Microplastics: A Review of Policies and Responses

Although (micro)plastic contamination is a worldwide concern, most scientific literature only restates that issue rather than presenting strategies to cope with it. This critical review assembles the current knowledge on policies and responses tackle plastic pollution, including peer-reviewed literature, gray relevant reports provide: (1) timeline of directly or indirectly addressing microplastics; (2) up-to-date upstream prevent microplastics such as circular economy, behavioral change, development bio-based polymers market-based instruments well source-specific strategies, focusing clothing industry, tire road wear particles, antifouling paints recreational activities; (3) set downstream tackling microplastics, waste energy, degradation, water treatment plants litter clean-up strategies; examples (4) multifaceted focused both mitigating preventing e.g., approaches implemented in fisheries aquaculture facilities. Preventive are postulated pivotal handling exacerbated release environment, while stand out auxiliary chief responses. The information gathered here bridges gaps pollution by providing synthesized baseline material for further studies this environmental issue.