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The ‘Thin Law’ of Plastic Regulation and a Proposal for a Regional or Global Waste Tariff
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This legal chapter examines the problem of 'thin law' in plastic regulation — where laws exist but are riddled with exceptions that undermine their effectiveness. The authors propose a regional or global waste tariff as an economic mechanism to make plastic pollution control more enforceable and impactful.
This Chapter examines the ongoing challenges of using regulation to manage plastic pollution. Specifically, the Chapter identifies the problem of ’thin law’ where laws exist that do not directly address the problem at hand or when they do address the problem at hand are engulfed in exceptions that allow for operations to continue according to the existing status quo. The Chapter highlights several examples of ’thin law’ that are incapable of addressing the scale of plastic pollution. The Chapter proposes the need for ’thick law’ intervention in the form of a regional or global waste tariff on single-use plastics and plastic fishing gear designed to reduce production of new plastics and increase reuse.
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An International Legal Framework for Marine Plastics Pollution
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This legal analysis reviews the current international framework for regulating marine plastics and identifies significant gaps and inconsistencies across treaties and agreements. The chapter argues that stronger, more unified global legal instruments are needed to effectively reduce plastic pollution in the world's oceans.
The Role of Legislation, Regulatory Initiatives and Guidelines on the Control of Plastic Pollution
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This review examines existing plastic pollution regulations globally, finding that despite many proposals and national bans, the overall effectiveness of legislation is unclear and most measures focus narrowly on marine plastics or single-use items. The authors argue that laws often lag behind science and face practical limitations given how deeply embedded plastics are in daily life.
Toward a sustainable international legal framework for protecting the marine environment from plastic waste pollution
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This review finds that current international laws meant to stop ocean plastic pollution are weak and hard to enforce, with no single global treaty dedicated to the problem. Since plastic waste breaks down into microplastics that enter seafood and drinking water, stronger, unified global rules matter for protecting both marine life and human health.
Legal Approaches to Reduce Plastic Marine Pollution: Challenges and Global Governance
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This review examined legal approaches to reducing marine plastic pollution and found that while international frameworks like the International Maritime Organization's MARPOL Annex V and regional agreements provide useful foundations, significant governance gaps and enforcement challenges remain in addressing the global scale of marine plastic contamination.
Analyzing Policies to Address Marine Plastic Pollution: Filling Legal Gaps Through the Engagement of International Actors
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This legal analysis examines gaps in international law for addressing marine plastic pollution as a transboundary issue, reviewing relevant frameworks from UNCLOS to recent UN resolutions. The paper argues that existing international legal frameworks are insufficient and that stronger multilateral instruments specifically targeting plastic pollution are needed.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.