Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Role of Reverse Logistics Activities in the Recycling of Used Plastic Bottled Water Waste Management

Researchers investigated the role of reverse logistics activities in recycling used plastic bottles and waste management in Ethiopia, finding through surveys of 258 respondents that incineration, landfilling, and roadside dumping remain dominant disposal practices while reuse and remanufacturing are rarely implemented.

2022 Sustainability 18 citations
Article Tier 2

The Circular Economy in EU Policy as a Response to Contemporary Ecological Challenges

This article reviews how EU countries are implementing circular economy policies and progress toward reducing plastic waste, finding large variation across member states. Shifting from linear to circular plastic economies is critical for reducing the production of waste that generates microplastics.

2019 Gospodarka Narodowa 12 citations
Article Tier 2

An Examination of Microplastics: Environmental Impact, Sustainability, and Recyclability Innovation

This paper examined the environmental impact of microplastics, sustainability implications of current plastic use, and recycling options to address the plastic pollution crisis. It called for a transition toward circular economy approaches that reduce primary plastic production and increase recycled content.

2024 Journal of Student Research
Article Tier 2

Current Status of Circular Economy Research in Finland

This review surveys the state of circular economy research in Finland, covering academic, policy, and industry perspectives on transitioning away from the linear 'take-make-dispose' model. Circular economy principles are increasingly relevant to addressing plastic waste and microplastic pollution.

2021 Resources 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Condition of Circular Economy in Poland

This article examines the state of circular economy implementation in Poland, reviewing policies, practices, and gaps in transitioning from a linear to a circular model for resource use and waste management. It is a policy and sustainability science study.

2020 Archives of Civil Engineering 18 citations
Review Tier 2

Recycling and Reusing Strategies to Prevent Microplastic Generation: a Review

This review examines recycling and reusing strategies for plastic materials as a means of preventing microplastic generation, grounding the analysis in circular economy principles emphasizing resource efficiency through repair, reuse, and recycling. The authors evaluate current methodologies and propose strategies to reduce plastic waste degradation into microplastics, linking waste management practices to pollution prevention outcomes.

2025 Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental
Article Tier 2

Global Material Flow of Macro‐ and Microplastics to Support a Circular Economy

Researchers developed a global material flow analysis of macro- and microplastics to identify where intervention efforts can best support a circular economy. The study found that current plastic waste reduction initiatives are often misaligned with the most impactful leverage points in the plastic material cycle.

2025 Journal of Advanced Manufacturing and Processing
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Sources, Reduction and Remediation: Current State and Future Trends

This review synthesizes current knowledge on primary and secondary microplastic sources, methods for eliminating microplastics from different environmental media, and the role of circular economy principles in minimizing microplastic pollution across the entire plastic value chain. The study outlines an upside-down pyramid strategy prioritizing prevention, reduction, reuse, and recycling over disposal, and surveys emerging technologies for sustainable polymer production and remediation.

2024 Metallurgical and Materials Data 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics in the Circular Economy

This book examines the role of plastics in the circular economy, reviewing how the current linear plastics economy generates environmental problems including microplastic pollution from fossil oil use and unmanaged plastic waste. The authors assess circular economy strategies including recycling, biodegradable alternatives, and design for disassembly as pathways to maintain the benefits of plastics while reducing their environmental footprint.

2024
Article Tier 2

Social attitudes towards electronic waste and the implementation of circular economy principles

Researchers surveyed consumer attitudes toward electronic waste in Poland and found that while consumers show potential for supporting circular economy principles in e-waste management, significant risk exists of e-waste being improperly disposed of in general waste streams, with age, gender, and education influencing these attitudes.

2023 Economics and Environment 7 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2020 Ekonomia i Prawo 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential Routes to the Sustainability of the Food Packaging Industry

This study investigates sustainability challenges in the food plastic packaging industry, examining how a Polish manufacturer navigates compliance with sustainability requirements and identifying practical barriers to reducing plastic use and improving end-of-life outcomes.

2022 Sustainability 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the EU plastic value chain: A material flow analysis

Researchers conducted a material flow analysis of the EU27 plastic value chain, finding that only 19% of plastics were recycled in 2019, with total losses amounting to 4% of production and significant variation across sectors and polymer types.

2023 Resources Conservation and Recycling 36 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2020 AMS Dottorato Institutional Doctoral Theses Repository (University of Bologna) 2 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Journal of Green Economy and Low-Carbon Development
Article Tier 2

Study of the release of microplastics during the use phase of products from the plastics industry

Researchers investigated microplastic release during the use phase of plastic consumer products across multiple product categories from the plastics industry, examining how ordinary use conditions generate plastic particles that enter food and the environment. The study contributes to understanding the full microplastic lifecycle as the plastics industry transitions toward reuse-oriented product models.

2025 theses.fr (ABES)
Article Tier 2

A Study on the Trend of Domestic Waste Generation and the Recognition of Recycling Priorities in Korea

This South Korean study examined trends in household waste generation and public recognition of recycling in the context of sustainable development goals and circular economy policy. Understanding recycling behavior and waste generation trends is important for reducing the plastic waste that eventually breaks down into microplastics.

2021 Sustainability 9 citations
Article Tier 2

The Commitment of Packaging Industry in the Framework of the European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy

This paper reviews how the European packaging industry is responding to the EU's plastics strategy and circular economy goals, outlining commitments to increase recyclability, recycled content, and reduce single-use plastic items. It provides context for understanding how industry-level policy shapes the generation and management of plastic waste that ultimately contributes to microplastic pollution.

2019 Administrative Sciences 149 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Developing Traceability Systems for Effective Circular Economy of Plastic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis pools data from multiple studies on traceability systems that track plastic through its lifecycle, from production to recycling. Better tracking of plastics could reduce waste and microplastic pollution by improving recycling quality and keeping more plastic out of the environment.

2024 Sustainability 25 citations
Article Tier 2

European environment policy for the circular economy: Implications for business and industry stakeholders

This review evaluates recent European Union circular economy policies and their implications for businesses seeking to reduce environmental impact through sustainable production and supply chain practices. It identifies both opportunities and challenges for companies attempting to implement circular economy principles in compliance with new EU environmental directives.

2020 Sustainable Development 210 citations
Article Tier 2

Irregular Disposal of Solid Waste in Offshore Areas: Its Problems and Perspectives

This study analyzes the environmental impacts of waste disposal from offshore oil platforms, including the formation of plastic debris and microplastic contamination in marine organisms that disrupts the food chain. The research discusses waste management approaches such as reverse logistics and circular economy principles as solutions for reducing environmental damage from offshore activities.

2026 MIX Sustentável
Article Tier 2

Recycling and Management of Microplastic Waste

This review examines recycling and management strategies for plastic waste, describing the technical and economic challenges of reducing plastic pollution and the remediation approaches that have been attempted to address microplastic accumulation in the environment.

2025 ˜The œBioscan.
Article Tier 2

The rate of use of the Circular Economy in individual sectors

Not relevant to microplastics — this paper reviews the adoption of circular economy principles across industrial sectors within the European Union policy framework, without specific focus on plastic pollution.

2023 Acta Montanistica Slovaca 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Developing a circular economy from plastic waste and identifying microplastics in domestic water supplies in Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeastern provinces

This study explored pathways for developing circular economy systems from plastic waste streams, including identification and quantification of microplastics at different stages of the waste cycle as a prerequisite for effective material recovery.

2024 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science