Plastic Pollution, Waste Management Issues, and Circular Economy Opportunities in Rural Communities

Sustainability

Natalia Reyna-Bensusan¹  Florin-Constantin Mihai²  Jutta Gutberlet³  Claire Gwinnett⁴  Maria Molinos-Senante⁵  Paula Llanquileo-Melgarejo⁵  Sedat Gündoğdu⁶  Laura A. Markley⁷  Arianna Olivelli⁸  Vitalii Ishchenko⁹  Christia Meidiana^1,10  Sherien Elagroudy^1,11  Simon Penney^1,12  Farhan R. Khan^1,13  Zoe Lenkiewicz^1,14 

[1] Air Quality Consultants Ltd., Logika Group, London EC1N 822, UK;CERNESIM Center, Department of Exact Sciences and Natural Sciences, Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi, 700506 Iasi, Romania;Centre for Global Studies, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3060 STN CSC, Victoria, BC V8W 3R4, Canada;Criminal Justice and Forensic Science Department, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2DE, UK;Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna, Santiago 4860, Chile;Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries, Cukurova University, Adana 01330, Turkey;Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA;Department of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK;Department of Ecology and Environmental Safety, Vinnytsia National Technical University, 21021 Vinnytsia, Ukraine;Department of Regional and Urban Planning, Faculty of Engineering, Brawijaya University, Malang 65145, Indonesia;Egypt Solid Waste Management Center of Excellence, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11566, Egypt;Island Waste Management Global Alliance, Odessa, ON K0H 2H0, Canada;Norwegian Research Centre (NORCE), Nygårdsporten 112, NO-5008 Bergen, Norway;WasteAid, Wye TN25 5BL, UK;

关键词: plastic pollution;    waste management;    circular economy;    rural areas;    Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);    microplastics;   

DOI  :  10.3390/su14010020

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Rural areas are exposed to severe environmental pollution issues fed by industrial and agricultural activities combined with poor waste and sanitation management practices, struggling to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in line with Agenda 2030. Rural communities are examined through a “dual approach” as both contributors and receivers of plastic pollution leakage into the natural environment (through the air–water–soil–biota nexus). Despite the emerging trend of plastic pollution research, in this paper, we identify few studies investigating rural communities. Therefore, proxy analysis of peer-reviewed literature is required to outline the significant gaps related to plastic pollution and plastic waste management issues in rural regions. This work focuses on key stages such as (i) plastic pollution effects on rural communities, (ii) plastic pollution generated by rural communities, (iii) the development of a rural waste management sector in low- and middle-income countries in line with the SDGs, and (iv) circular economy opportunities to reduce plastic pollution in rural areas. We conclude that rural communities must be involved in both future plastic pollution and circular economy research to help decision makers reduce environmental and public health threats, and to catalyze circular initiatives in rural areas around the world, including less developed communities.

【 授权许可】

Unknown