Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

An Overview of the Current Trends in Marine Plastic Litter Management for a Sustainable Development

This review summarizes current knowledge about marine plastic litter, from its land-based origins to its distribution across ocean environments, and evaluates recovery and recycling strategies. Researchers found that while technologies for collecting and recycling marine plastics are advancing, significant economic and logistical barriers remain. The study emphasizes that a circular economy approach, combining prevention, collection, and material recovery, is essential for addressing ocean plastic pollution.

2024 Recycling 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of Marine Plastic Pollution and Environmental Problems

This review examines the sources, environmental and socioeconomic effects, and policy responses to marine plastic pollution, finding that while scientific knowledge is substantial, policy and regulatory initiatives have so far been inadequate and inconsistent across countries. The paper calls for stronger international coordination and more effective governance tools to meaningfully reduce plastic inputs to the ocean.

2023 Highlights in Science Engineering and Technology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Global perceptions of plastic pollution: The contours and limits of debate

This review analyzed 39 peer-reviewed studies on public perceptions of plastic pollution, finding that research discourse is narrowly focused on marine impacts and single-use plastics while largely ignoring broader plastic pollution contexts relevant to international treaty negotiations.

2023 Cambridge Prisms Plastics 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic Debris and the Marine Environment: Integrating Transformational Strategies in Achieving a Sustainable Environment

This review examines the sources, environmental pathways, and ecological impacts of marine plastic debris, and discusses transformational strategies including policy intervention, improved waste management, and alternative materials to achieve sustainable ocean management.

2024 Apple Academic Press eBooks
Article Tier 2

Marine litter: how to monitor, reduce and prevent ocean debris. Focus on plastics and microplastics.

This report reviewed the growing problem of plastic pollution in the oceans and the policy landscape for addressing it, emphasizing that production, use, and end-of-life management all require reform. It frames plastic pollution as a systemic challenge requiring coordinated international action rather than single-issue solutions.

2018 IOC of UNESCO (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission) 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Suggestions for a Systematic Regulatory Approach to Ocean Plastics

This study investigates the regulatory challenges posed by ocean plastic pollution and proposes a systematic, multi-actor regulatory framework integrating scientific findings, existing strategies, and action plans across four intervention areas. The authors argue that coordinated international regulatory approaches are needed to effectively address the more than eight million tonnes of plastic entering oceans annually.

2021 Foods 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine Litter: Solutions for a Major Environmental Problem

This paper reviews the sources, distribution, and impacts of marine litter — primarily plastics — on beaches and oceans, and surveys proposed solutions ranging from improved waste management to policy interventions and cleanup technologies. It provides a broad overview of the challenge of reducing plastic pollution at a global scale.

2019 Journal of Coastal Research 196 citations
Article Tier 2

Next steps for research on society and microplastics

This perspective paper outlined priority directions for social and behavioral science research on microplastics, building on the established contributions of social sciences to understanding policy, stakeholder views, and public behavior around plastic pollution. The authors called for greater integration of social science methods to address governance gaps and support effective microplastic management.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Unraveling the Impacts of Ocean Plastic Pollution and Strategies for Effective Mitigation

This review examines the multifaceted impacts of ocean plastic pollution on marine life, water quality, and human activities, while surveying mitigation strategies ranging from waste management improvements and extended producer responsibility to clean-up technologies.

2023 International Journal of Advanced Natural Sciences and Engineering Researches 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Public Perceptions of Marine Plastic Litter: A Comparative Study Across European Countries and Seas

This study surveyed public perceptions of marine plastic litter across eight European countries bordering the North Sea, Baltic Sea, and Mediterranean, finding high awareness of the problem but identifying barriers to behavioral change that vary by country and sea region.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics in our ocean as transdisciplinary challenge

This conference report summarized discussions among international experts at a 2019 workshop in Spain on the transdisciplinary challenges of researching ocean microplastic pollution, emphasizing the need for co-learning across scientific disciplines and stakeholder engagement to address knowledge gaps.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Governance Strategies for Mitigating Microplastic Pollution in the Marine Environment: A Review

This review assessed the sources, spread, and impacts of microplastic pollution in marine environments and evaluated existing governance strategies for addressing the problem. Researchers found significant gaps in management approaches, including limited community involvement in monitoring and a lack of standardized mitigation strategies for coastal areas. The study calls for stronger policy interventions, more citizen science initiatives, and coordinated international efforts to reduce microplastic pollution in the oceans.

