Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

An Ecological Sustainability Assessment Approach for Strategic Decision Making in International Shipping

This paper develops an ecological sustainability assessment framework for international shipping, examining pollution, biodiversity impacts, and resource use. While not focused on microplastics specifically, shipping is a significant source of marine plastic pollution through cargo spills, lost fishing gear, and ship-generated waste. Incorporating plastic pollution into shipping sustainability assessments could help reduce this contribution.

2021 Sustainability 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Optimizing waste management for green shipping: industry commitment through participatory processes in Cyprus

Not relevant to microplastics — this study presents a multi-stakeholder participatory process (DeCyDe-4-Shipping) used in Cyprus to identify consensus actions for reducing plastic waste and improving waste management in the shipping industry, focused on marine litter policy rather than microplastic science.

2024 Journal of Shipping and Trade 3 citations
Article Tier 2

A multi-criteria assessment of the implementation of innovative technologies to achieve different levels of microplastics and macroplastics reduction

This study applied a multicriteria decision analysis framework to evaluate innovative technologies for reducing microplastic and macroplastic pollution in marine environments, ranking cleanup measures by environmental, socioeconomic, and financial impact to inform better policy decisions.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Multi-Criteria Relationship Analysis of Knowledge, Perception, and Attitude of Stakeholders for Engagement towards Maritime Pollution at Sea, Beach, and Coastal Environments

Researchers used multi-criteria analysis to assess the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of stakeholders toward marine pollution governance, finding persistent gaps between awareness and action, and identifying barriers to mobilizing the level of engagement needed for effective protection of vulnerable coastal ecosystems.

2022 Sustainability 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of plastic and microplastic waste from ships in the marine environment

Researchers investigated plastic and microplastic waste originating from ships in the marine environment, examining the types, quantities, and pathways by which vessel operations contribute to marine plastic pollution. The study addresses a relatively underexplored source of marine plastic contamination compared to land-based inputs.

2024 Istanbul Technical University Academic Open Archive (Istanbul Technical University)
Article Tier 2

Assessing the Selection of PET Recycling Optionsin Japan: Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis

This study examines PET plastic recycling options in Japan using a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework, set against the global context in which only 9% of plastic waste is recycled and 22% bypasses proper waste management. The analysis evaluates competing recycling pathways to identify the most sustainable and economically viable approaches for managing Japan's PET waste streams.

2023 Polish Journal of Environmental Studies 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Development Measures to Enhance the Ecological Safety of Ships and Reduce Operational Pollution to the Environment

This study develops measures to enhance ecological safety of ships and reduce operational pollution, addressing exhaust emissions, waste and ballast water discharge, and accident prevention through legislative, organizational, and technical approaches.

2023 Scientific Journal of Silesian University of Technology Series Transport 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluating the net environmental impact of removing plastic pollution from the North Pacific Garbage Patch

Researchers conducted a lifecycle assessment to evaluate the net environmental impact of removing legacy plastic pollution from the North Pacific Garbage Patch, weighing the ecological harm reduction from plastic removal against the environmental costs of cleanup operations including fuel consumption and bycatch. The study found that ocean plastic cleanup can deliver a net environmental benefit when operations are optimised, but that the balance depends critically on vessel efficiency, cleanup technology, and the degradation state of targeted plastics.

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

Wastewater Treatment and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods: A Review

This review assessed the application of multi-criteria decision-making methods to wastewater treatment, identifying approaches that balance technical, economic, environmental, and social factors. The synthesis aims to support evidence-based selection of treatment technologies aligned with sustainability goals.

2023 IEEE Access 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Strategies for Green Shipbuilding Design and Production Practices Focused on Reducing Microplastic Pollution Generated during Installation of Plastic Pipes

This paper proposes that shipbuilders should account for microplastic pollution during the design and fitting-out stages of vessel construction, particularly when cutting and preparing plastic pipes — a process that scatters plastic debris that can easily enter the marine environment. By choosing pipe layouts that minimise cutting and handling near open water, the shipbuilding industry could meaningfully reduce its contribution to ocean microplastic pollution.

2023 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Consumer-based actions to reduce plastic pollution in rivers: A multi-criteria decision analysis approach

Researchers applied multi-criteria decision analysis to evaluate consumer-based actions for reducing macroplastic pollution in European freshwater environments, focusing on commonly found single-use plastic items. The analysis ranked actions by their potential to reduce plastic inputs to rivers, providing a framework to guide consumer choices and inform policy targeting the most impactful plastics.

