Marine plastic pollution has emerged as one of the most pressing global environmental challenges, with increasing volumes of plastic waste entering the oceans due largely to complex socio-economic dynamics rather than purely ecological processes. Globally, an estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic waste enter the ocean annually aggravating the 150 million metric tons already circulating in the marine environment. While existing studies often emphasise the ecological consequences of plastic debris on marine biodiversity, comparatively limited attention has been given to the underlying social, economic, and cultural drivers that accelerate plastic leakage into marine environments, as well as the effectiveness of policy responses aimed at mitigating the problem. Using the conventional data collection of qualitative and quantitative approach, and extensive secondary materials, this paper examines the extent to which socio-economic factors are contributing to the escalation of marine plastic pollution and evaluates the effectiveness of existing policies and alternative strategies designed to address the challenge in the Global South. The findings reveal that rapid urbanization, population growth, inadequate waste management infrastructure, and unsustainable consumption patterns are primary and underlying drivers of marine plastic pollution. Additional findings reveal that there are critical governance gaps including weak enforcement, fragmented regulatory mechanisms and limited global cooperation are undermining effective implementation of policies and legislation of marine plastic pollution. The paper recommends an integrated strategy combining strong policies, legislation, and regulations such as bans on single-use plastics, extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes, improved waste management infrastructure, strict enforcement mechanisms, regional cooperation, and incentives for circular economy innovations. Furthermore, the paper advocates for an integrated socio-economic and governance-based approaches to complement existing marine management policies that reduce marine plastic pollution and support more sustainable ocean management.

Recycling of photovoltaic modules: Technologies, comparative insights, challenges, and future outlooks.

The rapid expansion of the textile industry presents critical challenges in achieving sustainable consumption and production. In response, this study develops an integrated sustainable production model for the yarn sector. The proposed model incorporates investments in green technology and wastewater purification systems, assessing their influence on both economic performance and environmental sustainability. The average integrated total profit of the system is optimized, and the model's practicability is demonstrated through a numerical illustration. The findings reveal that upcycling old garments enhances overall profitability by an average of 5.13% under both carbon pricing policies. Furthermore, while the CCT mechanism reduces green investment costs by 3.18%, the CT policy achieves a 2.29% reduction, highlighting the superior emission mitigation efficiency of the CCT approach. The suggested model advances sustainable production-consumption in the yarn industry by repurposing banana waste for yarn, and adopting the extended producer responsibility (EPR) directive, all while maintaining system profitability.

Research on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) management has persistent gaps in environmental, social, and economic aspects. This paper systematically analyzes emerging indicator information, contrasting implicit (less tangible) aspects, such as governance and socio-economic issues, with explicit (more tangible) aspects, including environmental and technical issues using the Multi-level Perspective (MLP) framework. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of 62 articles related to e-waste in Malaysia, focusing exclusively on journal publications and proceedings from 2010 to 2024. This finding highlights a significant imbalance in e-waste research in Malaysia, based on an analysis of 62 selected articles. The study revealed that research on social aspects accounts for 72% of the total, while studies focusing on economic aspects represent only 3%. This oversight has resulted in ’regime resistance’ and has revealed weaknesses in the current policy framework. Furthermore, the findings indicate challenges in integrating informal actors and systems into the formal e-waste management framework for households, as evidenced by the alarmingly low reported recycling rate of just 1%. Finally, this paper suggests five key recommendations for achieving optimal e-waste management performance: (1) Linking local solutions with global strategies; (2) Developing a circular economy (CE) framework and extended producer responsibility (EPR) model; (3) Implementing basic design principles; (4) Enhancing governance and social awareness; and (5) Adopting a systems analysis approach.