2021 Microplastics 146 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Marine plastic pollution: A systematic review of management strategies through a macroscope approach

Researchers applied a systems-level framework to review 176 studies on marine plastic pollution management, finding that waste collection infrastructure and freshwater pathways are critically understudied and that no existing strategy — from beach cleanup to biomaterials — is scalable enough to meaningfully reverse the plastic crisis.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Understanding the socioeconomic determinants of marine plastic pollution: Evaluating policy effectiveness and mitigation strategies in the Global South.

Researchers synthesized qualitative and quantitative evidence on marine plastic pollution in the Global South, identifying rapid urbanization, inadequate waste infrastructure, and weak governance as primary drivers, and recommending integrated strategies combining single-use plastic bans, extended producer responsibility, regional cooperation, and circular economy incentives.

2026 Marine pollution bulletin
Article Tier 2

Evaluating the Environmental and Health Impacts of Disposable Plastics: Toward Sustainable Material Alternatives

This review examined the environmental and health impacts of disposable plastics and explored sustainable alternatives, drawing on secondary literature across environmental science and health disciplines. The paper assessed plastic waste contributions to ocean pollution and proposed strategies to mitigate these challenges.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Systematic Review Tier 1

Are research methods shaping our understanding of microplastic pollution? A literature review on the seawater and sediment bodies of the Mediterranean Sea

This systematic review examines microplastic research methods used to study pollution in the Mediterranean Sea. The researchers found that inconsistent methods across studies make it difficult to compare results and understand the true scale of contamination. Standardizing how we measure microplastics is essential for accurately assessing the risks these particles pose to marine ecosystems and the humans who depend on them.

2021 Environmental Pollution 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Delineating the global plastic marine litter challenge: clarifying the misconceptions

This short communication attempts to correct common misconceptions about the scale and nature of marine plastic pollution, arguing that the problem requires more critical scientific thinking rather than overexposure or sensationalism. The authors ground the discussion in scientific evidence while acknowledging the real and serious nature of the challenge.

2020 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and importance of microplastics in the marine environment: A review of the sources, fate, effects, and potential solutions

This review synthesized research on the distribution and significance of microplastics across the marine environment, covering sources, transport pathways, ecological interactions, and the state of knowledge on biological and chemical effects.

2017 Environment International 2517 citations
Review Tier 2

Lost in definition: unravelling microplastics from marine coatings through bibliometrics science mapping in thematic analysis and systematic narrative literature review

Researchers conducted a bibliometric and narrative review to analyze why marine coatings—paints applied to ships—have been excluded from microplastic classification despite being recognized as a source of marine MPs. They identify the lack of a unified definition and classification system as the key barrier, and map how this knowledge gap has evolved in the literature.

2025 Environmental Sciences Europe 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Unfolding the science behind policy initiatives targeting plastic pollution

Researchers examined whether major plastic pollution policies in the EU and globally are grounded in scientific evidence, finding that most initiatives are supported by research on plastic sources and ecological impacts, though significant uncertainty remains about the actual harm of plastic to humans and ecosystems. The study highlights that precautionary action is justified even where evidence is incomplete, and calls for flexible policies that adapt as science evolves.

2023 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 30 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Marine microplastic pollution & misinformation in the public sphere: a systematic review

This systematic review examines how scientific findings about marine microplastic pollution are communicated to the public, identifying gaps where misinformation can take hold. Accurate public understanding of microplastic risks matters because it drives consumer choices and policy decisions that affect human health protection.

2024 Discover Oceans 4 citations
Article Tier 2

A Study of marine plastic pollution abatement: A bibliometric analysis on status and development trend

Researchers conducted a bibliometric analysis of marine plastic pollution research using R software, finding that global scientific attention has grown substantially, with microplastics emerging as a central focus spanning both macro- and microscale investigations.

2023 Academic Journal of Environment & Earth Science 1 citations
Article Tier 2

A transdisciplinary approach to reducing global plastic pollution

This opinion piece advocates for a transdisciplinary approach to reducing global plastic pollution, emphasizing the need to integrate natural science, social science, governance, and industry perspectives to develop effective and equitable solutions to the plastic pollution crisis.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 10 citations
Article Tier 2

The emerging issue of microplastics in marine environment: A bibliometric analysis from 2004 to 2020

This bibliometric analysis of marine microplastic research from 2004 to 2020 revealed rapid growth in publications, identified key research themes and collaborations, and highlighted emerging topics including microplastic impacts on marine organisms and human health.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 88 citations