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Global Plastics Crisis Database of Institutions
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This project created a database mapping out the many different organizations, governments, companies, nonprofits, and more, that play a role in dealing with plastic pollution worldwide. It doesn't test health effects directly, but it matters because plastic pollution (including the microplastics that end up in our water, food, and even bodies) is a global problem that no single group can solve alone, so understanding who's involved and how they connect is a key step toward better solutions. Think of it as a map of "who's in charge" of tackling plastic pollution, which researchers and policymakers can use to identify gaps and push for stronger action.
This database compiles and categorises institutions involved in governing the global plastics crisis, drawing on interviews with professionals who work on plastics and plastic pollution conducted between October 2021 and April 2022.
More Papers Like This
Global Plastics Crisis Database of Institutions
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers built a database mapping out all the different organizations, governments, companies, and advocacy groups, involved in trying to manage the world's plastic pollution problem, based on interviews with people who work in this field. This matters because plastic pollution and microplastics are a growing health concern, and understanding who's responsible for regulating them can help identify gaps in oversight that leave consumers exposed to plastic-related risks. Note that this paper doesn't test health effects directly, it's a tool for understanding the "who's who" of plastic policy-making.
Ecological and Health Dimensions of Global Plastics Governance and Its International Institutions
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Plastic pollution—including tiny microplastics—isn't just an environmental problem, it's a health problem too, but this study finds that the international agreements and organizations meant to tackle plastic waste don't do a great job connecting the dots between the two. In other words, the people negotiating global plastic treaties and the people focused on public health aren't fully coordinating, which means the human health risks of plastic pollution may be getting less attention than they deserve in the rules being written right now. This matters because as global leaders finalize a landmark plastics treaty, closing this gap could mean stronger protections for the food, water, and air you're exposed to every day
Who is governing the global plastics crisis? Mapping the global plastics governance landscape
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Despite growing alarm over plastic pollution, including tiny microplastics now found in our food, water, and even our bodies, no single global authority is actually in charge of solving the problem. This study found that the current patchwork of UN agencies, environmental treaties, and industry partnerships mostly shares information and sets voluntary guidelines rather than enforcing real change, and that businesses often use these partnerships to look eco-friendly while continuing normal plastic production. For consumers, this means the burden of reducing plastic exposure and pollution largely falls on individual choices and local regulations, since meaningful global rules aren't yet in place
Data for a global meta-analysis of microplastic effects on fauna, plants, and soils
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Scientists compiled a massive dataset from existing studies to see how microplastics affect animals, plants, and soil around the world, looking at things like growth, reproduction, and behavior. This isn't a new experiment but rather an organized collection of research findings, designed so other scientists can double-check the results and build on them. While the dataset itself doesn't focus directly on human health, understanding how microplastics disrupt plants, animals, and soil matters because these are the foundations of our food supply and ecosystems we depend on.
Plastic Pollution and the Future of Our Planet: Challenges, Consequences, and Youth-Led Solutions
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This paper reviews how plastic pollution harms oceans, wildlife, and human communities, and highlights how young people are stepping up with awareness campaigns and creative solutions to fight it. While it doesn't dive deep into specific health data, plastic waste breaking down into microplastics is an ongoing concern since these tiny particles can end up in our water, food, and even our bodies. The big takeaway: tackling plastic pollution isn't just an environmental issue, it's a health issue too, and youth-led action offers hope for real change.
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.