Journal profile · Polymer Science
Journal of Polymers and the Environment
ISSN 1566-2543 · eISSN 1572-8919 · SPRINGER · UNITED STATES · Monthly · Founded 2000
Journal of Polymers and the Environment: CAS Zone 3 · Engineering (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 5.53; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,090; median 113 days to acceptance (75 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 236 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
The journal's website announces a move to full open access: We are pleased to announce that Journal of Polymers and the Environment will become a fully open access (OA) on 1 January 2027. Source ↗Publisher website ·
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Journal of Polymers and the Environment is published by SPRINGER and is in Zone 3 of Engineering in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties, Nanocomposite Films for Food Packaging and Microplastics and Plastic Pollution, together about 39% of its articles. Its main subfields are Biomaterials and Polymers and Plastics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Announcement We are pleased to announce that Journal of Polymers and the Environment will become a fully open access (OA) on 1 January 2027. As a result, all submissions received from 8 September 2026 are subject to an article publication charge (APC) if accepted and published in the journal (unless a waiver is applied). Please see our FAQs which can be found at the bottom of this page for more information on APCs, funding options, waivers and the journal's transition to fully open access. The Journal of Polymers and the Environment serves as crucial source of information information from a wide range of disciplines published in original research articles, review articles or short communications.The topics include, but are not limited to degradation of polymers under different environmental conditions degradation pathways (biological, photochemical, oxidative and hydrolytic) environmental blends and composites recycling of polymeric materials new polymers/ blends/ composites derived from natural sources (chemical and biosynthetic routes) solid-waste management public legislation specific to environmental polymers and other related topics The published articles present characterization, production, and processing methods as well as testing methods for degradation and recycling processes. processing and reactive processing of polymers mechanical, physical thermal, rheological, morphological characterization environmental testing: in-laboratory simulations, outdoor exposures, and standardization of methodologies environmental fate: end products and intermediates of biodegradation microbiology and enzymology of polymer biodegradation
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Polymer Science
Editor-in-chief Kerry KirwanPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 1 in mainland China (about 10%); most named United Kingdom 4, United States 3, Mainland China 1, Italy 1, Malaysia 1 (10 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- biodegradable polymer synthesis and propertiesMaterials Science21.3%
- Nanocomposite Films for Food PackagingMaterials Science9.4%
- Microplastics and Plastic PollutionEnvironmental Science8.4%
- Natural Fiber Reinforced CompositesMaterials Science7%
- Electrospun Nanofibers in Biomedical ApplicationsMaterials Science5.5%
- Advanced Cellulose Research StudiesMaterials Science5.3%
- Adsorption and biosorption for pollutant removalEnvironmental Science5.1%
- Polymer composites and self-healingMaterials Science4%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Engineering Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Polymer Science | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Engineering, Environmental | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Engineering Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Engineering, Environmental | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Polymer Science | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Engineering Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Polymer Science | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Engineering, Environmental | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
EI CompendexCASCAB AbstractsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, AGRICOLA, Astrophysics Data System, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS, Semantic Scholar
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 5.53LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 5.6Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 5.6Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 10.9LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.83LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1LetPub ·
- h-index
- 64LetPub ·
- h-index
- 130OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 2,931OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 5.8OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 3.6%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 14.97%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 233LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 1,000,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 4,326 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 262 | 81 | 177 |
| 2025 | 236 | 59 | 983 |
| 2024 | 336 | 71 | 3,675 |
| 2023 | 400 | 62 | 6,760 |
| 2022 | 391 | 55 | 8,117 |
| 2021 | 361 | 40 | 11,724 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
113 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 91 days – 155 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 16 days (114 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 146 days
- Sample
- 75 articles with submission and acceptance dates (569 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- 4–8 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 7 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,090 / EUR 3,090 / GBP 2,690 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
Data availability statement required for all original research. Model summary
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Journal of Polymers and the Environment, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review
Reviewer suggestion/exclusion allowed at submission. Model summary
Authors are welcome to suggest suitable reviewers and/or request the exclusion of certain individuals when they submit their manuscripts.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- SPRINGER
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 2000
- ISSN
- 1566-2543
- Electronic ISSN
- 1572-8919
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Journal of Polymers and the Environment
What CAS zone is Journal of Polymers and the Environment in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Journal of Polymers and the Environment is in Zone 3 of Engineering, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Polymer Science / Engineering, Environmental. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Engineering. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Journal of Polymers and the Environment?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 5.53; CiteScore 10.9, h-index 130.
How long does peer review take at Journal of Polymers and the Environment?
Based on the dates recorded on 75 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 113 days (interquartile range 91–155 days); authors report an average review time of 4–8 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Journal of Polymers and the Environment?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Suggested reviewers: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Journal of Polymers and the Environment based?
Of the 10 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 1 (about 10%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United Kingdom (4), United States (3) and Mainland China (1). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Journal of Polymers and the Environment?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Journal of Polymers and the Environment is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists EI Compendex, CAS and CAB Abstracts; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Journal of Polymers and the Environment open access, and what is the APC?
Journal of Polymers and the Environment is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,090.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .