This study demonstrates how plastic waste and marine plastic pollution pose unique challenges to coastal communities, impacting a variety of human well-being attributes through both direct and indirect pathways, including physical and mental health, food and economic security, cultural practice, and environmental quality. Under this study, the results from semi-structured surveys and focus group interviews implemented in two coastal communities in Ghana, demonstrate the multitude of ways that local people are impacted by plastic waste. employs a framework to assess the well-being of plastic waste via a grounded approach where well-being is defined by respondents based on their lived experience. Across these communities, respondents also illustrated how plastic waste influenced their well-being, including their livelihoods, environmental quality, cultural practices, and physical and mental health. The study also highlights how marine plastic pollution influences an individual’s sense of agency, resilience, and vulnerability in both positive and negative ways. These findings also emphasise the importance of involving local voices throughout the design and implementation processes of plastics policies to ensure effective and equitable policy outcomes.
This paper characterizes the fungal and bacterial colonizers of 5 types of plastic films (High-Density Polyethylene, Low-Density Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polystyrene, and Polyethylene Terephthalate) throughout a 242-day incubation in the south-eastern Mediterranean and relates them to the chemical changes observed on the surface of the samples via ATR-FTIR. Neither bacterial nor fungal community structures were related[…]
This paper provides insights into the sustainable alternatives that can replace conventional plastic mulches, such as biodegradable mulches made from natural fibers and biopolymers. The microscopic and FTIR analyses conducted during the study showed the degradation of the fibers from the mulches during the exposure time to a certain extent. The nonwoven mulches provide higher[…]
This paper investigates the degradation of biodegradable polybutylene adipate terephthalate/polylactic acid (PBAT/PLA) and traditional polyethylene (PE) plastic under two typical abiotic conditions: ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and mechanical abrasion (MA) for up to nine months. The quantitative analysis of the degradation products was carried out using membrane filtration and total organic carbon determination (MF-TOCD). The results[…]
This paper identifies technological innovation, policy formulation, advocacy and sensitization, and bioremediation as some of the approaches that are currently used for the mitigation of plastic pollution in Nigeria. This chapter also highlights the need to encourage, enhance, and disseminate scientific research on mitigating the harmful effects of plastic pollution in Nigeria. It concluded with[…]
This review provides insights into the sources of microplastics, the ecotoxicity of microplastics, and the impact microplastics have on aquatic and marine life, management, and bioremediation of microplastics. Policies and strategies adopted by the government to combat microplastic pollution are also discussed in this review. Microplastics tend to accumulate in many aquatic systems, contaminate them,[…]