Preface xvii
Acknowledgements xix

Part I: Foundational Insights: Decoding Plastic Waste and Unraveling Its Far-Reaching Impacts 1

1 Sources, Types, and Environmental Persistence of Plastic Waste 3
Nagraj, Pankaj Kumar Chaurasia and Shashi Lata Bharati

1.1 Introduction 4
1.2 Impacts, Sources, Types and Persistence of Plastics 4
1.3 Conclusion and Future Prospects 14

2 Plastic Contamination in Marine and Soil Ecosystems: Innovative Strategies for Clean-Up and Mitigating Impact 19
Pooja Talukdar, Bornali Bora and Sachin Rameshrao Geed

2.1 Introduction 20
2.2 Sources and Pathways of Plastic Pollution 21
2.3 Environmental and Ecological Impacts 31
2.4 Clean-Up Approach 34
2.5 Mitigation and Prevention Approaches 44
2.6 Future Perspectives and Challenges 47
2.7 Conclusion 48

3 Impact of Plastic Remediation on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health 55
Kartik Adake, Shreyas Joshi, Kedar Ahire and Samir Terdalkar

3.1 Introduction 56
3.2 Sources and Types of Plastic Pollution 57
3.3 Impact of Plastic Pollution on Biodiversity 60
3.4 Plastic Remediation Strategies 62
3.5 Ecological and Evolutionary Responses to Plastic Remediation 67
3.6 Challenges and Future Perspectives 68
3.7 Conclusion 69

Part II: Pioneering Innovations: Cutting-Edge Scientific and Technological Frontiers in Plastic Remediation 79

4 Nanotechnological Advances in Plastic Remediation: Cutting Edge Solutions 81
Deepika Geedkar, Ashok Kumar, Rashmi Sharma and Pratibha Sharma

4.1 Introduction 82
4.2 Overview of Plastic Pollution and Its Challenges 84
4.3 What are BNMs? 87
4.4 Synthesis of BNMs 90
4.5 Case Studies of BNM Synthesis 93
4.6 Mechanisms of Action 94
4.7 Role of Nanoenzymes 97
4.8 Applications in Plastic Remediation 98
4.9 Industrial Applications 101
4.10 Case Studies 103
4.11 Challenges and Limitations 105
4.12 Future Perspectives 109
4.13 Conclusion 113

5 Biological Approaches for the Degradation of Plastics: Current Developments and Future Prospects 123
Nagraj, Pankaj Kumar Chaurasia, Shashi Lata Bharati, Rima Kumari, Apoorv Saraswat, Naveen Kumar and Rahul D. Kamble

5.1 Introduction 124
5.2 Methods of Plastic Degradation 127
5.3 The Role of Microorganisms in Plastic Biodegradation 128
5.4 Factors Influencing the Biodegradation of Plastic 134
5.5 Future Prospects 134
5.6 Conclusion 135

6 Green Remediation of Plastic Pollution through Bio-Nanomaterials 147
Prabhat Kumar Patel

6.1 Introduction 147
6.2 Biobased NMs 150
6.3 Micro/Nanoplastics' Detrimental Effects on the Environment 151
6.4 Source of BNMs 155
6.5 Applications of Bio-Nanomaterials for MNP Removal 157
6.6 Improved Recycled Plastic Using NMs 159
6.7 Deployment in Farming 160
6.8 Security, Safety Considerations, and Difficulties with BNMs 161
6.9 Conclusion 163

7 Metallic Oxides as a Catalytic Tool to Depolymerize the Plastic Wastes 171
Anindra Sharma and Abhay Nanda Srivastva

7.1 Introduction 172
7.2 Polyolefins (Polyethylene and Polypropylene) 173
7.3 Polystyrene (PS) 177
7.4 Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) 178
7.5 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) 181
7.6 Conclusion and Future Perspectives 182

