TY - JOUR
T1 - Enabling a circular economy for chemicals in plastics
AU - Aurisano, Nicolò
AU - Weber, Roland
AU - Fantke, Peter
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Enabling a circular economy for plastics in Europe and beyond is an ambitious goal. To reach a fully closed loop, numerous challenges and knowledge gaps need to be overcome. This review provides a list of more than 6000 chemicals reported to be found in plastics and an overview of the challenges and gaps in assessing their impacts on the environment and human health along the life cycle of plastic products. We further identified 1518 plastic-related chemicals of concern, which should be prioritized for substitution by safer alternatives. At last, we propose five policy recommendations, including the need of a global and overarching regulatory framework for plastics and related chemicals, in support of a circular economy for plastics and of target 12.4 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
AB - Enabling a circular economy for plastics in Europe and beyond is an ambitious goal. To reach a fully closed loop, numerous challenges and knowledge gaps need to be overcome. This review provides a list of more than 6000 chemicals reported to be found in plastics and an overview of the challenges and gaps in assessing their impacts on the environment and human health along the life cycle of plastic products. We further identified 1518 plastic-related chemicals of concern, which should be prioritized for substitution by safer alternatives. At last, we propose five policy recommendations, including the need of a global and overarching regulatory framework for plastics and related chemicals, in support of a circular economy for plastics and of target 12.4 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
U2 - 10.1016/j.cogsc.2021.100513
DO - 10.1016/j.cogsc.2021.100513
M3 - Journal article
SN - 2452-2236
VL - 31
JO - Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry
JF - Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry
M1 - 100513
ER -
