Plastic waste management strategies: planning through sustainable lens and way forward towards circular economy
M. Nikhil Raj, Arpita Ghosh, Tanmay Ilame, Sunil Kumar
Abstract
Plastics are a significant class of materials (made from crude oil and fossil fuels) used widely in the different facets of life. To reduce plastic waste pollution, it can be transformed into a variety of useful products. The waste entrepreneurs have used the plastic waste for various purposes to ensure its circular material management and circular Economy practices, such as constructing roads, manufacturing fuel, and turning waste into bio-oil. The economic value chain for circular materials management that reduces the pollution caused by plastic waste must be developed. This will help achieve UN SDG 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption) and establish a circular economy by 2030. The article is a comprehensive review that explores current practices for managing plastic waste, biological decomposition of plastic waste, and emerging technological developments that could help manage plastic waste in urban environments. It also examines the concept of bioplastics, which are synthesized from cellulose and have their origins in plants. Further, plastic waste management using cutting-edge technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain is on the rise. The current work provides in-depth discussions on several approaches that could be used to minimize and solve problems created by plastic waste globally.