Extended producer responsibility and trade in used durables: Insights from theory and experience

Stabilizing cooperation in e-waste recycling with collective extended producer responsibility: an inverse optimization approach

Motorcycles are not only vital to transportation and economies in many Southeast Asia's countries but also cause substantial air pollution. As alternative electric mobility is increasingly promoted by countries, managing end-of-life (petrol) motorcycles (EoLMs) becomes more urgent. This article addresses the question: How will EoLMs be treated, transformed or disposed of? Vietnam, leading the region in motorcycle ownership, was selected as the case. The authors used a triangulation approach, combining literature review, site observations and semi-structured interviews to examine Vietnam's EoLM recycling management. Specifically, the article provided motorcycle-related estimations to fill the data gap, based on which numerical warnings on emissions from in-use EoLMs were generated to support the contemporary emission picture. Advantages and limitations of the current legislative framework and recycling system were identified. Finally, a tailored recycling management framework was proposed, incorporating mandatory emission testing, enhanced extended producer responsibility regulations and subsidies for the industry. This study contributes to the limited literature on EoLM management and provides policymakers with an interdisciplinary framework emphasizing stakeholders' collaboration.

ABSTRACT Australia ranks among the highest per capita electronic waste (e-waste)-generating countries in the world. Each year, Australians discard significant quantities of electronic devices, many of which end up in landfill. One notable approach to reducing e-waste is promoting repair to extend product lifespans to reduce the quantity of products going to landfill. Many jurisdictions have already addressed repair barriers through regulations that improve extended producer responsibility, design and parts availability, while providing repair incentives to encourage individuals and businesses to choose repair over replacement. This article examines the effectiveness of repair incentives in promoting a repair culture to reduce e-waste. It analyses how various European Union countries have implemented repair incentives and assesses the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches to determine whether the lessons can be applied to Australia. Insights from e-waste generation and crowd-sourced repair data, combined with reviewing policy and e-waste generation trends, are used to assess the broader environmental and economic benefits of repair. With Australia yet to begin removing key barriers to repair, this article aims to inform Australian policymakers of the merits of repair incentive initiatives in helping Australia meet its obligations under the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

A global analysis of microplastics research: Mapping strategic funding, national research capacity, scientific priorities, and policy frameworks.

The rapid expansion of the electric vehicle (EV) industry in Indonesia promises significant economic growth through nickel downstreaming but simultaneously poses massive ecological threats. This paper aims to analyze the juridical construction of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices within Indonesian business law to balance economic investments with sustainable ecological protection. Employing a normative-juridical method through statutory and conceptual approaches, this study strictly examines corporate and environmental legal frameworks without sociological elements. The findings reveal a regulatory vacuum where ESG compliance remains a voluntary soft law rather than an imperative hard law for closed corporations in the EV supply chain. Existing regulations lack the integration of ecological compliance into the absolute obligations of corporate governance. Consequently, business law must be reconstructed to enforce supply chain liability, mandatory green accounting, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). The conclusion emphasizes that integrating ESG as a doctrinal pillar in commercial and corporate law is a conditio sine qua non to ensure that the EV industry's macroeconomic growth does not compromise the environmental carrying capacity and the fundamental rights of future generations.

Marine plastic pollution has become a defining transboundary environmental challenge, prompting the international community to pursue a legally binding global treaty. Vietnam, a rapidly developing coastal state, has introduced significant legal reforms to address plastic leakage; however, the extent to which its national framework aligns with emerging international norms remains unclear. This study examines Vietnam’s legal preparedness by analysing the consistency between domestic laws—particularly the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection and the National Action Plan on Marine Plastic Debris—and global regulatory directions articulated under UNCLOS, MARPOL, the Basel Convention, and ongoing treaty negotiations. Using a qualitative case-study methodology, the research integrates doctrinal legal analysis, comparative policy review, and assessment of secondary empirical materials to identify strengths, weaknesses, and harmonisation needs. The findings reveal notable progress in Vietnam’s adoption of extended producer responsibility and its engagement in regional cooperation, yet highlight persistent gaps in upstream regulation, institutional coordination, monitoring capacity, and transboundary waste governance. These gaps indicate partial but incomplete alignment with the lifecycle-based approaches emerging globally. The study concludes that Vietnam must undertake deeper structural reforms to meet future treaty obligations and to strengthen the coherence and effectiveness of its marine-plastic governance. Enhanced coordination, improved monitoring systems, and broader circular-economy measures will be essential for full harmonisation with evolving international standards.

