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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Country-level plastic bag legislation against plastic waste and select Human Development Indices
ClearLegislation to limit the environmental plastic and microplastic pollution and their influence on human exposure
This review surveys global legislation aimed at limiting plastic and microplastic pollution, including bans on single-use items, recycling mandates, and clean-up initiatives across different countries. The study also discusses how these regulations may help reduce human exposure to plastics and their associated toxic chemicals, though enforcement and scope remain uneven worldwide.
Correlation between microplastics estimation and human development index
Researchers analyzed the relationship between mismanaged municipal plastic waste (MMPW) and the Human Development Index (HDI) across countries with rivers flowing to the sea. They found that MMPW increases with HDI in lower-income nations but decreases with HDI in high-income countries, revealing that economic development patterns shape plastic pollution generation in contrasting ways.
Postmaterialism and Environmental Protection Revisited: Domestic Plastic Bag Regulations, 1992–2019
Researchers used a hazard model to analyze plastic bag regulations across 133 countries from 1992 to 2019, finding that Global South countries that imported plastic waste were more likely to adopt domestic plastic bag bans or fees, challenging the postmaterialism hypothesis that wealthy countries lead environmental regulation.
Impact of Policy Design on Plastic Waste Reduction in Africa
This paper is not about microplastics; it analyzes the design and effectiveness of single-use plastic bag policies across 39 African countries, identifying policy gaps that allow plastic waste to persist despite widespread bans.
Overview of Legal and Policy Framework Approaches for Plastic Bag Waste Management in African Countries
This systematic review examines how African countries have used bans and fees to manage plastic bag waste since 2004. It found that poor enforcement, industry resistance, and lack of affordable alternatives have limited the effectiveness of these policies across the continent. Reducing plastic bag use is important because bags break down into microplastics that contaminate soil, water, and food.
Impact of single use polyethylene shopping bags on environmental pollution, a comprehensive review
Single-use polyethylene shopping bags are a major source of plastic pollution worldwide, persisting in the environment for hundreds of years and harming ecosystems and wildlife. Several countries have implemented bans, which this review argues are necessary given the scale of environmental damage.
Effectiveness of intervention on behaviour change against use of non-biodegradable plastic bags: a systematic review
Researchers systematically reviewed government policies aimed at reducing single-use plastic bag consumption, finding that outright bans and higher consumer taxes are significantly more effective than regulations based only on bag thickness. The results show that well-designed public policy can shift consumer behavior toward more sustainable choices, though the behavioral changes can fade without ongoing reinforcement.
Developing Countries in the Lead—What Drives the Diffusion of Plastic Bag Policies?
Researchers analysed the diffusion patterns of plastic bag bans and taxes across both developed and developing nations, finding that developing countries have predominantly adopted outright bans — more stringent legislation than the taxes favoured in the Global North. In the Global South, visible national pollution pressure drove policy adoption, while global public pressure was the key driver in high-income countries.
Global patterns of lake microplastic pollution: Insights from regional human development levels
A meta-analysis of 351 lakes across 43 countries found microplastic concentrations ranging from 0.09 to 130,000 items/m3 in surface water, with fibers as the dominant shape and polyethylene, polypropylene, and PET as the most common polymers. Countries with lower human development indices actually showed higher contamination levels, suggesting that waste management capacity is a key driver of lake microplastic pollution.
The Role of Legislation, Regulatory Initiatives and Guidelines on the Control of Plastic Pollution
This review examines existing plastic pollution regulations globally, finding that despite many proposals and national bans, the overall effectiveness of legislation is unclear and most measures focus narrowly on marine plastics or single-use items. The authors argue that laws often lag behind science and face practical limitations given how deeply embedded plastics are in daily life.
Assessing the impact of banning the single use plastic carrier bags: A case study for Kenyan marine environment
This study assessed the impact of Kenya's ban on single-use plastic bags on marine plastic pollution, finding changes in plastic litter composition at eleven coastal sites. Policy interventions like bag bans can measurably reduce certain types of plastic pollution in marine environments.
Consumer Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors towards the Use of Plastic Bags in the Kingdom of BAHRAIN
A survey of consumer knowledge and attitudes toward plastic bag use in Bahrain found that despite awareness of environmental harms, usage remains high due to convenience and free availability. While the study touches on plastic pollution broadly, it does not present microplastic research data and is more a behavioral/policy study.
