Search Results (125)

Single-use plastic pollution is a critical global challenge, prompting nations to enact trade-restrictive environmental policies. This study evaluated the impact of Ecuador’s single-use plastic regulation on the imports of regulated plastic products. Analyzing five tariff headings from 2014 to 2025, we integrated official customs records with Interrupted Time Series (ITS) models to estimate regulatory effects. The results revealed sharply divergent trajectories across product categories: imports of plastic waste (HS 3915) declined from US dollars (USD) 4193 in 2020 to zero by 2024, while the remaining four regulated headings, plastic bags, packaging, tableware, and household articles, expanded continuously, with import volumes increasing between 48% and 74% in the post-regulatory period. ITS models confirmed statistically significant trend changes in headings 3915.00, 3923.29, and partially 3924.10, whereas headings 3923.21 and 3924.90 showed no statistically detectable response. Regulatory effects manifested primarily through gradual trend modifications rather than abrupt post-enactment contractions, and supplier structure analysis documented a systematic reorganization of international sourcing patterns, indicating that the trade response extended well beyond simple import reduction. Full article

Macroplastic pollution in rivers is an increasing environmental concern because rivers function simultaneously as active transport pathways and temporary storage compartments for land-based plastic waste. This study investigated the spatial distribution, composition, and size characteristics of riverbank and floating macroplastic debris in the Can Tho River, a tidal tributary of the Hau River in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, to improve understanding of macroplastic transport, selective retention, and environmental partitioning between active transport and temporary storage compartments. Riverbank debris was surveyed at twelve sites spanning urban, peri-urban, and rural sections, while floating debris was quantified using a net-based sampling system. Riverbank accumulations exhibited pronounced local spatial heterogeneity, although litter density and mass density did not differ significantly among river sections. Plastics dominated both environmental compartments, accounting for 53–60% of accumulated debris and more than 95% of floating debris by abundance. Riverbank accumulations were dominated by plastic bags, food packaging, and beverage containers, whereas floating debris was dominated by expanded polystyrene foam products. Significant differences were also observed in material composition, plastic-product composition, and size distribution. Riverbank accumulations contained proportionally larger macroplastics (100–500 mm), whereas floating debris was dominated by smaller macroplastics (50–200 mm), supporting the role of size-dependent transport and selective retention in environmental partitioning. These findings show that floating debris and riverbank accumulations represent complementary components of the riverine plastic continuum, linking active transport and temporary storage through selective environmental partitioning. Integrating floating and riverbank monitoring provides a more comprehensive framework for understanding macroplastic transport and environmental fate while informing management strategies to reduce downstream plastic transport to the Hau River and ultimately estuarine and coastal ecosystems. Full article

The Amazonian açaí waste is promising for producing charcoal through pyrolysis and bioenergy through combustion, but the property losses from its poor disposal in the environment remain unknown. Therefore, this work aimed to analyze how different storage conditions of the açaí waste over time, which mimic the reality throughout the Amazon, modify its bioenergetic properties. The samples were stored in a covered greenhouse for nine months in the following conditions: immersed in water, on the soil, and in open plastic bags. The biomass was analyzed by Fourier-transformed near-infrared spectroscopy, physical properties, stereomicroscopy, proximate composition, and thermogravimetry. The degraded waste showed endocarp attack and fungi proliferation. The chemical groups of primary cell wall components were concentrated, unlike water-soluble materials, raising the fixed carbon from 22% to 25% after 30 days. Consequently, higher heating values were kept (≈19 MJ/kg). However, water immersion storage sharply decreased the waste basic density from 0.81 g/cm³ to 0.56 g/cm³, dropping the energy density from 12 GJ/m³ to 8 GJ/m³. Moreover, storage raised ash content from 1.1% up to 1.9%. The storage hindered the start of the main phases of combustion and pyrolysis, which were later intensified, especially for soil-stored waste. Therefore, more stable combustion and pyrolysis require fresh waste. Besides natural drying, plastic bag storage over time kept the waste quality closer to that of the fresh waste. Full article

