Plastamination, Human Health, and Countries’ Cultural Orientation: An Exploratory Study on Prevention Strategies and Organizational Policies and Practices

Highlights: Public health relevance—How does this work relate to a public health issue? According to the World Health Organization, “health risks exist at all stages of the plastic lifecycle, from production and use to recycling and disposal, as well as from legacy plastics in the environment”. Plastic contamination (plastamination) and exposure to plastic debris in the micro and nano-range by ingestion, dermal contact or inhalation is inevitable, and the related health risks concern its intrinsic toxicity, accumulation in biological tissue and function as a vector for other contaminants like heavy metals, plasticizers and so on. Public health significance—Why is this work of significance to public health? This study examines plastamination through a broad and integrated approach, combining biological, medical, engineering, managerial and cultural perspectives, in order to offer a systematic and multidimensional reading of the phenomenon. This approach will be useful for the definition of strategies and policies for the mitigation of plastamination and the preservation of both environment and human health. Public health implications—What are the key implications or messages for practitioners, policy makers and/or researchers in public health? The study offers an innovative contribution to the understanding of plastamination and to the definition of multidimensional intervention strategies and policies to address one of the most pressing challenges of our time. This study provides interesting suggestions about the possible influence of cultural and social contexts on effective organizational and policy solutions to foster plastamination also supported by technological innovation. In recent decades, the increasingly widespread diffusion of plastic contamination (plastamination) has attracted growing attention from both the scientific and public community due to its harmful effects on human health and environmental balance. Several studies have highlighted a link between exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics and the onset of central nervous system problems, impaired reproductive function, altered liver metabolism, dysbiosis and other chronic diseases. At the same time, research has highlighted how plastamination negatively impacts natural ecosystems, accelerating biodiversity loss and compromising the stability of the planet. Faced with these critical issues, scientific and professional debate has progressively shifted toward defining effective and sustainable strategies, often based on innovative technologies, aimed at limiting the overall impact of this global phenomenon. This study, consisting of a systematic literature review through a bibliometric analysis in the Web of Science database (1974–June 2025), aims to examine plastamination through a broad and integrated approach, combining biological, medical, engineering, managerial and cultural perspectives, to offer a systematic and multidimensional reading of the problem. Preliminary findings underscore the importance of an integrated vision that brings together technology, culture, society, and medicine, emphasizing the need for shared global policies and collective responsibility. The study thus aims to offer an innovative contribution to the understanding of plastamination and to the definition of multidimensional intervention strategies to address one of the most pressing challenges of our time.