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Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/article.php?id=4400
ClearThe Frontier of Plastics Recycling: Rethinking Waste as a Resource for High‐Value Applications
This review examines the current state and future prospects of plastics recycling within a circular economy framework, arguing that mechanical recycling alone is insufficient and that chemical recycling, design-for-recyclability, and extended producer responsibility must all be scaled simultaneously. The authors identify high-value applications for recycled plastics as essential incentives for building economically sustainable recycling systems.
Accelerating Plastic Circularity: A Critical Assessment of the Pathways and Processes to Circular Plastics
A critical assessment of plastic circularity pathways found that today only 9% of global plastic waste is recycled, with current circularity routes economically unviable, and argues that improving product design and collection and sorting system effectiveness are the most impactful levers for progress.
An Integrated Analysis of Plastic Packaging Value Chain: Identifying Barriers and Enablers for a Circular Economy
Researchers analyzed the full plastic packaging value chain to identify barriers and enablers for transitioning to a circular economy, tracing the evolution of circular economy concepts and quantifying the environmental impacts associated with exponential plastic waste growth. The study provides an integrated framework mapping opportunities for intervention across production, use, collection, and recycling stages.
Are Reliable and Emerging Technologies Available for Plastic Recycling in a Circular Economy?
This review examines the current landscape of plastic recycling technologies -- including mechanical, thermal, chemical, and biological depolymerization methods such as pyrolysis -- evaluating their readiness for circular economy integration. It concludes that while recycling rates remain below 10% globally, emerging technologies offer pathways toward closed-loop plastic supply chains, though full-scale implementation requires further development and performance assessment.
Concretising the role of extended producer responsibility in European Union waste law and policy through the lens of the circular economy
This review examines the evolution of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) within European Union waste law and policy, analyzing how EPR instruments can be strengthened to drive more effective plastic waste prevention and recycling across the product lifecycle. The authors argue for more ambitious, harmonized EPR frameworks to reduce plastic pollution at its source.
Polymers in Circular Economy: A Comprehensive Approach to Sustainability. An overview.
This review examines the role of polymers within the circular economy framework, analyzing strategies for reducing plastic consumption, improving recyclability, and transitioning toward more sustainable production and waste management models. The authors discuss the importance of government regulation and industry standards in driving circular economy adoption, while acknowledging barriers including economic inertia, upfront investment costs, and resistance to systemic change.
Circular Plastics Economy: Redesigning Technology and Reimagining Society
This book examines the concept of a circular plastics economy, arguing that technical redesign of materials must be paired with societal transformation to address plastic waste at scale. The authors critique current approaches and propose a more integrated vision combining innovation with behavioral and governance change.
System innovation and life cycle thinking in packaging value chain: the circularity of plastics.
This paper examines the role of circular economy principles in reducing plastic packaging waste, noting that despite existing recycling systems, plastics remain pervasive environmental contaminants. The authors argue that redesigning packaging systems for recyclability and reducing over-packaging are essential steps to address microplastic pollution at its source.
Enhanced plastic economy: a perspective and a call for international action
This perspective argues that the current plastic circular economy is too narrowly focused on recycling, reuse, and energy recovery, and calls for an enhanced framework that prioritizes innovation and coordinated international action to reduce plastic pollution. A broader approach targeting all lifecycle stages is proposed.
Emerging Technologies Supporting the Transition to a Circular Economy in the Plastic Materials Value Chain
Researchers reviewed how emerging technologies — including artificial intelligence, bio-based materials, and chemical recycling — can accelerate the transition from a linear "make-use-discard" plastic economy to a circular one where plastics are continuously reused. The study finds that no single technology solves the plastic waste problem; instead, coordinated sets of complementary technologies, supported by smart governance, are needed.
El reciclaje de plásticos, un reto para lograr una economía circular
This Spanish-language review examines plastic recycling as a key component of circular economy, noting that low consumer awareness and infrastructure gaps must be overcome to meaningfully reduce plastic pollution.
New Technologies for the Transition to a Circular Economy in the Plastic Materials Value Chain
Researchers conducted a systematic literature review using the ReSOLVE framework to analyze how emerging technologies enable the transition to a circular economy in the plastics value chain. They found that four technology sets — Industry 4.0, distributed economy models, biological systems, and chemical recycling — act as complementary enablers rather than individual solutions, and that systemic governance changes are needed to overcome adoption barriers.
