Enhanced plastic economy: a perspective and a call for international action

Tang, Kuok Ho Daniel

doi:10.1039/d3va00057e

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…The guide may capture the elements of circular economy by incorporating aspects related to more efficient use of resources from the design to the end-of-life management of a product or from the inception to the delivery/ commissioning/ decommissioning of a service or project. This could contribute to waste minimization and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions [39,40]. The guide may also promote human rights reporting through explicitly including the relevant indicators.…”

Section: Aspects Of Disclosurementioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Regulatory Frameworks: Their Implications on Malaysia

Tang

2023

Trop. Aqua. Soil Pollut.

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The increasing emphasis on sustainability has led many nations to introduce ESG-related regulatory frameworks. These frameworks aim to regulate and guide financial investments based on the ESG performance of companies while ensuring transparency to prevent the manipulation of sustainability-related information concerning investment products. This article reviews the regulatory and disclosure frameworks implemented in different nations and regions to identify their key components. The review reveals that these regulatory frameworks capture the environmental aspects encompassing climate change adaptation and mitigation, identification, evaluation and management of climate risks, circular economy practices, and pollution prevention. They also cover the social aspects, which include community development, employee welfare, and human rights. Additionally, governance aspects comprising anti-corruption measures, diversity within company boards and management, and the implementation of due diligence were included. The increased emphasis on transparency underscores the importance of disclosure. In this regard, the disclosure frameworks largely align with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, which cover governance, strategies for identifying and assessing risks and opportunities, their impacts on a company's finances and operations, resilience-building through scenario analyses, risk management integration with the overall organizational risk management, and the use of metrics and targets to measure performance. Malaysia could benefit from adopting comprehensive regulatory and disclosure frameworks that address ESG holistically, with elements related to the circular economy and dual materiality included in the frameworks. Future studies could focus on standardizing the development of metrics and targets to facilitate performance comparisons.

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Section: Aspects Of Disclosurementioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Regulatory Frameworks: Their Implications on Malaysia

Tang

2023

Trop. Aqua. Soil Pollut.

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“…Plastics are widely used in many sectors and everyday life because they are durable, lightweight, and affordable. This widespread use results in a significant release of plastic waste into the environment [1,2]. Currently, the majority of the world's plastic materials derive from eight primary polymers, with polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) making up 45% of these polymer outputs [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microplastics and Antibiotics in Aquatic Environments: A Review of Their Interactions and Ecotoxicological Implications

Tang

2024

Trop. Aqua. Soil Pollut.

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Microplastics and antibiotics are two significant emerging pollutants found together in water bodies, raising concerns about their mutual effects. This review delves into how microplastics and antibiotics interact in aqueous environments and the ecotoxicological implications of such interactions, particularly the bioavailability of antibiotics and the prevalence of antibiotic-resistance genes. It outlines that antibiotics attach to microplastics primarily through hydrophobic, hydrogen-bonding, and electrostatic interactions. Other bonds, comprising halogen bonding, cation−π interaction, and negative charge-assisted hydrogen bonds, may also be involved to better explain antibiotic adsorption patterns. The adsorption of antibiotics to microplastics often follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and in some instances, the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The common adsorption isotherms governing this interaction are the linear and Freundlich models. Microplastics may increase the biodegradation of adsorbed antibiotics due to the presence of antibiotic-degrading bacteria in the biofilms. They could also hamper direct photodegradation but facilitate indirect photodegradation of adsorbed antibiotics. However, their photodegradative effect remains inconclusive. Microplastics and antibiotics exhibit significant toxicity to algae, while their effects on fish and daphnia are less noticeable, suggesting that their combination does not pose an immediate threat to the well-being and proliferation of larger aquatic organisms. In some instances, microplastics reduce the deleterious effects of antibiotics on aquatic life. Microplastics serve as catalysts for gene transfer, enhancing the propagation of antibiotic-resistance genes in these ecosystems. This review underscores the importance of understanding the regulatory mechanisms of microplastics on antibiotic-resistance gene diversity, particularly at the gene expression level.

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“…While it is uncertain how MPs could affect human health, a study using a human adenocarcinoma cell line found polystyrene (PS) MPs to be weakly embryotoxic [17]. Therefore, in addition to MPs removal, it is equally important to ensure plastic waste is properly reduced and managed and environmentally friendly plastic substitutes are developed to minimize the consumption of conventional plastics, hence the volume of waste generated [18,19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phytoremediation of Microplastics: A Perspective on Its Practicality

Tang

2023

Ind. Domest. Waste Manag.

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Microplastics have permeated all parts of the environment, rendering their removal essential. Numerous strategies ranging from the physical removal of mismanaged plastic items to the biodegradation of microplastics with microorganisms and biocatalysts have been proposed to alleviate microplastic pollution. Phytoremediation is one of the plastic-removing strategies, but it has not received much attention. This perspective paper aims to review the phytoremediation of microplastics and discuss its practicality. The paper shows that plants could act as interceptors and a temporary sink of microplastics by facilitating their deposition, adsorbing them, trapping them in the root zone, enabling them to cluster on the roots, taking them up, translocating them, and accumulating them in various plant parts. However, there was a lack of evidence pointing to the degradation of microplastics after they were adsorbed, taken up, and stored. Weak adsorption and environmental factors may cause the trapped microplastics to desorb, resuspend, or evade, thus also making plants a source of microplastics. The microplastics trapped and accumulated in plants may be transferred to the higher trophic levels of the food chain through ingestion and raise concerns over their ecotoxicities. Unlike localized pollution, microplastic pollution is widespread, which limits the applicability of phytoremediation. Besides, microplastics could adversely impact plant health and the ability of plants to remove other environmental pollutants. These drawbacks may reduce the attractiveness of phytoremediation unless it can be effectively combined with bioremediation to degrade microplastics.

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Enhanced plastic economy: a perspective and a call for international action

Abstract: The current plastic circular economy lacks a uniform framework. It overfocuses on recycling, reuse and energy recovery. An enhanced plastic economy drives innovation and concerted effort in reducing plastic pollution and waste management.

Cited by 11 publications

References 39 publications

A Review of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Regulatory Frameworks: Their Implications on Malaysia

A Review of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Regulatory Frameworks: Their Implications on Malaysia

Microplastics and Antibiotics in Aquatic Environments: A Review of Their Interactions and Ecotoxicological Implications

Phytoremediation of Microplastics: A Perspective on Its Practicality

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