Holistic Plastic Pollution Solutions and Science-Based Policies

Plastic pollution has emerged as one of the defining environmental challenges of the twenty‑first century. While plastics underpin modern economies through their versatility and durability, their uncontrolled production and mismanagement have resulted in widespread contamination of rivers, coastal zones, mangroves, marine ecosystems, and even drinking water. Of particular concern is the presence of microplastics, now detected across environmental compartments, food systems, and biological tissues―with growing implications for ecosystem integrity and human health.

This edited volume delivers a timely, interdisciplinary examination of plastic and microplastic pollution across freshwater, coastal, and marine environments. Bringing together contributions from international experts, the book integrates environmental science, engineering, policy analysis, and emerging technologies to explore sources, pathways, distribution patterns, and impacts of plastic pollution across diverse geographic and socio‑economic contexts. The book also critically assesses advances in microplastic detection and monitoring, evaluates sustainable alternatives and recycling technologies, and highlights circular economy approaches.

Dr. Sandhya Babel is a distinguished professor at the School of Biochemical Engineering and Technology, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University, Thailand. Her main research focus has been on the development of low-cost technologies for environmental protection. Specific research interests include microplastics pollution and uptake by biota, microbial fuel cells, adsorption, photocatalysis, phytoremediation, waste valorization, and membrane technology. She has been listed amongst the top 2% scientists in the world by Stanford University and Elsevier BV since 2020. She is also listed as a highly ranked scholar by ScholarGPS.

Dr. Velma I Grover teaches at McMaster University, Canada. Her main research focus includes water and climate change issues. She has worked internationally on a wide range of water-related issues, ranging from capacity building in integrated water resources management, impact of climate change on the water cycle, trans-boundary lake basin management, integrating the supply of safe drinking water and sanitation to health and the reduction of poverty, and introducing good governance in Asia, Africa and North America.

Dr. Amila Abeynayaka is a sustainability assessment researcher at the Technical University of Denmark, specializing in plastics and microplastics in environmental systems. His work focuses on the full life cycle impacts of plastics and products, including their fate, exposure, and effects. His core competencies include research, training, project management, stakeholder engagement, and communication across both the Global South and North. He applies life cycle approaches to support science-based decision-making for governments, NGOs, and industry.