Pollution from solid waste results mainly from improper disposal and inadequate waste management, causing environmental degradation and risks to human health. This study characterized solid waste pollution along the left bank of the Amazon River within the urban segment of Itacoatiara, Brazil. Eleven sampling points were established across upstream, midstream and downstream sections. Solid waste was present at densities ranging from 0 to 0.65 items·m⁻², with a mean density of 0.15 ± 0.14 items·m⁻². Higher concentrations were observed in the midstream sections of the left bank (0.21 ± 0.16 items·m⁻²), and statistical analyses showed significant differences among sections. Plastics predominated among all materials (0.50 ± 0.60 items·m⁻²), and statistical analyses showed significant differences among the types of solid waste, with fragments mainly originating from bags, bottles, and fibers. Plastics were recorded in most sampling sections, with particularly high abundance in the midstream sections of the river (0.98 ± 0.80 items·m⁻²) and statistical analyses showed significant differences among sections and across material types. According to the general index and the clean coast index, sampling areas ranged from “clean” to “extremely dirty”, with midstream sections most impacted. The plastic abundance index indicated high plastic contamination, and hazardous waste was more frequent in the upstream and midstream sections. The environmental status index classified all sections as both “good” and “bad”, indicating compromised environmental quality and ecological integrity. These results show human pressure on the Amazon River banks and degraded environmental quality, supporting waste management policies, mitigation, monitoring, and environmental education to protect ecosystems and reduce risks to riverside communities. Full article

Plastic packaging represents a critical focus in the European Union’s transition to a circular economy owing to its resource-intensive production and substantial greenhouse gas emissions. This article examines Poland’s implementation of plastic packaging regulations within the evolving European Union regulatory framework, alongside complementary policy instruments. It employs legal-normative analysis of European Union and Polish legislation, documentary review of national strategic frameworks, and statistical assessment of packaging generation and recycling performance. Poland has introduced substantial legislative measures, including carrier-bag fees, charges on single-use plastic products, recycled-content mandates for polyethylene terephthalate bottles, and a deposit-return system launched in October 2025. Moreover, national voluntary agreements created by non-governmental organisations and industry stakeholders to improve collection and sorting have been active on the Polish market. Nevertheless, performance indicators reveal significant gaps between regulatory ambitions and operational outcomes. To diagnose these implementation gaps and prioritise the most critical interventions, the article applies a governance-oriented MoSCoW analysis. The article concludes that while the deposit-return system constitutes an essential intervention, achieving European Union circular economy objectives requires comprehensive policy integration encompassing upstream prevention, eco-design standards, extended producer responsibility mechanisms, and coherent strategic planning. An effective regulatory system, sound management practices, and improved information sharing among stakeholders are crucial for promoting eco-innovation and advancing circularity, reuse, and waste reduction. Full article

Polyester fibers are extensively used in textiles, packaging, and industrial applications due to their durability and excellent mechanical properties. However, high-crystallinity polyester fibers represent a major challenge in plastic waste management due to their resistance to biodegradation. This study evaluated the biodegradation potential of environmental Bacillus isolates, obtained from mold-contaminated black bean plastic bags, toward polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and industrial-grade polyester fibers under mesophilic conditions. Among thirteen isolates, five (Bacillus altitudinis N5, Bacillus subtilis N6, and others) exhibited measurable degradation within 30 days, with mass losses up to 5–6% and corresponding rate constants of 0.04–0.05 day⁻¹. A combination of complementary characterization techniques, including mass loss analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), together with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric/differential scanning calorimetry (TGA/DSC), and water contact angle (WCA) analysis, was employed to evaluate the biodegradation behavior of polyester fibers. Cross-analysis of mass loss, surface morphology, molecular weight reduction, and degradation products suggests a surface erosion-dominated degradation process, accompanied by ester-bond hydrolysis and preferential degradation of amorphous regions. FTIR, TGA/DSC, and WCA analyses further reflected chemical, thermal, and surface property changes induced by biodegradation rather than directly defining the degradation mechanism. The findings highlight the capacity of mesophilic Bacillus species to partially depolymerize polyester fibers under mild environmental conditions, providing strain resources and mechanistic insight for developing low-energy bioprocesses for polyester fiber waste management. Full article

