tonnes in 1950 to 8.3 billion tonnes in 2015, with 6.3 billion tonnes (76%) ending up as waste. Of that waste, 79% is either in landfills or the environment. The purpose of the review is to establish the current global status quo in the plastics industry and assess the sustainability of some bio-based biodegradable plastics. This integrative and consolidated review thus builds on previous studies that have focused either on one or a few of the aspects considered in this paper. Three broad items to strongly consider are: Biodegradable plastics and other alternatives are not always environmentally superior to fossil-based plastics; less investment has been made in plastic waste management than in plastics production; and there is no single solution to plastic waste management. Some strategies to push for include: increasing recycling rates, reclaiming plastic waste from the environment, and bans or using alternatives, which can lessen the negative impacts of fossil-based plastics. However, each one has its own challenges, and country-specific scientific evidence is necessary to justify any suggested solutions. In conclusion, governments from all countries and stakeholders should work to strengthen waste management infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries while extended producer responsibility (EPR) and deposit refund schemes (DPRs) are important add-ons to consider in plastic waste management, as they have been found to be effective in Australia, France, Germany, and Ecuador.

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APA

S., M (2024). Integrated and consolidated review of plastic waste management and bio-based biodegradable plastics: challenges and opportunities. Afribary. Retrieved from https://track.afribary.com/works/integrated-and-consolidated-review-of-plastic-waste-management-and-bio-based-biodegradable-plastics-challenges-and-opportunities

MLA 8th

S., Mazhandu "Integrated and consolidated review of plastic waste management and bio-based biodegradable plastics: challenges and opportunities" Afribary. Afribary, 12 Apr. 2024, https://track.afribary.com/works/integrated-and-consolidated-review-of-plastic-waste-management-and-bio-based-biodegradable-plastics-challenges-and-opportunities. Accessed 03 Apr. 2025.

MLA7

S., Mazhandu . "Integrated and consolidated review of plastic waste management and bio-based biodegradable plastics: challenges and opportunities". Afribary, Afribary, 12 Apr. 2024. Web. 03 Apr. 2025. < https://track.afribary.com/works/integrated-and-consolidated-review-of-plastic-waste-management-and-bio-based-biodegradable-plastics-challenges-and-opportunities >.

Chicago

S., Mazhandu . "Integrated and consolidated review of plastic waste management and bio-based biodegradable plastics: challenges and opportunities" Afribary (2024). Accessed April 03, 2025. https://track.afribary.com/works/integrated-and-consolidated-review-of-plastic-waste-management-and-bio-based-biodegradable-plastics-challenges-and-opportunities

Integrated and consolidated review of plastic waste management and bio-based biodegradable plastics: challenges and opportunities

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