Novel trends in plastic waste management

Abstract

Nowadays, there exists a global challenge confronting efficient management of municipal solid wastes. Varying degrees of environmental challenges including regular release of greenhouse gases and scarcity of available space for waste disposal have been caused by escalating accumulation of these wastes’ materials resulting in inappropriate waste management. These challenges have aroused alarming public concerns, resulting in political legislation aimed at minimizing the amount of wastes getting into the environment. These activities attempt to offer solution which will enhance sustainable waste management, while promoting MSW recycling, and efficient conversion of waste materials to energy, and other valuable chemicals. These conversion procedures can be achieved through use of either biological processes such as anaerobic digestion or thermochemical procedures such as pyrolysis. Thus, the current review elucidates novel routes effectively utilized in converting MSW to energy and other valuable chemicals.