The Citarum River Basin (DAS Citarum) in Indonesia faces significant challenges in waste management, necessitating a circular economy-based approach to reduce land-based pollution, which is critical for achieving the sustainability goals of the blue economy in the basin. This study addresses the complexity and inherent uncertainty in decision-making processes related to this challenge by developing a novel hybrid model, namely the Weighted Fuzzy N-Soft Set combined with the COmbinative Distance-based Assessment (CODAS) method. The model synergistically integrates the weighted 10R strategies in the circular economy, obtained via the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), the capability of Fuzzy N-Soft Sets to represent uncertainty granularly, and the robust ranking mechanism of CODAS. Applied to a case study covering 16 types of waste in the Citarum River Basin, the model effectively processes expert assessments that are ambiguous regarding the 10R criteria. The results indicate that single-use plastics, particularly plastic bags (HDPE), styrofoam, transparent plastic sheets (PP), and plastic cups (PP), are the top priorities for intervention, in line with the high AHP weights for upstream strategies such as Refuse (0.2664) and Rethink (0.2361). Comparative analysis with alternative models, namely Fuzzy N-Soft Set-CODAS, Weighted Fuzzy N-Soft Set with row-column sum ranking, and Weighted Fuzzy N-Soft Set-TOPSIS, confirms the superiority of the proposed hybrid model in producing ecologically rational priorities, free from purely economic value biases. Further sensitivity analysis shows that the model remains highly robust across various weighting scenarios. This study concludes that the WFN-SS-CODAS framework provides a rigorous, data-driven, and reliable decision support tool for translating circular economy principles into actionable waste management priorities, directly supporting the restoration and sustainability goals of the blue economy in river basins. The findings suggest that targeting the high-priority waste types identified by the model addresses the dominant fraction of riverine pollution, indicating the potential for significant waste volume reduction. This research was conducted to directly contribute to achieving multiple targets under SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 14 (Life Below Water). Full article

Landfill contaminants pose significant risks to environmental and human health, particularly in rural Alaska. These communities are predominantly Alaska Native and face unique challenges in solid waste management due to geography, climate, and limited infrastructure. This scoping review assessed published research on the impacts of landfill contaminants in the Arctic (Aim 1) and Alaska specifically (Aim 2). Seventy-one studies met the inclusion criteria, all of which were used to develop a conceptual model of contaminant transport pathways. Thirty-nine studies included Alaska-specific research: thirty-three focused on environmental impacts, and six addressed human health (e.g., birth outcomes, cancer). Key topics included waste burning, heat generation, carbon release, leachate characterization, and water or sediment contamination. Evidence specific to Alaska suggested landfill leachate may contaminate surface water and groundwater, and that microbes can migrate beyond the landfill site boundaries in communities using honeybuckets (plastic bag-lined buckets that collect human waste). Landfill contaminants also impacted wildlife through consumption of garbage, which may have human health implications for subsistence-based communities. Major research gaps remain in understanding individual-level exposures, the effects of emerging contaminants, and the mechanisms of contaminant transport pathways. Further research designed for causal inference is needed to support improvements to public and environmental health. Full article

C footprint is a feature used to search the integral life cycle of a product to predict its environmental impact. The packaging industry is changing rapidly to the production of biodegradable products to mitigate the negative environmental consequences of the use of single-use packages. It is thought that biodegradable packages should be more sustainable than traditional plastics due to the sources of the raw materials used to produce them, but this is not always true and depends on the issues considered, the methodology, and the scale analyzed. Limited research includes case studies from developing countries where waste management is less efficient and where the environmental impacts of single-use packaging can be more significant. This paper evaluates the C footprint of bags and dishes made from traditional or local biodegradable sources in an Amazonian settlement of Colombia, such as thermoplastic cassava starch and powdered plantain leaves, to evaluate the impact of locally made biodegradable packaging vs. imported petrochemical ones. Results show that using local raw materials and in situ production reduces the C footprint of biodegradable packages, considering that the energy source for production and transport are important contributors to the C footprint beyond the raw materials used, with ratios that can be between 0.1 and 7 times more kg CO₂ eq generated per functional unit. Full article

