Tackling the microplastics pandemic: the CLEAN framework as an integrated one health approach for global environmental and public health

Microplastics are increasingly recognized as pervasive environmental pollutants with adverse consequences for ecosystems, animal health, and human well-being. Their widespread presence in air, water, soil, and food systems has created chronic, population-level exposure pathways, analogous to occupational hazards that require systematic risk assessment and preventive management. Despite growing scientific evidence on their distribution and toxicity, current responses to microplastic pollution remain fragmented, reactive, and sector-specific. This paper introduces the CLEAN framework—Cut, Lock, Extract, Amend, and Network—as a prevention-driven, OSH-inspired One Health approach that extends worker-level hazard control principles to population and ecosystem health. Cut emphasizes source reduction through sustainable material design, circular economy practices, and low-waste manufacturing. Lock focuses on containment and filtration across industrial and environmental pathways, including advanced wastewater treatment, stormwater controls, and upstream capture technologies. Extract addresses the removal of legacy microplastic contamination from soils, sediments, and aquatic systems using nature-based and engineered remediation methods. Amend supports ecosystem restoration through habitat protection and soil–water amendments that enhance microbial, plant-based, and physicochemical recovery processes. Network promotes cross-sectoral collaboration and policy alignment, integrating community engagement with national and global governance mechanisms to ensure harmonized standards, transparent monitoring, and effective risk communication. By synthesizing insights from environmental monitoring, toxicology, epidemiology, and policy analysis, the CLEAN framework provides a structured, multi-level roadmap that links scientific evidence with actionable interventions. Its application demonstrates that coordinated, prevention-oriented strategies—analogous to occupational risk management—can reduce exposure risks, strengthen ecological resilience, and safeguard public health. Compared to existing fragmented approaches, CLEAN offers a novel, replicable, and scalable population-health hazard management model for advancing One Health solutions to microplastic pollution. The framework’s adaptability allows it to be tailored across diverse socio-ecological contexts, from highly industrialized regions to resource-limited communities, ensuring that interventions remain both equitable and effective. By integrating preventive controls with restorative actions, the CLEAN framework not only addresses current contamination but also establishes mechanisms to curb future accumulation, positioning it as a forward-looking blueprint for policymakers, industries, and communities confronting an increasingly urgent global environmental challenge. Introduces the CLEAN framework as a holistic tool to manage microplastic pollution through multi-sectoral coordination. Aligns microplastic mitigation strategies with the One Health paradigm, emphasizing interconnections between human, animal, and environmental health. Advocates for systems-based thinking to identify leverage points across policy, industry, and community sectors for sustainable plastic lifecycle management. Encourages collaboration among scientists, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and community stakeholders to co-develop context-specific interventions. Promotes continuous learning and adaptive evaluation to ensure interventions are responsive to emerging microplastic risks and health impacts.