Soil Remediation Through Chemical Innovations in Plastic-Contaminated Agency Forest Ecosystems - A Review

Plastic-induced soil contamination is an increasingly significant yet underexplored threat to agency forest ecosystems that sustain biodiversity, climate regulation, and indigenous livelihoods. Rising tourism, roadside commerce, and single-use plastic consumption combined with inadequate waste management and limited environmental awareness have converted forest soils into persistent sinks for macro- and microplastics. These contaminants act as combined physical and chemical stressors, altering soil structure, disrupting microbial processes, impairing nutrient cycling, and releasing toxic additives such as phthalates, bisphenol-A, and heavy metals. This review synthesizes peer-reviewed studies, international agency reports, and policy documents published between 2006 and 2024 to examine sources, impacts, and remediation strategies for plastic-contaminated soils in agency forest regions. Emphasis is placed on chemical and physicochemical remediation approaches, including advanced oxidation processes, biochar-based amendments, and emerging nanotechnological interventions. While advanced oxidation and nanotechnologies demonstrate high contaminant degradation efficiency, biochar-based strategies offer greater ecological compatibility and additional benefits for soil structure and biological functioning in low-disturbance forest environments. The review highlights that technical remediation alone is insufficient for long-term soil recovery. Sustainable restoration of agency forest soils requires integrated interventions combining remediation technologies with strengthened policy enforcement, community engagement, indigenous knowledge integration, improved waste infrastructure, and responsible tourism practices. By consolidating current evidence and identifying context-appropriate solutions, this review supports the development of sustainable strategies for mitigating plastic pollution and restoring soil functionality in vulnerable forest ecosystems.