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A City-Wide Emissions Inventory of Plastic Pollution
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This study developed a framework for measuring plastic pollution emissions at the city scale, analogous to greenhouse gas emission inventories, and applied it to calculate a baseline plastic emissions inventory for a city. The approach provides a quantitative tool for tracking plastic pollution reduction progress aligned with international plastics treaty goals.
A global agreement on plastic should have quantitative reduction targets for the emissions of plastic pollution and regular measurements to track success. Here, we present a framework for measuring plastic emissions, akin to greenhouse gas emissions, and demonstrate its utility by calculating a baseline measurement for the City of Toronto in Ontario, Canada. We identify relevant sources of plastic pollution in the city, calculate emissions for each source by multiplying activity data by emission factors for each source, and sum the emissions to obtain the total annual emissions of plastic pollution generated. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we estimate that 3,531 to 3,852 tonnes (T) of plastic pollution were emitted from Toronto in 2020. Littering is the largest source overall (3,099 T), and artificial turf is the largest source of microplastic (237 T). Quantifying source emissions can inform the most effective mitigation strategies to achieve reduction targets. We recommend this framework be scaled up and replicated in cities, states, provinces, and countries around the world to inform global reduction targets and measure progress toward reducing plastic pollution.
More Papers Like This
A city-wide emissions inventory of plastic pollution
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a city-wide plastic pollution emissions inventory framework analogous to greenhouse gas accounting and applied it to Toronto, Canada, estimating that 2,322-2,327 tonnes of plastic pollution were emitted in 2020, with littering (1,733 tonnes) and artificial turf identified as the largest sources.
A local-to-global emissions inventory of macroplastic pollution.
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This study developed a high-resolution global inventory of macroplastic pollution by distributing nationally reported waste management data down to sub-national and local scales, producing maps of plastic emission hotspots. The dataset is intended to support negotiations for a global plastics treaty by providing a data-driven baseline for identifying sources and prioritizing interventions.
Indicators for plastic pollution
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This paper analyzes what indicators should be used to measure plastic pollution as part of negotiations for an international plastics treaty. Reliable, standardized metrics for plastic and microplastic pollution are essential for setting targets and evaluating progress under any global agreement.
A local-to-global emissions inventory of macroplastic pollution
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Using machine learning and probabilistic material flow analysis, researchers built the first local-to-global inventory of macroplastic waste emissions, estimating 52.5 million metric tonnes are released annually worldwide — with over half burned in the open. The study pinpoints emission hotspots at the level of 50,000 individual municipalities, providing the most detailed evidence baseline yet to guide international plastic pollution treaty negotiations.
Policy Brief: Monitoring Plastic Pollution in the Context of the Global Plastics Treaty
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Researchers from the Scientists' Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty outlined practical monitoring frameworks for plastic pollution that could be implemented under a binding global treaty, addressing the measurement and reporting infrastructure needed to track progress toward pollution reduction targets.
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.