Managing Plastic Litter

This volume provides a critical roadmap for engineers, environmental & industry professionals, and policymakers grappling with the complexities of plastic waste management to equip readers with the necessary knowledge and technologies to drive impactful change. The book is categorized into four sub-parts, and most of the chapters strongly align with the achievement of various United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), i.e., SDG2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) & 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The first three chapters introduce the problem of plastic pollution, plastic waste sink into various streams, and the limitations of conventional approaches for plastic waste management. The remaining chapters of the book cover topics related to nature-based solutions such as bioremediation & phytoremediation of plastics and the transformation of plastic waste into useful components for various sectors, including infrastructure, construction, agriculture, energy, and medicine. The book also discusses the role of communities in plastic waste repurposing for local needs, and the integration of advanced technologies such as nanotechnology, AI, IoT, and blockchain for efficient plastic waste management. With an array of topics enhancing readers' understanding of opportunities for plastic waste as a valuable resource, the book provides forward-thinking strategies to drive plastic engineering and empowers students, researchers, scholars, industry professionals, and policymakers in shaping a sustainable, greener future.