Biobased materials are increasingly being developed to replace petroleum-derived counterparts as renewable, recyclable, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly packaging products. This review focuses on starch-based biopolymers, given their abundance in the global supply chain and their potential to produce high-barrier, mechanically robust composites, films, and coatings. The barrier and mechanical performance of starch-based materials is critically examined, with emphasis on structure-property relationships. Key physical and chemical modification strategies used to overcome the inherent limitations of native starch are discussed, with a particular focus on citric acid crosslinking as a scalable and environmentally friendly approach for enhancing barrier performance in commercial packaging applications. Crosslinking starch with citric acid, a naturally derived multifunctional carboxylic acid, significantly improves the physical, chemical, morphological, thermal, crystalline, and hydrophobic properties of starch films and coatings. Optimal performance is achieved through precise control of processing parameters, including pH, temperature, citric acid concentration, plasticizer levels, and curing conditions. Importantly, citric acid crosslinking imparts enhanced structural stability while preserving the recyclability, compostability, and biodegradability of starch-based materials, consistent with green chemistry principles. Overall, this review highlights citric acid-crosslinked starch as a promising platform for circular packaging solutions aligned with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks and European Union (EU) regulatory requirements.

Cigarette butts constitute the most ubiquitous plastic litter worldwide, serving as a persistent source of microplastic fibers and toxic chemical leachates in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Primarily made of cellulose acetate, discarded butts degrade slowly via physicochemical processes, liberating cigarette butt-derived microplastics alongside hazardous additives such as nicotine, heavy metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. This PRISMA-guided narrative review consolidates evidence on the environmental prevalence, transport, and fate of these microplastics, rigorously appraises progress in analytical detection methods, and evaluates their ecotoxicological impacts across food web levels. Studies reveal induction of behavioral changes, elevated mortality, and bioaccumulation in aquatic species, with particles functioning as carriers for persistent organic contaminants and metals. The review also addresses the considerable economic costs of cigarette butt pollution and scrutinizes mitigation options, including cutting-edge removal techniques, extended producer responsibility schemes, and circular-economy pathways such as cellulose acetate reclamation and composite sorbent fabrication. Persistent gaps exist in long-term degradation patterns, realistic exposure limits, and practical remediation efficacy, necessitating focused research to support evidence-based policies and sustainable waste management.

This review provides a systematic synthesis of 90 studies on microplastic (MP) pollution in Vietnam published between 2016 and 2024. The primary objective is to establish a comprehensive baseline of MP occurrence, characteristics, and ecological risks. Employing a multi-database search strategy, we evaluated MP distribution across atmospheric, terrestrial, and aquatic compartments, as well as within diverse biota. The findings reveal widespread contamination, dominated by fibers and fragments that serve as a "material footprint" of Vietnam's key economic sectors-specifically textiles, fisheries, and packaging-alongside systemic waste management gaps. Secondary particles prevail, confirming that leakage from mismanaged land-based waste is the primary pollution pathway. Comparative analysis indicates that MP concentrations in urban and industrial hotspots often exceed global averages. Notably, polymer risk assessments highlight that rural agricultural soils in the North and coastal environments face elevated toxicological risks due to hazardous polymers like PVC and PU. Furthermore, the review identifies a significant research bias toward urban aquatic environments, revealing critical data gaps in rural soil and atmospheric systems. To address this crisis, an integrated strategy is proposed, combining the standardization of sampling protocols, rigorous implementation of extended producer responsibility (EPR), and enhanced wastewater treatment infrastructure to foster a circular economy and mitigate systemic environmental risks. This synthesis provides a vital framework for evidence-based mitigation and future research toward sustainable plastic management in Vietnam.

