Single-use plastics contribute to environmental and human health issues, but their use is influenced by manufacturers' interests and the SARS-CoV-19 pandemic.

Single-Use Plastics and COVID-19: Scientific Evidence and Environmental Regulations

Effective plastic waste management during and after COVID-19 requires sterilization, circular technologies, and sustainable practices.

Challenges and strategies for effective plastic waste management during and post COVID-19 pandemic

Banning single-use plastics is a promising policy response, but addressing the entire plastic value chain is crucial for effective management of plastic waste and reducing environmental impacts.

Addressing the single-use plastic proliferation
problem

A single-use plastics ban reduces global marine pollution by 0.06%, but increases EU marine aquatic toxicity by 1.4%, making it a partial solution.

Sustainability Assessment of a Single-Use Plastics Ban

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need to reinforce plastic reduction policies, innovate sustainable solutions, and develop dynamic waste management systems to address the increased plastic waste and its potential negative impacts on the environment and human health.

Rethinking and optimising plastic waste management under COVID-19 pandemic: Policy solutions based on redesign and reduction of single-use plastics and personal protective equipment

A combination of banning single-use plastics, changing to bio-benign products, and improving waste collection systems is likely to reduce waste plastic leakage in developing countries.

Waste Plastic, the Challenge Facing Developing Countries—Ban It, Change It, Collect It?

Plastic waste management strategies have both positive and negative impacts, requiring careful consideration of both plastic materials and management strategies for long-term sustainability.

Impacts of Plastic Waste Management Strategies

Banning specific non-packaging single-use plastics and optimizing source-separation can increase household waste recycling rates, but hardly reduces the amount of plastic-containing waste.

The multidimensional effects of single-use and packaging plastic strategies on German household waste management.

Bans and rebate/reward programs in states with higher green consumer values lead to reduced single-use plastic waste usage, with education level also significantly impacting these values and usage.

Social Cognitive Theory and Reciprocal Relationship: A Guide to Single-Use Plastic Education for Policymakers, Business Leaders and Consumers

Single-use plastics contribute to pollution, land use, and natural resource squandering, and their disposal negatively impacts the environment.

Single-use plastics: Production, usage, disposal, and adverse impacts.

Current scientific knowledge contradicts common misconceptions about single-use plastic's environmental impacts, highlighting the need for better research and policy-making.

Five Misperceptions Surrounding the Environmental Impacts of Single-Use Plastic.

China's plastic import ban significantly improved environmental impact indicators and led to an annual savings of 2.35 billion euros, but contributed to global warming.

China’s plastic import ban increases prospects of environmental impact mitigation of plastic waste trade flow worldwide

Improving legislation, standards, and policies can promote the development of sustainable single-use plastic alternatives, reducing waste and promoting sustainable human development.

Moving policy and regulation forward for single-use plastic alternatives

The Chinese import ban on plastic waste will displace an estimated 111 million metric tons by 2030, requiring bold global ideas and actions to reduce nonrecyclable materials, redesign products, and fund domestic waste management.

The Chinese import ban and its impact on global plastic waste trade

Durban beachgoers have a negative perception of single-use plastic, high awareness of its environmental impacts, and are willing to reduce consumption, supporting a Container Deposit System and plastic bag ban.

The ‘plastic waste era’; social perceptions towards single-use plastic consumption and impacts on the marine environment in Durban, South Africa

Effective policy mix combining market-based instruments, bans, and enforcement of environmentally preferable substitutes can help reduce single-use plastic waste generation and littering.

Preventing single-use plastic waste

Canadians are highly motivated to reduce single-use plastic food packaging, but less willing to pay for sustainable alternatives.

Single-use plastic packaging in the Canadian food industry: consumer behavior and perceptions

Pyrolysis of mixed plastic waste has a 50% lower climate change impact and life cycle energy use compared to energy recovery, but has higher other environmental impacts compared to mechanical recycling and virgin plastics production.

Life cycle environmental impacts of chemical recycling via pyrolysis of mixed plastic waste in comparison with mechanical recycling and energy recovery.

Discarded plastics can be managed and converted into valuable products, addressing both health and environmental concerns while providing convenience for human use.

Research progress for plastic waste management and manufacture of value-added products

China's ban on imports of post-consumer PET bottles may exacerbate environmental impacts if China increases virgin PET fiber production using carbon-intensive coal, but recycling within the countries that generate them can significantly reduce environmental impacts.

Life-cycle environmental implications of China’s ban on post-consumer plastics import

The implications of single-use plastics bans on waste management and environmental health.

These studies suggest that banning single-use plastics can reduce certain types of pollution and waste, but must be combined with comprehensive waste management strategies, sustainable practices, and innovations to effectively address environmental and health impacts.