This research examined the mechanical, physical, thermal, and durability properties of plastic-based composites made from MSW, namely ultra-high-temperature (UHT) cartons, plastic bags, aluminum foil, and foil bags under both unweathered and accelerated weathering conditions to evaluate their potential as paving slab materials. Composite samples with varying mixing ratios were fabricated and tested based on an experimental design. Statistical analyses using one-way ANOVA confirmed the significant effects of composition on material performance (p < 0.05). The results demonstrated that the mixing ratio markedly influenced mechanical properties. The composite containing 50 wt% UHT carton and 50 wt% foil bags (U50F50) achieved the highest modulus of rupture (121.20 MPa) and modulus of elasticity (2.98 GPa), as well as compressive strength (28.56 MPa), compressive modulus (2.12 GPa), screw withdrawal resistance (54.25 MPa), and hardness (66.25). Under accelerated weathering, all of the composites showed moderate reductions in strength (10 to 30%) due to plastic degradation and surface cracking. In contrast, the composites containing high paperboard fractions (U80P15A5) exhibited greater WA (3.55%) and TS (3.04%), attributed to the hydrophilic nature of cellulose. The inclusion of foil bags effectively reduced WA and TS by limiting moisture penetration. Density measurements demonstrated a gradual increase (0.99 to 1.05 g/cm³) with higher foil content, while accelerated weathering induced an average 10% density reduction. Abrasion resistance improved in foil-rich composites, with U50F50 showing the lowest weight loss (8.56 to 14.02%), confirming its superior structural integrity under mechanical wear. Thermal analysis indicated low conductivity values (0.136 to 0.189 W/m·K), demonstrating favorable insulation performance compared to conventional paving materials. However, higher foil bag fractions enhanced heat conduction, balancing mechanical strength with thermal functionality. Overall, MSW-derived composites containing 30 to 50 wt% foil bags exhibited optimal mechanical durability, abrasion resistance, and thermal stability, making them promising candidates for sustainable paving slab production with low environmental impact and enhanced service life. Full article

The overconsumption of plastic packaging has alarming repercussions on the environment, notably through waste accumulation in public spaces and clogged drains. This study identifies factors driving plastic proliferation, analyzes their impacts, and proposes strategies for sustainable waste management. A cross-sectional design combined document review, field observations, and interviews with 156 households and 24 informants. Descriptive statistics characterized consumption patterns and service access. Impacts were assessed through litter hotspots, blocked drains, flood-prone points, and reported health risks. Households used five to six plastic bags daily, while collection coverage remained below 50%, sustaining persistent leakage. Findings reveal excessive reliance on plastics, shaped by technical, social, and institutional gaps, including weak segregation and limited pre-collection. Agoè-Nyivé 4, a fast-growing peri-urban commune within Greater Lomé, faces limited services but high consumption, making it a relevant case for rapidly growing municipalities. Yet the population often adopts counterproductive practices, hampering responsible waste management. A policy mix is outlined: expanding pre-collection and door-to-door services, integrating informal collectors, and targeted community sensitization. Without urgent interventions, plastic leakage will intensify environmental degradation, flooding, and health risks. The study recommends integrated policy measures to curb single-use dependence and foster a local circular economy. Full article

