Challenges with microplastic pollution in the regime of UN sustainable development goals

Abstract

The growth of synthetic polymers has resulted in a significant rise in the manufacturing and use of plastics worldwide. Microplastics (MPs) may survive in the environment for very prolonged periods because of how slowly plastics degrade. Information on the importance of several potential entrance paths and the number of MPs entering the environment via numerous mediums is still needed. Numerous questions about the environmental consequences of MPs remain unsolved despite the enormous amount of research that has been carried out. It is still difficult to understand the true effects on a population exposed to several MPs with various structures, sizes, and shapes throughout a lifetime. Importantly, hazardous chemicals such as persistent organic pollutants could be deposited on the physical surface of MPs. As a result, it could be a localized source of environmental contamination or a pathway for harmful contaminants in the food chain, which has serious consequences for human health. This review emphasizes the various sources of MP pollution and its implications for aquatic, human health, and terrestrial ecosystems with respect to the legal implications of managing it under the canopy of the United Nations' sustainable development objectives.