Human Population Density is a Poor Predictor of Debris in the Environment
Researchers assessed factors driving plastic leakage to the environment using empirical data from seven countries and found that human population density alone is a poor predictor of debris levels. The study suggests that other factors, including waste management infrastructure and local land use, are more important drivers of environmental plastic pollution than population density estimates commonly used in global models.
Single-use Plastic Ban and its Public Health Impacts: A Narrative Review
This review examines global policies and bans on single-use plastics, finding that they have helped reduce plastic pollution in some regions. However, enforcement and public health impacts vary widely, and more consistent international policy is needed to effectively address plastic waste.
The Environmental Challenges of Polythene and Production and Prevention Legislation in the World
This review examines the global environmental impact of polythene plastic pollution, discussing its effects on aquatic ecosystems and public health while analyzing the international and regional legislative frameworks aimed at reducing plastic production and use.
A local-to-global emissions inventory of macroplastic pollution.
This study developed a high-resolution global inventory of macroplastic pollution by distributing nationally reported waste management data down to sub-national and local scales, producing maps of plastic emission hotspots. The dataset is intended to support negotiations for a global plastics treaty by providing a data-driven baseline for identifying sources and prioritizing interventions.
Solution for Sustainable Development: Provisions Limiting the Consumption of Disposable Plastic Carrier Bags in Poland
This paper reviews international and regional approaches to reducing single-use plastic bag consumption through legislation and incentives, comparing policies across countries. It highlights how regulatory frameworks and consumer behavior interact in addressing plastic waste at the source.
The paradox of plastic bag legislation: How bans and taxes affect PM2.5 air pollution in 208 countries
Researchers analyzed plastic bag regulations in 208 countries and found that outright bans generally reduce fine particle (PM2.5) air pollution, while plastic bag taxes unexpectedly increase it — likely because alternative bags require more energy-intensive production. The findings reveal that poorly designed plastic policies can create unintended environmental trade-offs.
Influence of Polythene Bag Alternatives on Compliance to Environmental Legislation on Polythene Bag Ban in Rongai Sub-County, Nakuru County, Kenya
This study examined whether the availability of polythene bag alternatives influenced compliance with Kenya's plastic bag ban, finding that access to alternatives supports environmental legislation. Reducing plastic bag use is an important step in cutting the volume of plastic that eventually breaks down into microplastics.
Global plastic pollution, sustainable development, and plastic justice
This review examines how plastic pollution, including microplastics, undermines sustainable development goals and disproportionately affects lower-income nations that lack waste management infrastructure. The authors propose a "plastic justice" framework to address the human rights dimensions of plastic pollution, which poses health risks to communities through contaminated water, food, and air.
Assessing the impact of banning the single-use plastic carrier bags: a case study for Kenyan marine environment looking at macro, meso, and microplastics
Researchers assessed the impact of Kenya's single-use plastic carrier bag ban on marine plastic pollution along the country's coastline. While the ban appeared to reduce the proportion of carrier bags in beach litter, packaging plastics remained the most common type of debris found. The study suggests that banning one category of plastic products alone is insufficient to address the broader problem of marine plastic pollution without tackling other major sources.
Environmental Impact of Plastic Waste: Strategies for Sustainable Management
This systematic review summarizes the environmental and health impacts of plastic waste and evaluates strategies for sustainable management. It highlights that plastic pollution threatens ecosystems and human health through microplastic contamination, and examines approaches like recycling, biodegradable alternatives, and policy interventions to reduce exposure.
Harmonisation and development of plastic statistics in the Nordics
Researchers identified 37 key plastic-related data points and evaluated their availability and comparability across Nordic countries, finding that plastic statistics remain fragmented and difficult to compare, and assessed the costs and benefits of improving data collection and harmonisation to support effective plastic pollution policy.
Understanding the socioeconomic determinants of marine plastic pollution: Evaluating policy effectiveness and mitigation strategies in the Global South.
Researchers synthesized qualitative and quantitative evidence on marine plastic pollution in the Global South, identifying rapid urbanization, inadequate waste infrastructure, and weak governance as primary drivers, and recommending integrated strategies combining single-use plastic bans, extended producer responsibility, regional cooperation, and circular economy incentives.