A review of plastic waste management for a sustainable environment: Composition and approaches

Abstract

Globally, the production, consumption, and environmental impact of plastics are all growing rapidly. We utilize plastics more often in our daily lives these days. They work, for instance, in the packaging of different food and beverage companies, cosmetics companies, pharmaceutical companies, and other industries that need to package their finished goods for public distribution in a safe and efficient manner. Plastic garbage can have a lot of detrimental consequences on the environment such as pollution, endangering wildlife, and releasing toxic chemicals if it is not properly treated and controlled. This review looks at the different techniques to manage plastic waste (PW) sustainably, the types and content of plastics, the life cycle of PW, the impact of PW on the environment, and future perspectives on plastic trash. The evaluated conclusion addressed the problems caused by inadequate processing of PW as well as potential solutions that could be provided to ensure a sustainable environment and reduce the causes of climate change, in line with the sustainable development goals. Significant environmental degradation has been seen as a result of the physical and chemical properties of plastic trash, its non-biodegradable nature, overuse, and negligence. Moreover, plastic so enters the food chain and poses a major threat to aquatic and human health.