This paper highlights the complexity and urgency of addressing plastic pollution, drawing attention to the environmental challenges posed by improperly discarded plastics. Petroleum-based plastic polymers, with their remarkable range of physical properties, have revolutionized industries worldwide. Their versatility—from flexible to rigid and hydrophilic to hydrophobic—has fueled an ever-growing demand. However, their versatility has also contributed to a massive global waste problem as plastics pervade virtually every ecosystem, from the depths of oceans to the most remote terrestrial landscapes. Plastic pollution manifests not just as visible waste—such as fishing nets, bottles, and garbage bags—but also as microplastics, infiltrating food chains and freshwater sources. This crisis is exacerbated by the unsustainable linear model of plastic production and consumption, which prioritizes convenience over long-term environmental health. The mismanagement of plastic waste not only pollutes ecosystems but also releases greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide during degradation and incineration, thereby complicating efforts to achieve global climate and sustainability goals. Given that mechanical recycling only addresses a fraction of macroplastics, innovative approaches are needed to improve this process. Methods like pyrolysis and hydrogenolysis offer promising solutions by enabling the chemical transformation and depolymerization of plastics into reusable materials or valuable chemical feedstocks. These advanced recycling methods can support a circular economy by reducing waste and creating high-value products. In this article, the focus on pyrolysis and hydrogenolysis underscores the need to move beyond traditional recycling. These methods exemplify the potential for science and technology to mitigate plastic pollution while aligning with sustainability objectives. Recent advances in the pyrolysis and hydrogenolysis of polyolefins focus on their potential for advanced recycling, breaking down plastics at a molecular level to create feedstocks for new products or fuels. Pyrolysis produces pyrolysis oil and syngas, with applications in renewable energy and chemicals. However, some challenges of this process include scalability, feedstock variety, and standardization, as well as environmental concerns about emissions. Companies like Shell and ExxonMobil are investing heavily to overcome these barriers and improve recycling efficiencies. By leveraging these transformative strategies, we can reimagine the lifecycle of plastics and address one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. This review updates the knowledge of the fields of pyrolysis and hydrogenolysis of plastics derived from polyolefins based on the most recent works available in the literature, highlighting the techniques used, the types of products obtained, and the highest yields.

Micro- and nanoplastic (MNP) particles are constantly formed through plastic fragmentation by sunlight, friction, or oxidation. MNPs potentialize health risks when entering the human body by ingestion, infusion, inhalation, and skin absorption. Still, the translocation among intracellular compartments must also be considered because MNPs can reach the circulatory system and be found in virtually all body fluids, tissues, and organs, potentially causing significant health impacts. The ability of MNPs to interact with macromolecules and cause damage to intracellular structures results in several physiopathological conditions, such as inflammation, oxidative imbalance, apoptosis, and carcinogenesis. One major challenge in MNP research is the development of reliable detection and quantification methods and effective sample separation processes. Although there is evidence directly linking MNPs to heart disease, the same cannot be said for diseases such as cancer, respiratory conditions, and reproductive system disorders. Therefore, the impact of MNPs on human health was examined, and a careful evaluation of their effects was carried out. We reviewed the extensive scientific literature from the past years, focusing on exposure, aging, interactions, and effects on entering MNPs into human metabolism and the physiological systems, which makes these particles particularly hazardous.

This review explores both the positive and negative impacts of chemistry on society, focusing on the intersection between pharmaceutical, natural, and synthetic chemicals. On the one hand, drugs developed through medicinal chemistry have saved lives, improved people’s quality of life, and increased longevity. However, they also pose risks, including fatalities and environmental damage. Pharmaceutical chemistry has revolutionized medical practice by enabling the treatment and cure of fatal or debilitating diseases, significantly contributing to the rise in global life expectancy through the research and development of new bioactive substances. This article also highlights the harmful effects of toxic synthetic substances, which negatively impact human health and the environment, affecting plants, animals, air, water, soil, and food.

The classic definition of sustainability, disclosed by international organizations, highlights the ability of human actions to meet the present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. However, sustainability is, in fact, a multidimensional space that covers several important areas for health and the environment. This is because, for millennia, the medicine of traditional peoples is interconnected with nature. The destruction of forests often brings conflicts for land, resources and cultural survival. Another aspect to be considered is that herbal medicine is a sustainable action that is inserted in the dimension of sustainability space. Thus, the purpose of this article is to present, discuss and analyze the contribution of herbal medicines to sustainability, to consider the interdependence between the environmental, social and economic dimensions.

Plastic polymers derived from petroleum exhibit diverse physical properties, ranging from flexible to rigid, permeable to impermeable, and hydrophilic to hydrophobic. However, when discarded improperly, they become a significant problem. Plastic pollution poses a threat to the planet, affecting various ecosystems, including terrestrial environments, rivers, lakes, oceans, and underground freshwater sources. These ecosystems are polluted with ropes, fishing nets, syringes, plastic bottles, and garbage bags. This issue is closely linked to the incredible versatility of these materials, whose continuous growth in production is driven by their market value. The current linear production and consumption of plastics are unsustainable and result in excessive waste. This waste is poorly managed, leading to pollution and carbon dioxide emissions that undermine global climate goals and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While some macroplastics are mechanically recycled, others are incinerated, and a significant portion ends up in the environment. Strategies for transforming and depolymerizing plastics offer potential pathways for future reuse. In this article, we explore the latest alternatives for the transformation and depolymerization of macroplastics through processes such as pyrolysis and hydrogenolysis.

Micro- and nanoplastic particles (MNPs) are constantly formed through macroplastic fragmentation by sunlight, friction, or oxidation. MNPs potentialize the health risks en-tering the human body by ingestion, infusion, inhalation, and skin absorption. Still, the translocation among intracellular compartments must also be considered because MNPs can reach the circulatory system and be found in virtually all body fluids, tissues, and organs, potentially causing significant health impacts. The ability of MNPs to interact with macromolecules and cause damage to intracellular structures results in several physiopathological conditions, such as inflammation, oxidative imbalance, apoptosis and carcinogenesis. One major challenge in MNPs research is the development of reliable detection and quantification methods and effective sample separation processes. Alt-hough there is evidence directly linking MNPs to heart disease, the same cannot be said for diseases such as cancer, respiratory conditions and reproductive system disorders. Therefore, the impact of MNPs on human health and evaluate their effects on human health. We reviewed extensive scientific literature from the past years, focusing on ex-posure, aging, interactions and effects on entering MNPs into human metabolism and the physiological systems, which makes these particles particularly hazardous.