8 Advanced Catalytic Methods for Plastic Depolymerization with Metallic Moieties 187
Abhay Nanda Srivastva, Kriti Milan, Nisha Saxena, Anindra Sharma and Maneesh Kumar Gupta

8.1 Introduction 188
8.2 Metal-Based Catalytic Depolymerization 189
8.3 Conclusions and Future Prospects 203

9 Converting Plastic Waste to Energy through Pyrolysis and Gasification 211
Reetu Raj, Neeraj Kumbhakarna and Jeewan Vachan Tirkey

9.1 Introduction 212
9.2 Thermochemical Processing of Plastic Waste 215
9.3 Results and Discussions 220
9.4 Challenges and Opportunities 230
9.5 Case Studies and Industrial Applications 233xii Contents
9.6 Conclusion 235

10 Bioplastics as an Alternative: Sustainability and Environmental Impacts 245
Retno Aliyatul Fikroh and Asih Widi Wisudawati

10.1 Introduction 246
10.2 BPS 248
10.3 Novel Research on Starch-Based BPS 257
10.4 Experimental Section 259
10.5 Conclusion 267

Part III: Charting Future Pathways: Policy Innovations, Community Empowerment, and the Circular Economy 275

11 Grassroots to Global: Community-Led Interventions for Environmental Resilience 277
Amrit Krishna Mitra, Rama Saha, Vijendra Singh Solanki and Neha Agarwal

11.1 Introduction 278
11.2 Outcomes of Plastic Waste 279
11.3 Plastics and MPS: Impact on the Marine Environment 283
11.4 Impacts of MPs on Human Health 285
11.5 Impacts of Micro- and NPs on Ecosystem Services and Climate Change 286
11.6 Plastic Pollution Effects on Rural Communities 287
11.7 The Global Challenges of Plastic Waste 289
11.8 Sustainable Plastic Waste Management Solutions 290
11.9 Plastic Degradation by Bacteria 300
11.10 Robotic Technologies for Plastic Waste Mitigation 301
11.11 Natural and Sustainable Substitutes for Plastic Products 302
11.12 Future of Bioplastics 303
11.13 Presenting Incentives 303
11.14 Knowledge Gaps and Future Scope 305
11.15 Conclusion 306

12 Regulatory Approaches to Plastic Mitigation: Policies for Production, Use, and Remediation 317
Amrit Krishna Mitra and Rama Saha

12.1 Introduction 318
12.2 Origin of Plastic Waste 319
12.3 Impacts of Plastic Waste 321
12.4 Improving the Disposal of Waste 323
12.5 Principle of Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging Waste 325
12.6 Bans and Policies Addressing MPs and Single-Use Plastics 330
12.7 Action Plans and Regulatory Agreements to Reduce Plastic Inputs from Land- or Sea-Based Sources 336
12.8 Policies Tackling MP Contamination 338
12.9 Upstream Responses to Prevent MP Pollution 341
12.10 Downstream Strategies to Mitigate MP Pollution 345
12.11 Future Directions for Plastic Mitigation 348
12.12 Conclusion 349

13 Plastic Waste Management: Roadmap for Circular Economy 359
Subrata Jana, Dinkar Verma, Vikrant Sharma, Mangilal Choudhary, Satya Prakash Pati and Michael Annor-Nyarko

13.1 Introduction 360
13.2 Challenges in Plastic Waste Management 368
13.3 Road-Map for Transitioning to a Circular Economy 370
13.4 Important Strategies for Plastic Waste Management in a Circular Economy 373
13.5 Technological Innovations and Advancement in Plastic Waste Management 376
13.6 Policy and Governance for Circular Plastic Economy 379
13.7 Role of Stakeholders in Driving Circularity 380
13.8 Barriers to Implementation: Transitioning to a Circular Economy-Based Plastic Waste 381
13.9 Case Studies, Best Practices, and Comparative Analysis 382
13.10 Future Directions for Plastic Waste Management 386
13.11 Conclusion and Recommendations 387

References 388
Index 395