2020 PLoS ONE 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Decision-science navigates trade-offs between environmental and socio-economic objectives for marine debris mitigation

Researchers applied decision-science methods to evaluate marine debris management strategies across Southeast Asia, balancing environmental protection with socio-economic impacts. They found that structured decision-making helped identify the best sites and approaches for reducing plastic exposure to marine ecosystems and coastal communities. The study demonstrates how systematic frameworks can navigate the complex trade-offs involved in tackling ocean plastic pollution.

2025 Pacific Conservation Biology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Ship Sewage and Solutions to Limit Their Spread: A Case Study

Researchers found microplastic particles in both grey water and post-treatment sewage from transport ships, with mean concentrations of 72 particles per litre in grey water and 51 per litre in treated sewage, demonstrating that ships represent a significant and underregulated source of microplastic pollution in protected marine areas.

2022 Water 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative Analysis of Environmental, Economic, and Social Criteria for Plastic Recycling Technology Selection in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Thailand

This study surveyed stakeholders in four Asian countries about criteria for selecting PET plastic recycling technologies, finding that environmental and economic factors were rated highest. Improving PET recycling capacity is critical for reducing plastic waste that ultimately becomes microplastic pollution.

2023 International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning 2 citations
Article Tier 2

A Cross Disciplinary Framework for Cost-Benefit Optimization of Marine Litter Cleanup at Regional Scale

This paper presents a cost-benefit framework for prioritizing where and how to clean up marine litter at regional scale. The framework considers factors like litter type, removal cost, ecological damage, and population exposure. Better economic tools for prioritizing cleanup could help direct limited resources toward areas where marine plastic removal has the greatest benefit.

2021 Frontiers in Marine Science 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Site selection within the maritime spatial planning: Insights from use-cases on aquaculture, offshore wind energy and aggregates extraction

This paper reviews how maritime spatial planning frameworks incorporate competing ocean uses such as aquaculture, offshore wind energy, and aggregate extraction, presenting case studies to illustrate site selection challenges and multi-use conflict resolution.

2024 Ocean & Coastal Management 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Polymer prioritization framework: A novel multi-criteria framework for source mapping and characterizing the environmental risk of plastic polymers

Researchers developed a multi-criteria framework for ranking the environmental risk of plastic polymers, finding that polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, and polystyrene posed the highest risk, with packaging and construction sectors as dominant sources.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic litter in life cycle assessment: Advances of the marine impacts in life cycle assessment international taskforce and application to case studies

Researchers reviewed advances in incorporating marine plastic litter impacts into life cycle assessment, focusing on recently developed indicators for biodiversity and ecosystem quality. The new indicators allow LCA practitioners to account for plastic pollution when comparing product systems and informing design choices.

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

The Marine Plastic Litter Issue: A Social-Economic Analysis

Using the DPSIR framework, this study analyzed marine plastic litter pollution as a social-economic issue, finding that fewer than 10 peer-reviewed studies had applied this policy-relevant analytical model to ocean plastics, and identifying management response gaps in food security, transport, and shelter contexts.

2020 Sustainability 114 citations
Article Tier 2

Regional management options for floating marine litter in coastal waters from a life cycle assessment perspective

A life cycle assessment evaluated regional management options for floating marine litter in coastal waters, comparing collection, prevention, and disposal strategies to identify the most environmentally favorable approaches for marine litter governance.

2023 The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 3 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

Global assessment of innovative solutions to tackle marine litter

Researchers reviewed 177 validated innovative solutions for preventing, monitoring, and cleaning marine litter from a global search, finding that most focused on monitoring rather than prevention, few had reached commercial maturity, and none had been validated for environmental impact or efficiency.

2021 Nature Sustainability 103 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

A Systematic Literature Review of Maritime Transportation Safety Management

This systematic literature review of 186 articles found an increasing research trend in maritime transportation safety management, particularly in safety risk analysis and emergency management. The review identified four future research perspectives for developing more resilient maritime transportation systems, which is relevant to ocean pollution because shipping is a significant source of marine microplastic contamination.

2023 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 27 citations