Plastic Waste as Threat to Environmental Sustainability in Smart Cities: A Systematic Review of Extant Literature

Abstract

The objective of review of literature is to place a research project in an historical perspective so that unnecessary duplication can be avoided. In the present study, the concept of smart city has been first of all discovered as defined in the extant literature. Then the environmental concerns in smart cities as discussed in extant literature have been enumerated. Further, the importance of solid waste management as elaborated in extant literature has been reviewed. Finally, plastic waste and its contribution to solid waste in smart cities and socio economic impact of banning plastic bags in smart cities have been discovered. The main question that has arisen out of the review of extant literature on plastic waste as a threat to environmental sustainability in smart cities is: ‘what is the perception of population in a smart city towards consumption of polythene bags?’ There are however three more related questions which have been identified in the present study. There are a few research questions which have been identified from the extensive review of extant literature on plastic waste as threat to environmental sustainability in smart cities created a scope for further research in the subject. It is however proven from the present study that plastic waste is unquestionably a threat to sustainable environment which is a key characteristic of any smart city.