With more than 430 million tons of plastic generated annually as of 2023 and estimates indicating this number could double by 2050, plastic pollution has become a serious worldwide environmental concern. Only 9% of plastic worldwide is successfully recycled, indicating that the pervasiveness of single-use plastics, especially in packaging, has resulted in an unsustainable trash accumulation. The remainder causes extensive environmental deterioration, endangering aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and presenting major health risks to both people and wildlife. Since micro-plastics are so common and have the ability to go into the food chain, they worsen pollution even more. Micro-plastics are created when larger plastics break down. Conventional disposal techniques including mechanical recycling, incineration, and land-filling are still insufficient. Land-filling is economical, but it takes up space and endangers groundwater and soil. While burning produces energy, it also releases dangerous pollutants. Mechanical recycling is limited in its applicability to mixed polymers and suffers from quality degradation.  This study examines new scientific developments, such as microbial and enzymatic biodegradation, that address these constraints. Although scalability and environmental dependencies continue to be major obstacles, microorganisms and synthetic enzymes have the potential to convert plastic waste into innocuous byproducts. Enzyme engineering techniques like protein engineering, directed evolution, and enzyme immobilization show promise in enhancing degradation efficiency. Furthermore, by turning plastics back into monomers or fuels, sophisticated recycling techniques like pyrolysis, gasification, and chemical depolymerization have closed-loop possibilities. Automated plastic sorting and classification, which increases productivity, accuracy, and lowers contamination in recycling processes, currently heavily relies on AI and robotics.  Despite advancements in technology, obstacles still exist. Widespread adoption is hampered by issues with economic feasibility, high energy requirements, contamination, and inadequate infrastructure, particularly in developing countries. The problem is made more difficult by misunderstandings held by the public, uneven labeling, and a lack of policy backing. In the end, combating plastic pollution requires an integrated strategy that incorporates innovation, public education, regulatory reform, and the ideas of the circular economy. This review underscores the need for continued interdisciplinary research, investment, and collaboration across sectors to transition from a linear plastic economy to a sustainable, closed-loop model that minimizes environmental and health impacts.