An Overview of the Current Trends in Marine Plastic Litter Management for a Sustainable Development
This review summarizes current knowledge about marine plastic litter, from its land-based origins to its distribution across ocean environments, and evaluates recovery and recycling strategies. Researchers found that while technologies for collecting and recycling marine plastics are advancing, significant economic and logistical barriers remain. The study emphasizes that a circular economy approach, combining prevention, collection, and material recovery, is essential for addressing ocean plastic pollution.
The challenge of plastics in a circular perspective
This review examines the challenge of transitioning plastics into a circular economy, analyzing Italy as a case study and discussing recycling rates, waste management strategies, and the systemic changes needed to reduce plastic pollution while maintaining plastic's economic utility.
Plastic waste as a challenge for sustainable development and circularity in the European Union
This review examines the plastic waste crisis in the European Union, evaluating gaps between recycling policy ambitions and actual outcomes. It argues that without major improvements in waste management infrastructure and circular economy practices, plastics will continue to fragment into microplastics and contaminate European ecosystems.
Overview of factors influencing consumer engagement with plastic recycling
This review explores the factors that influence whether consumers actively participate in plastic recycling efforts. Researchers found that while recycling infrastructure matters, consumer behavior, awareness, and engagement are critical for creating a circular plastics economy. The study highlights that understanding what motivates people to recycle properly is essential for reducing plastic pollution.
Expanding plastics recycling technologies: chemical aspects, technology status and challenges
This review examined the full life cycle of plastics and evaluated options for managing plastic waste, with a focus on chemical recycling technologies. The study suggests that overcoming barriers to industrial chemical recycling could open new opportunities for reducing plastic pollution.
Modelo circular para el desarrollo sostenible en PYMES recicladoras de plásticos: una revisión sistemática
This review synthesizes 23 studies on circular economy models for sustainable development in plastic-recycling SMEs, identifying four key categories of challenges, responsibilities, strategies, and innovation opportunities through a systematic PRISMA-guided bibliometric analysis of literature from 2017 to 2024.
Rethinking plastics through microbial biodegradation and circular economy innovation – A review
Researchers reviewed emerging biotechnological strategies — including bacterial, fungal, and enzymatic breakdown of plastics — as key tools for transitioning from a throwaway plastic economy to a circular one where plastics are biodegraded or recycled rather than discarded. They identify scalability and regulatory gaps as the main barriers to deploying these solutions at the global level needed to address plastic pollution.
Plastic Waste Recycling is Insufficient to Mitigate Plastic Pollution: the Need for a Paradigm Shift
This review argues that plastic waste recycling is fundamentally insufficient to address global plastic pollution and calls for a paradigm shift away from end-of-pipe solutions toward upstream production reduction. The authors examine the structural limitations of current recycling strategies and the economic and policy barriers that prevent meaningful plastic pollution mitigation.
Circular Product Practices for a Post-Plastic Transition
This study examines how designers can support a post-plastic transition by identifying circular product practices, combining design theory with practical action frameworks to define the competencies and strategies needed for responsible polymeric material use within circular economy models.
Attitudes towards Plastic Pollution: A Review and Mitigations beyond Circular Economy
This review examined attitudes of consumers, industries, and governments toward plastic pollution, identifying behavioral barriers and synthesizing mitigation strategies that go beyond circular economy frameworks to address systemic plastic over-consumption.
Circular economy measures to keep plastics and their value in the economy, avoid waste and reduce marine litter
This review argues that circular economy measures — including improved collection, reuse, recycling, and design for end-of-life — are necessary to keep plastic value in the economy while reducing the estimated 5-15 million tonnes of plastic entering oceans annually. Researchers present a framework of policy and industry measures to transition away from the current linear 'make-use-dispose' model that drives marine litter accumulation.
Strategic pathways for sustainable plastic management through a circular economy approach in India
This paper analyzed strategic pathways for sustainable plastic waste management in India through a circular economy lens, examining the environmental and health risks posed by microplastics from inadequate plastic disposal. The authors identify policy, infrastructure, and behavioral interventions needed to reduce India's microplastic burden.