Marine plastic pollution has been a growing concern for decades. Single-use plastics (plastic bags and microbeads) are a significant source of this pollution. Although research outlining ...environmental, social, and economic impacts of marine plastic pollution is growing, few studies have examined policy and legislative tools to reduce plastic pollution, particularly single-use plastics (plastic bags and microbeads). This paper reviews current international market-based strategies and policies to reduce plastic bags and microbeads. While policies to reduce microbeads began in 2014, interventions for plastic bags began much earlier in 1991. However, few studies have documented or measured the effectiveness of these reduction strategies. Recommendations to further reduce single-use plastic marine pollution include: (i) research to evaluate effectiveness of bans and levies to ensure policies are having positive impacts on marine environments; and (ii) education and outreach to reduce consumption of plastic bags and microbeads at source.
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•Plastics in the marine environment are widely recognized as a global issue.•Current international strategies and policies to reduce single-use plastics (plastic bags and microbeads) are reviewed.•Many nations have adopted policies (since 1991) to reduce single-use plastic bags.•A rising tide of policy strategies to reduce microbeads began in 2014, but are yet to be implemented.•More research, policy and legislation efforts to reduce single-use plastic marine pollution are recommended.
Since the launch of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, the SDGs have been widely adopted by governments and corporations in an effort to improve their ...sustainability. There are 17 SDGs, comprising 169 targets, which are measurable against 247 unique indicators. Despite pervasive global pollution from (micro)plastics, there is only one indicator (14.1.1b) under Goal 14, specifically related to reducing impacts from (micro)plastics. Reliable reporting and monitoring of 247 SDG indicators present unique challenges for governments and organizations to implement, which may be further exacerbated by the pervasive nature of (micro)plastic pollution if not properly monitored across these indicators. This review focused on recent literature to provide a critical overview of the key challenges specifically related to (micro)plastics as they may undermine the implementation of sustainable strategies and action plans required to achieve the UN SDGs.
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•(Micro)plastics threaten global social, environmental, and economic sustainability.•The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) developed to address global threats.•Only Goal 14 specifically addresses impacts of (micro)plastic pollution.•(Micro)plastic pollution directly or indirectly impacts at least 12 UN SDGs.•(Micro)plastic pollution may undermine the implementation of the UN SDGs.
The presence and accumulation of plastic and microplastic (MP) debris in the natural environment is of increasing concern and has become the focus of attention for many researchers. Plastic debris is ...a prolific, long-lived pollutant that is highly resistant to environmental degradation, readily adheres hydrophobic persistent organic pollutants and is linked to morbidity and mortality in numerous aquatic organisms. The prevalence of MPs within the natural environment is a symptom of continuous and rapid growth in synthetic plastic production and mismanagement of plastic waste. Many terrestrial and marine-based processes, including domestic and industrial drainage, maritime activities agricultural runoff and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) effluent, contribute to MP pollution in aquatic environments. MPs have been identified in food consumed by human and in air samples, and exposure to MPs via ingestion or inhalation could lead to adverse human health effects. Regulations in many countries have already been established or will soon be implemented to reduce MPs in aquatic environments. This review focuses on the occurrence, sources, and transport of MPs in terrestrial and aquatic environments to highlight potential human health effects, and applicable regulations to mitigate impacts of MPs. This study also highlights the importance of personality traits and cognitive ability in reducing the entry of MPs into the environment.
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•Plastic policy was adapted due to COVID-19 pandemic.•COVID-19 pandemic is contributing to worldwide plastic pollution.•COVID-19 precautionary measures challenged environmental ...sustainability.•Sustainability calls for straightened links between policy-industry-research.
Plastics have become a severe transboundary threat to natural ecosystems and human health, with studies predicting a twofold increase in the number of plastic debris (including micro and nano-sized plastics) by 2030. However, such predictions will likely be aggravated by the excessive use and consumption of single-use plastics (including personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves) due to COVID-19 pandemic. This review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview on the effects of COVID-19 on macroplastic pollution and its potential implications on the environment and human health considering short- and long-term scenarios; addressing the main challenges and discussing potential strategies to overcome them. It emphasises that future measures, involved in an emergent health crisis or not, should reflect a balance between public health and environmental safety as they are both undoubtedly connected. Although the use and consumption of plastics significantly improved our quality of life, it is crucial to shift towards sustainable alternatives, such as bio-based plastics. Plastics should remain in the top of the political agenda in Europe and across the world, not only to minimise plastic leakage and pollution, but to promote sustainable growth and to stimulate both green and blue- economies. Discussions on this topic, particularly considering the excessive use of plastic, should start soon with the involvement of the scientific community, plastic producers and politicians in order to be prepared for the near future.
