Plastic Pollution, Waste Management Issues, and Circular Economy Opportunities in Rural Communities

Florin Mihai, Sedat Gündoğdu, Laura A. Markley, Arianna Olivelli, Farhan R. Khan, Claire Gwinnett, Jutta Gutberlet, Natalia Reyna-Bensusan, Paula Llanquileo-Melgarejo, Christia Meidiana, Sherien Elagroudy, Vitalii Ishchenko, Simon Penney, Zoe Lenkiewicz and Maria Molinos-Senante
Additional contact information
Sedat Gündoğdu: Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries, Cukurova University, Adana 01330, Turkey
Laura A. Markley: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
Arianna Olivelli: Department of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
Farhan R. Khan: Norwegian Research Centre (NORCE), Nygårdsporten 112, NO-5008 Bergen, Norway
Claire Gwinnett: Criminal Justice and Forensic Science Department, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2DE, UK
Jutta Gutberlet: Centre for Global Studies, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3060 STN CSC, Victoria, BC V8W 3R4, Canada
Natalia Reyna-Bensusan: Air Quality Consultants Ltd., Logika Group, London EC1N 822, UK
Paula Llanquileo-Melgarejo: Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna, Santiago 4860, Chile
Christia Meidiana: Department of Regional and Urban Planning, Faculty of Engineering, Brawijaya University, Malang 65145, Indonesia
Sherien Elagroudy: Egypt Solid Waste Management Center of Excellence, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11566, Egypt
Vitalii Ishchenko: Department of Ecology and Environmental Safety, Vinnytsia National Technical University, 21021 Vinnytsia, Ukraine
Simon Penney: Island Waste Management Global Alliance, Odessa, ON K0H 2H0, Canada
Zoe Lenkiewicz: WasteAid, Wye TN25 5BL, UK
Maria Molinos-Senante: Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna, Santiago 4860, Chile

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-48

Abstract: Rural areas are exposed to severe environmental pollution issues fed by industrial and agricultural activities combined with poor waste and sanitation management practices, struggling to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in line with Agenda 2030. Rural communities are examined through a “dual approach” as both contributors and receivers of plastic pollution leakage into the natural environment (through the air–water–soil–biota nexus). Despite the emerging trend of plastic pollution research, in this paper, we identify few studies investigating rural communities. Therefore, proxy analysis of peer-reviewed literature is required to outline the significant gaps related to plastic pollution and plastic waste management issues in rural regions. This work focuses on key stages such as (i) plastic pollution effects on rural communities, (ii) plastic pollution generated by rural communities, (iii) the development of a rural waste management sector in low- and middle-income countries in line with the SDGs, and (iv) circular economy opportunities to reduce plastic pollution in rural areas. We conclude that rural communities must be involved in both future plastic pollution and circular economy research to help decision makers reduce environmental and public health threats, and to catalyze circular initiatives in rural areas around the world, including less developed communities.

Keywords: plastic pollution; waste management; circular economy; rural areas; Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); microplastics; macroplastics; open burning; illegal dumping (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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