Sudha Goel

This webinar brings together two internationally recognized scholars, **Dr. Sudha Goel** and **Dr. Roberto Rinaldi** whose work contributes to advancing circularity across technological, industrial and societal systems. Although circular economy principles are widely promoted, their practical implementation requires interdisciplinary collaboration and evidence‑based strategies that address material flows, technological constraints and governance structures. Dr. Sudha Goel, Professor of Civil Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India specializes in water quality, waste management and sustainable infrastructure, with a strong focus on resource‑efficient systems in rapidly urbanizing contexts. Dr. Roberto Rinaldi, Associate Professor of Sustainable Chemistry at Imperial College, London, UK is known for his pioneering research on lignocellulosic biomass, catalytic transformations and the development of sustainable materials. Their talks will explore how transitions in product design, production processes and policy frameworks can support the shift toward more circular and resource‑efficient systems. The discussion will highlight the importance of interdisciplinary research, technological innovation and governance mechanisms in enabling more sustainable patterns of production and consumption. This session forms part of a broader webinar series dedicated to advancing knowledge and practice related to responsible production and consumption. This webinar is part of the ongoing SDG Talks series curated by the **SDG 12 Working Group**, under the overarching theme **“Sustainable Industries for SDG 12.”** The series highlights critical dimensions of sustainable practices across diverse sectors, showing innovative approaches to responsible production, consumption, and systemic transformation.

Open dumpsites in developing countries constitute a critical nexus of plastic contamination and microbial ecology. However, the mechanistic interplay between polymer density-driven stratification and niche-specific microbial adaptation remains unexplored. This study presents the first integrated metagenomic investigation linking density-mediated plastic segregation to depth-stratified microbial community assembly and metabolic functionality in a tropical open dumpsite. Depth profiling revealed that low-density polyethylene dominated the layers closer to the surface, whereas polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate were concentrated in the bottom layers. A stratification pattern was subsequently detected in adjacent soil microplastic profiles, indicating density-dependent dispersal mechanisms. Metagenomic sequencing revealed distinct microbial niches aligned with plastic layers: surface zones favoured aerobic Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, whereas anoxic depths enriched anaerobic taxa and pathways for methane metabolism, alternative carbon fixation, and dissimilatory processes. These findings highlight plastic density as an important driver of vertical microplastic migration and indigenous microbial community structuring, informing predictive modelling of contamination risk trajectories and the design of depth-targeted bioremediation strategies using adapted native consortia. This work advances fundamental understanding of density-driven ecological structuring in anthropogenic waste systems while providing an evidence-based framework for optimizing site-specific waste stabilization and developing indigenous microbial solutions for plastic remediation in regions dependent on uncontrolled dumping.

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging contaminants of concern due to their ubiquitous presence in aquatic environments and their ability to adsorb, transport, and rerelease other contaminants.

Microplastic (MP) pollution in freshwater systems has emerged as a pressing environmental concern, yet our efforts on prioritizing key pathways remain obscure. WWTP effluents and stormwater runoff were prioritized as high-risk pathways while laundry and littering as low-risk.