Investigation of Prevailing Directives Regarding Microplastic Pollution: Research Gaps and Recent Advancements

Any type of plastic fragments of less than 5 mm of unit dimension are categorized as microplastics (MPs). Unrestrained human activities, coupled with inadequate plastic waste management and urban wastewater discharge, have fueled the proliferation of MPs on land as well as in the water environment. Their high stability, prolonged residence time, and capacity for absorption in organisms have long-term ecological consequences, disrupting food chains and eventually endangering human health by oral ingestion and inhalation. On a global scale, the fragmentation of disposed plastics, washing synthetic cloths, and scraping vehicle tires are significant sources of MP release in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. However, these potent sources are mostly outside the prevailing policy framework for curtailing microplastic pollution. Mitigation efforts must prioritize source reduction, prevention of industrial emissions, eco-friendly cleanup technologies and improvement of wastewater treatment, reuse and recycling of products, and the development of effective policies. However, the challenges lie in the tiny size and dispersal of MPs. This chapter delves into the sources and threats of MPs, ecological implications, and remediation strategies, prevailing policies for the elimination of MPs, and future recommendations in policy developments while principally highlighting research gaps and recent advancements in this sector.