Plastic Waste Management for a Green Future

Abstract

According to a recent Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development report, global plastic waste production is expected to almost triple by 2060. Since the presence of plastics is unavoidable, the management and proper guidelines for their use are the best way forward. The 3R's—reduce, reuse, and recycle—is the concept that will spread awareness and control use of the plastics. Implementing green chemistry concepts in the fabrication process can help in large reduction of waste output. Plastic waste decomposition can be enhanced by the synergistic action of microorganisms and nanoparticles. Since eliminating plastic altogether is nearly impossible, reusing is considered as one of the easiest and most efficient ways to be sustainable. Moreover, biodegradability of plastics can be improved by the application of nanotechnology. Plastic recycling system currently demands the repurposing of plastic products to a modified form by depositing the waste in proper streams of plastic recycling facilities. This abstract emphasizes the crucial necessity to manage plastic waste effectively for a sustainable and eco-friendly future.