Plastics are popular synthetic materials due to their advantageous properties, such as low density and high durability, which have led to their increased use in multiple applications. Either in larger or smaller sizes, known as microplastics and nanoplastics, plastics are continuously released to the environment, where they accumulate due to their resistance to degradation. For this reason, plastics now contaminate virtually every ecosystem on the planet, being considered a marker for the Anthropocene. The accumulation of plastics in the environment can have negative effects on organisms and ecosystems directly through toxicity, or indirectly through habitat changes. Most of this contamination originates from an unsustainable use and management of plastics, from production to consumption and disposal, which needs to be restructured in the context of a circular economy. This Special Issue invites novel contributions in the form of critical reviews and research papers to address all aspects of plastics, such as: (i) strategies or technologies to improve the production, use, and waste management of plastics; (ii) analytical methods for the assessment of micro/nanoplastics; (iii) concentrations and characteristics of micro/nanoplastics in the environment; (iv) ecotoxicological or abiotic effects of micro/nanoplastics; (v) the role of micro/nanoplastics as vectors of contaminants and pathogens. This Special Issue also welcomes contributions regarding changes in plastics policies, consumption, incorrect disposal, and waste management during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Keywords: plastics; plastic pollution; microplastics; nanoplastics; waste management; mitigation strategies; ecotoxicology; human health.