We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Economic damage of plastic pollution: an integrated assessment across environmental domains in Oman
AI summary Read the abstract
Plastic waste that escapes proper disposal in Oman is costing the country nearly $2.7 million a year, with soil and water systems taking the biggest hit, meaning the plastic isn't just piling up, it's seeping into the land and water people rely on. The good news: stricter waste management policies could cut this pollution leakage by more than half and slash damage costs by 60% by 2050, showing that investing in better trash systems now pays off both environmentally and economically.
The economic impact of plastic pollution is poorly quantified, especially in the Gulf region. This study addresses this gap by quantifying the economic cost of plastic pollution in Oman. The integrated damage cost framework is developed based on the principles of contingent valuation, and implemented using five steps: 1) estimating the plastic fraction of municipal solid waste, 2) converting the plastic flow to an environmental leakage flow, 3) allocating the environmental leakage flow to four environmental sectors (terrestrial, freshwater, coastal/marine, and atmospheric/human exposure), 4) assigning a standardized unit damage cost, and 5) performing scenario and sensitivity analysis. In 2022, Oman produced 2.989M tons of municipal solid waste (MSW), with estimated losses of 34,989 tons, resulting in an annual damage cost of approximately $2.69M and a marginal loss of approximately $76.80 per ton. Terrestrial systems bear the largest share (42.4%, $1.14M), followed by freshwater (32.2%, $0.87M), coastal/marine (24.6%, $0.66M), and atmospheric pathways (0.8%, $0.02M). The analysis indicates that high stringency policies cut leakage from 5.6% to 2.3% and reduce total damage costs by nearly 60% to $1.10M by 2050. Sensitivity analyses indicate moderate uncertainty (±28.7%) around the baseline unit cost estimate and confirm that damages remain economically material across a range of leakage rates from 2.3% to 18.3%, without altering the ranking of domains. This finding further reinforces the economic rationale behind proper plastic management, as well as providing a model for damage cost assessment which can be applied elsewhere.
More Papers Like This
Socioeconomic Consequences of Plastic Pollution Undermine Coastal Livelihoods
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed how plastic pollution in coastal environments undermines the livelihoods of fishing communities worldwide, finding that microplastic contamination of seafood and declining catch quality threaten both economic stability and food security for millions of people.
Review on Economic Impacts and Solutions for Micro-plastic Pollution in Aquatic Ecosystems
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed the economic costs of microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems, finding that the financial burden spans fisheries losses, water treatment expenses, and broader ecosystem service degradation. The review argues that the true economic toll of plastic pollution is severely underestimated, which has hampered the urgency of regulatory responses.
Socioeconomic Impacts of Microplastics Pollution in the Marine Environment
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers assess the socioeconomic consequences of marine microplastic pollution, examining how contamination affects fisheries, tourism, food safety, and coastal communities, and evaluating the economic costs borne by industries and governments as microplastics disrupt marine ecosystems and the livelihoods that depend on them.
Potential Threat of Microplastic Pollution on Coastal-Marine Ecosystem– An Emerging Economic Setback and Question to Blue Economy?
AI summary Read the abstract
This review quantifies the economic damage of marine microplastic pollution on blue economy sectors including fisheries, aquaculture, and coastal tourism, surveying country-level costs alongside the high expense and limited efficiency of existing cleanup technologies. Linking microplastic pollution to measurable economic losses strengthens the policy case for upstream plastic reduction strategies and more cost-effective removal technologies to protect ocean-dependent industries.
Microplastics in the Marine Environment: Sources, Distribution, Biological Effects and Socio-Economic Impacts
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed the sources, distribution, biological effects, and socioeconomic impacts of microplastic pollution in marine environments, finding that rivers and estuaries are the primary land-to-ocean transport pathways. The review emphasizes that microplastics transfer adsorbed pollutants and additives through food webs to top predators, and that reducing plastic production and improving waste management are essential long-term solutions.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.