Sustainable Solutions for the Microplastic Pollution: Challenges and Innovations

Dear Colleagues,

Microplastic pollution has emerged as a critical environmental challenge, impacting oceans, freshwater systems, soils, and even the atmosphere. This pollution persists for a variety of reasons, but one key contributor could be related to the origin of microplastics, i.e. from the breakdown of larger plastic items or the direct release of products like synthetic textiles, personal care items, and industrial processes. Thus, there are numerous transport mechanisms and pathways for microplastics within the anthropogenic system resulting in countless opportunities for leakage into the ecological system. This is problematic as the scientific community has continued to demonstrate that microplastics in the environment pose significant threats to ecosystems and human health, raising urgent concerns for sustainable solutions.

Once microplastics reach the environment, it is futile to try to remove them; therefore, preventative measures are one requirement in addressing the issue of microplastic pollution. Traditional waste management systems and water treatment facilities are still not equipped to filter out microplastics effectively, allowing these particles to enter waterways and either deposit in sediment or make their way through food webs. Additionally, microplastics degrade further in natural environments, fragmenting into even smaller particles reaching the nanoscale. While bio-inspired filtration systems and advanced membrane technologies are being explored to capture microplastics from water bodies effectively, this kind of option is yet to be applied in “real-world” scenarios.

Another possible solution to microplastic pollution is to reduce the lifetime of plastic waste in the environment; therefore, biodegradable plastics are an area of investigation. However, these materials must fully break down in natural conditions without leaving micro-residues, if they are to be considered a viable solution. Current biodegradable options often degrade only in controlled composting settings, which is not applicable for plastic litter.

Some additional solutions that researchers have explored include green chemistry, closed-loop recycling systems, and circular economy models to ensure plastics are reused efficiently, reducing the need for virgin materials and minimizing waste. There are countless emerging innovative strategies aiming to tackle the challenge of microplastic pollution.

This Special Issue aims to explore a different interpretation of “innovation”, specifically, an innovative way of thinking. The solution to microplastic pollution may very well lie in using a systematic approach to merge existing methods and technologies to resolve this persistent issue. There is rarely ever just one solution to complex problems and this editor argues that the way forward demands a collaborative, interdisciplinary, cross-sector approach. Governments, industries, researchers in different fields, and communities must work together to implement policies and practical solutions that encourage sustainable production, responsible consumption, and effective waste management practices. Public awareness and behavior change, particularly around single-use plastics and synthetic textiles, are also essential components of reducing microplastic generation at the source.

Therefore, articles that both focus on and demonstrate interdisciplinary methods will be prioritized in this Special Issue. Authors are encouraged to elaborate on systematic solutions related to waste management, recycling or reuse strategies, conventional plastic alternatives, societal nudging or policy, and even all or several of these topics together. This Special Issue aims to contribute practical, solution-oriented research to the existing literature.

I am very much looking forward to your contributions.

Dr. Valentina Helen Pauna
Guest Editor

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• microplastics
• systems-thinking
• policy
• biodegradable plastic
• recycling
• reuse
• waste management
• circular economy
• life cycle assessment
• environmental impact assessment