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Plastics: Sustainable Development Goals and Circular Solutions
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This review examines the dual role of plastics in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, finding that while plastics contribute positively to at least 15 SDGs, the pollution they cause, particularly marine pollution, outweighs those benefits overall. The study highlights the circular economy, including strategies like reduction, recycling, and service life extension, as a key approach to resolving the socio-environmental problems caused by plastic waste.
Plastics are ubiquitous in the global economy. However, their benefits must be offset against the harm caused by a throw-away culture and poor waste management practices. This tension is apparent in the key role played by plastics in public health safeguarding during the COVID-19 pandemic, set against the significant generation of plastic residues, accompanied by an increase in water pollution due to their incorrect disposal. The Scopus database was interrogated to identify literature on the role of plastics in achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Bibliometric analysis and mapping indicated that the principal keywords were as follows, in order of frequency of occurrence: circular economy, sustainability, COVID-19, plastic pollution, life cycle assessment, waste management, environment, microplastics, plastic waste, and sustainable development. Despite contributing to the achievement of at least 15 SDGs, overall, pollution caused by plastics (principally marine pollution) outperformed the totality of their positive roles in achieving the SDGs. However, the study also highlighted the fundamental role of the circular economy with strategies such as reduction, recycling and service life extension as potential solutions to the socio-environmental problems that plastics may cause, and as a key ally in achieving the SDGs, principally SDGs 3, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15.
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Plastics and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
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A review of literature on plastics and the UN Sustainable Development Goals found that despite plastic contributing positively to at least 15 SDGs, marine plastic pollution overall outweighs these benefits relative to the 2030 Agenda. Circular economy practices including recycling are identified as the most viable solutions to balancing plastic's societal role with its environmental harms.
Impacts of Plastic Pollution on Ecosystem Services, Sustainable Development Goals, and Need to Focus on Circular Economy and Policy Interventions
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This review examines the impacts of plastic pollution on ecosystem services and sustainable development goals across terrestrial and aquatic environments. The study highlights that only about 9% of global plastic production is recycled, and recommends circular economy approaches, life cycle assessments, and stronger policy interventions to address the growing plastic waste crisis.
Role of Plastics in Modern Life: Benefits, Risks and Environmental Consequences
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This review examines the dual role of plastics in modern society — their economic benefits alongside environmental and public health risks — and surveys strategies for more sustainable plastic production and disposal.
Plastic Waste in the Context of the SDGs
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This German-language review examines plastic waste challenges in the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, analyzing how current plastic production and disposal practices conflict with SDG targets for clean water, responsible consumption, and climate action.
Role of Plastics in Modern Life: Benefits, Risks and Environmental Consequences
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This review examines the dual role of plastics in modern society — their economic and practical benefits alongside growing environmental and health concerns — calling for a balanced approach to plastic use and waste management.
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