Influence of Plastic Waste Management on the Environment: A review

Abstract

Plastics have become a modern-day nuisance to the environment and man due to improper management at their end-of-life. The structure and additives in fossil-based plastics make them non-biodegradable and, therefore, can persist in the environment for hundreds of years. Since a small percentage of plastic waste is recycled annually (9%) most of this plastic waste is being managed by open-air incineration or disposal in landfills where these additives can easily contaminate the air, soil, and water apart from the fact that a lot of these plastic waste find their way into our water bodies resulting to a lot of harm to the Eco-system. Recycling of plastic is an effective means of tackling the menace of plastic pollution, with chemical recycling as the most effective recycling process as it completely removes the waste plastic from the environment. Manufacturing and use of bioplastics like Polylactic acid, a good substitute for fossil-based polymer polyethylene terephthalate (PET), is a welcome development with the People’s Republic of China championing in the production. Legislative tools have been enacted in countries across the globe banning the use and manufacturing of single-use plastic bags. The implementation of this legislative move has been effective in some countries like the People’s Republic of China, Morocco, and Rwanda. Nigeria enacted the Plastic prohibition bill banning the manufacturing, use, and importation of all plastic bags in May 2019. This ban does not affect the behavioral and plastic management system in Nigeria as plastic bags are still used in cities across the country, littered in waterways and landfills. Therefore, there is a need to review the bill to include waste generation and management. Emphasis should also be placed on the production, and use of cost-effective bioplastic polymers and products