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Dataset for the review article "From plastic use in the construction and built environment to state-of-the-art circular economy solutions to combat microplastic pollution"
Summary
This is a supporting dataset (not a primary research paper) for a review article examining plastic use in the construction sector and circular economy solutions to reduce microplastic pollution from buildings and built infrastructure.
The dataset supports the data presented in the article “From plastic use in the construction and built environment to state-of-the-art circular economy solutions to combat microplastic pollution” (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-025-01228-0). It consists of a single Excel worksheet compiling data on the number of published studies related to microplastics in general and to microplastics originating from the building and construction sector to illustrate the evolution of research attention.
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More Papers Like This
From plastic use in the construction and built environment to state-of-the-art circular economy solutions to combat microplastic pollution
Researchers reviewed how plastics used throughout the construction industry — in paints, pipes, insulation, flooring, and adhesives — degrade over time and release microplastics into the environment, with building paints alone contributing up to 863,000 tonnes per year in the EU. Despite construction accounting for nearly a quarter of plastic use in Europe, less than 0.6% of microplastic research focuses on this sector, leaving a major pollution source largely unexamined.
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Despite its title referencing plastic recycling in the construction industry, this paper reviews the barriers and opportunities for incorporating recycled plastics into building materials in the United States — not microplastic pollution itself. It examines economic, technical, and regulatory challenges for construction-sector plastic recycling and is only indirectly relevant to microplastics through the lens of reducing plastic waste at source.
Circular economy model for reuse of plastic in eco-efficient production of building materials
This study explored using plastic waste in the production of construction blocks and bricks as part of a circular economy approach, reducing the amount of plastic that enters the environment as microplastics. The construction sector offers a significant opportunity to valorize plastic waste as a durable material rather than allowing it to degrade in landfills.
Microplastics in construction and built environment
Researchers review how the widespread use of plastics in construction — in paints, cement, textiles, and road materials — releases microplastics into the environment through wear and weathering, with entry points into the human body through air, water, and skin contact. The authors propose solutions including high-strength concrete formulations and biodegradable alternatives to reduce microplastic release from buildings and infrastructure.