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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Detection Methods Environmental Sources Marine & Wildlife Policy & Risk Sign in to save

Plastic debris in the ocean: the characterization of marine plastics and their environmental impacts, situation analysis report

2015 175 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
R Addison, W Stobo, J Alava, F Gobas, J Anderson, A Alford, A Andrady, T Artham, Doble, M Azzarello, E Van Vleet, R Baird, S Hooker, D Barnes, M Barlaz, E Besseling, A Wegner, E Foekema, M Van Den Heuvel-Greve, A Koelmans, P Bhattacharya, S Lin, J Turner, P Ke, K Bjorndal, A Bolten, C Lagueux, C Boerger, G Lattin, S Moore, C Moore, R Boland, M Donohue, K Borg, A Fisk, P Hoekstra, D Muir, A Borrell, D Bloch, G Desportes, P Crump, E Teuten, A Tonkin, A Dissanayake, D Lowe, M Browne, S Niven, S Rowland, R Thompson, L Bugoni, L Krause, V Petry, A Camedda, S Marra, M Matiddi, G Massaro, S Coppa, A Perilli, A Ruiu, P Briguglio, Lucia De, G, M Claessens, S De Meester, L Van Landuyt, K De Clerck, C Janssen, M Cole, P Lindeque, E Fileman, C Halsband, R Goodhead, J Moger, T Galloway, J.-H Hecq, A Collignon, J Hecq, F Galgani, P Voisin, F Collard, A Goffart, A Czar, F Echevarra

Summary

This situation analysis report characterizes plastic marine debris by polymer type, size class, and source, and reviews evidence for multiple adverse environmental impacts including entanglement, ingestion, and chemical contamination. Researchers identify critical knowledge gaps regarding total quantities, global transport pathways, and long-term fate of plastic in the ocean.

Study Type Environmental

Plastic debris has now become the most serious problem affecting the marine environment, not only for coastal areas of developing countries but also for the world's oceans as a whole. Drifiting plastic debris is well recognized as having several adverse effects on marine species and ecosystems, but there is still a lack of precise knowledge about the quantity, sources, transport, accumulation and fate of plastics in the oceans. This current report aims to provide to economic actors, policy makers and the public at large a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge of the effects of plastics on marine environments, organisms and ecosystems. The risks related to plastic pollution require immediate international attention; with the present report, the IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme aims to not only provide reliable and up-to-date information but also build a coalition to raise awareness and identify policy actions.

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