The environmental impact of companion animals has received little scientific attention compared to that of livestock, even though the global dog population is rapidly increasing, particularly in urban areas. This review addresses the overlooked contribution of dogs to environmental emissions, focusing on feces, urine, packaging waste, and other care-related by-products. The current knowledge from livestock research provides useful analogies for understanding nutrient excretion and gaseous emissions from dog feces, and data on nitrogen and phosphorus inputs highlight their potential to pollute soil and water. We also examine the role of plastic waste from food packaging, waste bags, and accessories, which can degrade into microplastics, and discuss recent developments in biodegradable materials. Evidence shows that owner choices—such as diet composition, protein sources, and product selection—directly affect the environmental pawprint of dogs. Mitigation strategies include optimizing diets to reduce nutrient excretion, applying feed additives developed for livestock, and improving waste management through composting or the use of emission-reducing amendments. In conclusion, dogs should no longer be viewed merely as individual household companions but as a population with a measurable environmental pawprint. Including dogs in emission reporting systems would provide a more accurate basis for mitigation policies and sustainable urban planning. Full article

Bioplastics are plastics derived from natural resources like corn starch, biomass, sugarcane bagasse, and food waste. Unlike fossil-fuel-based plastics, they are entirely or partially bio-degradable. Cellulose- and starch-based bioplastics are already used for applications like packaging, cutlery, bowls, straws, and shopping bags. With the aim of developing eco-friendly biofilms for various applications, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were obtained by sulfuric acid hydrolysis of waste cellulose and functionalized by transesterification with exhausted oils. The resulting transesterified nanocellulose (TCNC) was used as a reinforced material of PLA at different concentrations to develop biofilms using the solvent casting method. The biofilms composed of PLA and TCNC were assessed through Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), mechanical properties, moisture barrier property (water vapor permeability rate—WVTR), and measurements of the water contact angle (WCA). A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis confirmed the high compatibility of the PLA blended with TCNC at 1% and 3%. The inclusion of transesterified cellulose nanocrystals (TCNCs) to PLA increased the hydrophobicity, the film tensile strength, and the water vapor barrier properties of the final composite films. Full article

Thailand generated 27.2 million tons of municipal solid waste in 2024, of which 12% was plastic waste, predominantly single-use plastics. The mismanagement of plastic waste can lead to significant long-term environmental issues, including the release of toxic chemicals through open burning and air pollution, posing risks to human health. Effective and efficient plastic waste collection and recycling are therefore essential to address the reduction and management of plastic waste, as well as to support a low-carbon energy transition. This study assessed three community-driven initiatives by conducting a comparative sustainability assessment of plastic bag recycling under real-life conditions in Thailand using a multi-criteria decision-making framework. The results of the assessment in three municipalities showed that the actual collection rates in all initiatives remained extremely low (0.0014–0.1555%). The highest rankings were observed with recycling initiatives driven by superior collection rates and favorable economic returns. The hindrances to promoting sustainability are found to be due to policy inconsistency, ineffective leadership, and behavioral barriers. The practical collection rates should increase to at least 25% to be more sustainable in terms of economic, social, and environmental aspects compared to those without the recycling initiative. These findings, thus, provide specific targets for improving plastic waste separation and management strategies in all regions facing similar challenges. Full article

The basis for the assessment of the quality of selective waste collection, as well as the direction of modernization of municipal waste sorting technology, should be morphological composition studies. According to research, the gold standard for the assessment of the quality of selective waste collection, as well as the direction of modernization of municipal waste sorting technology, is morphological composition studies. Selective collection of municipal waste is an indispensable element of the waste management system, particularly important in terms of the increasing recycling levels obtained. The recycling of problematic and polluting plastics is one of the main challenges of the European circular economy. By problematic plastics, we mean those that are not suitable for recycling, or their recycling is difficult and expensive for technological reasons, resulting in problems with their management on the market. In 2022, the level of plastic recycling in Europe reached 26.9%. This article presents the results of studies on the morphological composition of selectively collected plastics and metals carried out in the summer and autumn of 2023 for a large city in Poland in the Silesian agglomeration. As a result, the quality of selectively collected waste, the share of pollutants in it, depending on the type of development, and the real possibilities of its recovery were determined. As part of the results obtained, a simulation was also carried out on how the deposit system planned from the first of October 2025 in Poland will affect the morphological composition of plastics and metals currently collected in the yellow container/bag. Full article