Earth and Environmental Science

Rapid population growth, industrialization, urbanization and economic development have resulted in increased plastic waste generation globally. Challenges related to mismanaged plastic waste and associated pollution due to macroplastics, microplastics and chemical pollution are closely interlinked. Plastics contain chemical additives and contaminants, and thus are carriers of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). To address this issue effectively, it is important to understand source of waste contribution, generation, transportation, and transformation. This contributed volume, which examines POPs primarily in the Indian context, focuses on a holistic insight into the domain of plastic pollution, assessment of the policy framework for managing POPs, fate of plastic waste, existing analytical and monitoring techniques of detecting macro and micro plastic in India and internationally. Further chapters detail the interlinkages of plastic and POPs and the associated health impacts, bestenvironmental practices (BEPs), Indian and international case studies, gaps in understanding the regulatory aspects.