Deep Dives
Thought-provoking research providing extensive learning opportunities
Royle, J. et al., Global Environmental Change Plastics & Pollution
Developing a common understanding of a jurisdiction’s plastic waste stream and the solutions available to decision-makers is vital to build consensus across stakeholders and to align on an evidence-based portfolio of priority instruments.
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Environmental Investigation Agency Plastics & Pollution
The toxic pollution resulting from rampant overproduction of virgin plastics and their lifecycles is irreversible, directly undermines our health, drives biodiversity loss, exacerbates climate change, and risks generating large-scale harmful environmental changes.
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Haram, L.E. et al., Nature Communications Plastics & Pollution
Discoveries of persistent coastal species in the open ocean shift our understanding of biogeographic barriers. Floating plastic debris from pollution now supports a novel sea surface community composed of coastal and oceanic species at sea that might portend significant ecological shifts in the marine environment.
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Cabernard, L. et al., Nature Sustainability Plastics & Pollution
Research on the environmental impacts from the global value chain of plastics has typically focused on the disposal phase, considered most harmful to the environment and human health. However, the production of plastics is also responsible for substantial environmental, health and socioeconomic impacts.
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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Plastics & Pollution
The United States is a major producer of plastics and in 2016, generated more plastic waste by weight and per capita than any other nation. Although the U.S. solid waste management system is advanced, it is not sufficient to deter leakage into the environment.
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Peng, Y. et al., PNAS Plastics & Pollution
Plastic waste causes harm to marine life and has become a major global environmental concern. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased demand for single-use plastic, intensifying pressure on this already out-of-control problem.
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Fredric Bauer & Tobias Dan Nielsen, The Conversation Plastics & Pollution
As traditional demands for oil – vehicle fuels – are declining as the transport sector is increasingly electrified, the oil industry is seeing plastics as a key output that can make up for losses in other markets. Investing in plastics has therefore become a key strategy for fossil fuel firms.
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Hardesty, B.D. et al., Marine Pollution Bulletin Fisheries & Aquaculture Plastics & Pollution
The GoC acts as a sink for ghost nets that originate from regional fishing activities. Despite multijurisdictional management efforts, increasing net numbers shows high regional input of ALDFG.
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Vallette, J. et al., Bennington College Plastics & Pollution
As of 2020, the U.S. plastics industry is responsible for at least 232 million tons of CO2e gas emissions per year. This amount is equivalent to the average emissions from 116 average-sized (500-megawatt) coal-fired power plants.
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United Nations Environment Programme Plastics & Pollution
From Pollution to Solution: A global assessment of marine litter and plastic pollution reveals the impact of marine litter and plastic pollution in the environment and their effects on the health of ecosystems, wildlife and humans.
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Tsiaras, K., et al., Frontiers in Marine Science Plastics & Pollution
The Mediterranean is considered a hot-spot for plastic pollution, due to its semi-enclosed nature and heavily populated coastal areas.
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Meys, R. et al., Science Plastics & Pollution
The great majority of plastics in current use are sourced from fossil fuels, with additional fossil fuels combusted to power their manufacture. Substantial research is focused on finding more sustainable building blocks for next-generation polymers.
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Andrew Turner, University of Plymouth Plastics & Pollution
Because paint particles consist of a resin (polymer) combined with one or more additives, they bear compositional similarities with microplastics. Despite these shared characteristics, however, paint particles are often undetected, deliberately overlooked or evade classification in the pool of micro-debris.
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Madeline C. Evans & Christopher S. Ruf, IEEE Xplore Plastics & Pollution
Most direct measurements come from plankton net trawling made in these regions; concentrations in other regions have been estimated by microplastic transport models that depend on large-scale ocean circulation patterns. However, global measurements of microplastic distribution and its temporal variability are lacking.
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Quartinello, F. et al., Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology Plastics & Pollution
Microorganisms, like bacteria and fungi, are becoming an emerging resource for the development of eco-sustainable plastic degradation and recycling processes.
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Bellou, N. et al., Nature Sustainability Plastics & Pollution
Marine litter is one of the most relevant pollution problems that our oceans are facing today. Marine litter in our oceans is a major threat to a sustainable planet.
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Audrey Nakagawa, EcoWatch Plastics & Pollution
Ocean bound plastic is plastic waste that is headed toward our oceans.
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Dickson, B. et al., UNEP Energy Solutions Fisheries & Aquaculture Plastics & Pollution Shipping & Ports Tourism
To launch the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, UNEP has released this synthesis report as a call to action for anyone and everyone to join the #GenerationRestoration movement to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide.
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Tim Lydon, The Revelator Plastics & Pollution Shipping & Ports
A rise in container-ship accidents adds to the growing marine plastic pollution problem and poses risks to ocean health, wildlife and mariners.
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XiaoZhi Lim, Nature Plastics & Pollution
Scientists are rushing to study the tiny plastic specks that are in marine animals — and in us.
Read more → (29 minute read)