Abstract The accelerating consumption of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) has led to rapid growth in waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), which is currently the fastest-growing waste stream worldwide. E-waste contains valuable resources such as gold, copper, and rare earth elements, but also hazardous substances including lead and cadmium, making its sustainable management a critical environmental and economic challenge. This study applies a PRISMA-guided systematic review of 122 peer-reviewed studies (2014–2024) combined with quantitative analysis of e-waste generation, material recovery potential, life-cycle environmental impacts, and techno-economic feasibility for the Indian context. Globally, e-waste generation reached approximately 62 Mt in 2022, yet less than half was formally recycled, leaving an estimated USD 45 billion in recoverable materials unreclaimed annually. In India, approximately 4.14 Mt of e-waste was generated in 2022, yet only about 1.4% entered formal recycling systems. Population-scaled estimates indicate that Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh together account for nearly 45% of India’s total e-waste generation. Material composition analysis indicated a potential recovery of approximately 57,000 tonnes of critical and precious metals, with an estimated market value of USD 4.9 billion. Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) revealed environmental trade-offs between recycling pathways: pyrometallurgical recovery emitted about 25% more greenhouse gases but required 18% less energy than hydrometallurgical processing. Techno-economic evaluation using Net Present Value (NPV) and Benefit–Cost Ratio (BCR) indicators showed stronger financial feasibility for hydrometallurgical recovery, with an estimated national NPV of USD 1.2 billion and a BCR of 1.45 under baseline assumptions. The findings suggest that hydrometallurgical or hybrid recovery strategies, supported by stronger Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) enforcement, integration of informal recycling actors, and investment in advanced recycling infrastructure, could significantly enhance resource recovery while reducing environmental impacts, thereby supporting the transition toward a circular economy-based e-waste management system in India. The results represent comparative assessments based on published datasets and secondary sources and therefore highlight general trends and policy implications rather than exact national operational estimates. Graphical Abstract

This paper examines the regulatory mechanisms required to advance circular economy solutions amid the escalating crisis in technology critical minerals (TCMs). The paper's analysis focuses on extended producer responsibility (EPR), evaluating its effectiveness in delivering circularity and exploring how it can be adapted to address new materials challenges raised by the technology transition. Spiralling demand for TCMs, vital for green technologies and other digital and defence sectors, has intensified global trade and tariff tensions while also leading to significant negative environmental impacts. Establishing a TCM circular economy is therefore essential to secure these valuable resources and mitigate the risks of the technology revolution. Drawing on EPR and circular economy theory, this research identifies several challenges that limit the power of EPR to achieve TCM circularity. These include the product-specific and recycling-focused orientation of EPR regulation, collective rather than individual producer responsibilities and weak enforcement mechanisms. Building on this analysis, the paper offers specific recommendations to strengthen EPR and harness its full potential in resolving the TCM crisis.

This article examines the integrated package mechanisms of the circular economy from both theoretical and practical perspectives. It focuses on the coordination of economic, environmental, and institutional instruments as a unified system to enhance resource efficiency, reduce waste, and optimize recycling processes. The study analyzes the combined effects of financial incentives, tax instruments, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), green investments, and public policy. The findings highlight the advantages of integrated approaches and justify their applicability in national economic systems

This article presented a systematic literature review (SLR) to examine the role of local government in the cross-sectoral integration of waste management in the Special Capital Region of Jakarta. Waste management in Jakarta evolved into a complex governance issue involving public services, environmental health, spatial planning, and aquatic pollution control. This study synthesized scientific publications and policy documents published over the previous ten years using a structured review approach. The findings revealed that local governments performed four main roles: regulatory, coordinative, service delivery, and supervisory/accountability. However, policy implementation remained predominantly oriented toward downstream treatment rather than source reduction. Key policy instruments identified included plastic restriction regulations, extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes, community-based initiatives such as waste banks, and the development of waste processing infrastructure, including refuse-derived fuel (RDF) facilities. Major constraints included limited institutional capacity, weak inter-agency coordination, inconsistent enforcement, and low public compliance. The review highlighted that strengthening cross-sectoral integration required a strategic shift toward measurable source reduction, optimization of economic instruments and EPR mechanisms, integration of land-based waste management with marine litter prevention, and the development of data-driven monitoring systems to support sustainable metropolitan governance.

Purpose: This cross-jurisdictional review examines the divergence and convergence of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) governance in two jurisdictions, Liberia, West Africa, and the state of Florida, USA, with the aim of identifying governance design features that drive compliance gaps and transferable lessons for policy reform in lower-income country settings. Methodology: The review employs a systematic comparative literature review organised around the integrated solid waste management (ISWM) framework and supplemented by the Governance Analytical Framework (GAF) and New Institutional Economics theory. Evidence was drawn from peer-reviewed journal articles, World Bank and United Nations assessments, national and state regulatory documents, and grey literature from non-governmental organisations. Literature was identified through systematic searches of Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed, covering the period 2000 to 2025. Analysis was structured across five governance dimensions: legislative coherence, institutional capacity, compliance monitoring, enforcement, and public participation. Findings: Liberia's MSWM system is characterised by fragmented legislation, limited enforcement infrastructure, the absence of Polluter Pays and Extended Producer Responsibility mechanisms, and a persistent policy-to-practice gap between formal regulatory commitments and operational realities. Florida's system, anchored in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and administered through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, demonstrates more coherent regulatory architecture and graduated compliance mechanisms. Florida's governance framework is significantly shaped by groundwater and aquifer protection imperatives, providing a sharp structural contrast to Liberia's documented pattern of disposal into swamplands, waterways, and vacant lots. Documented inequities in enforcement, Consent Order fatigue, and preemption laws limiting local environmental justice protections indicate that formal regulatory strength does not automatically produce equitable outcomes in mature systems either. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The review identifies five transferable governance principles for Liberia: legislative consolidation with implementing regulations, county-level institutional investment, graduated enforcement pathways, formal integration of community-based and informal sector actors into governance frameworks, and a leapfrog digital monitoring strategy suited to mobile infrastructure rather than replication of complex data systems. The review argues that the governance gap separating high- and lower-income country MSWM systems is, at its core, a governance design problem as much as a resource problem.

Microplastics are ubiquitous in the aquatic environment of Bangladesh. Microplastics are thought to pose a major risk for aquatic ecosystems (i.e inland water bodies and marine ecosystem). Concern has been extremely raised by the microplastics contamination of marine habitats and inland water bodies. Microplastics from untreated industrial waste disposal, household plastic trash, sewage sludge, soil accumulation, shipbreaking plastic debris, fishing nets, and other sources are present in the inland and marine habitats of Bangladesh. The study determines the overall risk of microplastic contamination in the aquatic ecosystems of Bangladesh. The study identifies institutional shortcomings and gaps in national and international legislation to address the microplastics contamination. The study recommends implementing a ‘Good-Faith Cooperation’ strategy among the neighbouring coastal states to control micoplastics pollution in the Bay of Bengal as the contamination in the marine ecosystem is transboundary in nature. To curb marine microplastics pollution, strict adherence to a number of international laws, such as UNCLOS, MARPOL, Annex V of MARPOL is required by Bangladesh. Furthermore, it is suggested to modify the existing domestic legal mechanisms such as precautionary measures should be preferred to remedial measures in order to address the irreparable loss caused by microplastics in the aquatic environment of Bangladesh. Comprehensive rules on ‘Extended Producer Responsibility’ should be implemented in order to hold plastics manufacturers accountable. Sanctions based legislations alone are not adequate to deal with the issues. The Government of Bangladesh should offer fiscal incentives for the installation of effluent treatment plant to dispose of industrial plastic waste water that later fragments into microplastics. Doctrinal method is followed to develop the theoretical premise of legal implications of microplastics in the aquatic eco-systems. The scope of the study is inland water bodies and marine habitats of Bangladesh.