About this Research Topic

Background

Plastic pollution has emerged as a significant global challenge, necessitating comprehensive approaches for mitigation and management. In response to this pressing issue, we should consider various mitigatory measures including plastic alternatives and substitutes Advancements in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies, particularly within the Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) modelling and Life Cycle Inventory (LCI), are crucial to make informed decisions on sustainable solutions for plastic pollution. Considering the complexities of plastic pollution across its entire life cycle, providing stakeholders with comprehensive and relevant information for decision-making needs contribution from both academia and the industry. The ongoing Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) process, often referred to as the "global plastic treaty," further underscores the urgency of addressing plastic pollution through collaborative and evidence-based approaches considering the entire life cycle of plastics, alternatives, and substitutes.

Moreover, the incorporation of LCA case studies is useful in offering real-world examples and empirical evidence of the environmental impacts associated with plastics and potential interventions. These case studies encompass a range of geographical regions, products, and industrial sectors, thereby highlighting the diverse challenges and opportunities in implementing environmentally sustainable practices and policies for plastic waste management.

Ultimately, this Research Topic underscores the critical role of LCA in informing evidence-based decision-making processes, particularly in the context of ongoing international initiatives such as the INC process aimed at developing comprehensive strategies to tackle plastic pollution. By synthesizing LCIA and LCI research, and case studies, this Research Topic aims to contribute to the development of effective and sustainable solutions for addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by plastic pollution on a global-to-local scale.

We welcome varying contributions, such as Original Research, Perspective, and Review papers among others. For a full list of article types accepted in Frontiers in Sustainability, please visit this link: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainability/for-authors/article-types

We welcome research on themes related to but not limited to:
- Methodological Advances in Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) for Plastic Pollution Analysis.
- Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) enhancements for products, polymers, additives and unintentionally added chemicals.
- Case Studies on plastics, alternatives (novel types of plastics), substitutes (non-plastic, i.e. nature-based), and system change.
- Policy Implications of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Findings for Plastic Pollution Regulation
- Case studies on Technological Innovations for Sustainable Plastic Waste Management
- Assessing the Ecological and Human Health Impacts of Microplastics and/or nano-plastics (using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a Decision Support Tool for Corporate Sustainability Initiatives Addressing Plastic Pollution

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Life cycle assessment (LCA), Material flow analysis (MFA), Plastic management, Sustainable industries, Science Policy Interface, Climate Change, Microplastic Impacts, Life Cycle Impact Assessment, Life Cycle Inventory, Trandisciplinary

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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