•Plastic pollution is one of the fastest growing environmental challenges of our time.•Governments have attempted for decades to reduce sources marine plastic pollution.•There is currently no binding ...global agreement to reduce marine plastic pollution.•Negotiations will begin to develop a global agreement on plastic pollution at the 5th UNEA-5.2.•Negotiations and implementation may take up to 8–10 years to address plastic pollution.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented surge of production, consumption, and disposal of single-use plastics (SUPs) and personal protective equipment (PPE) by the public. This ...widespread use of mostly plastic items like face masks and disposable gloves has led to global reports of improper disposal of potentially infectious PPE both in our urban and natural environments. Due to international travel restrictions during the pandemic, many research programs targeted at measuring plastic pollution were halted. These disruptions to research programs have stunted the ability to assess the true quantities of SUPs and PPE being mismanaged from the waste stream into the environment. This article calls for increased citizen science participation in collecting plastic pollution data both during and post pandemic. By initiating this dialogue and raising attention to the importance and potential of citizen science data collection, data can be used to develop globally informed plastic pollution mitigation strategies.
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•The COVID-19 pandemic has driven increased consumption of single-use plastic (SUP).•The pandemic led to the cancellation of global plastic pollution research programs.•SUP and PPE mismanagement requires widespread scientific monitoring.•Citizen science SUP and PPE pollution monitoring can fill research program gaps.•Global citizen science initiatives can help inform pollution mitigation strategies.
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•The circular economy is widely used within countries for closed-loop waste recycling.•Exports of recyclable materials from developed to developing countries has been considered waste ...pollution transfer.•China’s ban on imports of recyclable materials provides international opportunities to develop a global circular economy.
CE has benefitted the global economy for years, including China. For example, developed countries benefitted from cost savings associated with exporting waste to China where there were less stringent Chinese environmental laws, but developed countries failed to incorporate true environmental costs. China also benefitted by importing recyclable waste to supplement its domestic manufacturing industries, yet imported plastic waste was considered inferior, and often unusable (i.e., generating more waste), compared to domestic waste by China’s manufacturing industries. In future, the key will be to establish fair-trading systems for waste reutilization across countries globally to reduce waste generation. Firstly, we argue that to reduce waste generation in developed countries, reduced consumption is imperative, since current per capita waste generation in developed countries is much higher than in developing countries. Developed countries, like Canada, need to adopt zero plastic waste strategies by reducing and recycling single-use plastics (Walker and Xanthos, 2018). Secondly, developed countries need to help developing countries deal with their environmental issues, caused by waste reutilization, by transferring waste management and recycling technologies, investing in R&D and training local employees to mitigate potential environmental risks. Thirdly, from a global perspective, implementing extended producer responsibility (EPR) systems across developed and developing countries to help reshape and rebalance the global CE should be undertaken.
What not to do with dog poop Walker, Tony R.
The Science of the total environment,
10/2023, Volume:
896
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
This short communication paper comments on the controversial but highly unpleasant topic of littered plastic dog waste bags in the environment. Littered plastic dog waste bags are a source of plastic ...and microplastic pollution and dog faeces contained in these littered bags also pose human and ecological health risks. This short communication suggests that this littering may be occurring due to confusion by pet owners, who may believe that these so called ‘biodegradable’ bags are compositable, which in the absence of industrial composting facilities, are not. Thus, plastic dog waste bags continue to be a source of plastic and microplastic pollution in the environment long after they have been littered. All pet owners should deposit plastic dog poop bags in appropriate waste bins, not in the environment.
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•Littered plastic dog waste bags are a source of plastic and microplastic pollution.•Dog faeces in these littered bags pose human and ecological health risks.•Littering may be occurring due to confusion by pet owners.•Pet owners may believe that these so called ‘biodegradable’ bags are compositable.•Biodegradable bags are compositable only in industrial composting facilities.
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