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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Mapping of global plastic value chain and plastic losses to the environment: with a particular focus on marine environment
ClearThe marine plastic footprint
This report presents a methodology for calculating a 'marine plastic footprint' for industries and countries, estimating the proportion of plastic waste likely to leak into the ocean based on production, use, and regional waste management infrastructure, and mapping high-risk leakage points in supply chains.
Bottlenecks of Global Plastic Strategy and the Way Forward of Microplastics Management
This review examines bottlenecks in global plastic waste management strategies, arguing that rising plastic use in everyday activities has outpaced regulatory and logistical capacity, and proposing pathways forward for more effective microplastics management at a global scale.
Complexities of the global plastics supply chain revealed in a trade-linked material flow analysis
A global analysis of the 2022 plastics supply chain found that 437 million tonnes of plastics were traded worldwide, with only 9% recycled while 34% was incinerated and 40% went to landfills. The study reveals how plastic production is concentrated in oil-rich countries while waste often ends up in lower-income nations, highlighting the scale of plastic pollution that ultimately breaks down into microplastics affecting human health.
Delineating and preventing plastic waste leakage in the marine and terrestrial environment
Researchers outline the global challenge of plastic waste leaking into marine and land environments, tracing the problem to poor waste management, limited recycling technology, and low public awareness. The commentary calls for upstream design changes and downstream cleanup strategies to reduce plastic litter worldwide.
Global analysis of marine plastics and implications of control measure strategies
This study provides a global overview of ocean plastic pollution, finding that plastic production has grown dramatically since the 1950s and over 1,000 rivers contribute 80% of the plastic entering oceans, with Asia as the largest source. Small microplastics dominate ocean surface contamination by particle count, even though larger pieces account for more mass. The review highlights that without major changes in waste management and recycling, plastic pollution will continue to threaten marine food chains and the people who depend on seafood.
Marine Plastic Pollution: Current Situation, Impacts, and Governance Strategies
This review examines the current state of marine plastic pollution, noting that approximately 8 million tons of plastic waste enters the ocean annually. The study discusses how plastics decompose and release toxic substances that harm marine life, and how plastic particles can enter the human food chain, while highlighting governance strategies and international efforts to address the problem.
Plastics in the global environment assessed through material flow analysis, degradation and environmental transportation
Researchers conducted a global mass flow analysis of plastic emissions across all countries, tracking 8 polymer types across 10 sectors into 7 environmental compartments. The study estimated that 0.8 million tonnes of microplastics and 8.7 million tonnes of macroplastics entered the environment in 2017, with tire wear being the largest source of microplastic emissions. Modeling predicts that even with zero plastic production after 2022, approximately 2.15 gigatonnes of plastics would still accumulate in the environment by 2050 due to landfill leakage and degradation.
Plastics pollution: pathways, impacts, and regulatory challenges in marine environments
This review synthesizes research on microplastic pollution across the world's oceans, covering sources from land-based activities, rivers, fishing, and aquaculture. Researchers found that polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene account for over 60% of recovered ocean microplastics and that these particles affect organisms from single-celled life to large marine animals. The estimated economic losses from microplastic damage to marine ecosystem services range from 1.18 to 2.16 trillion USD, roughly 2% of global GDP.
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.
A local-to-global emissions inventory of macroplastic pollution.
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.
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.
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.
Circular economy measures to keep plastics and their value in the economy, avoid waste and reduce marine litter
This review argues that circular economy measures — including improved collection, reuse, recycling, and design for end-of-life — are necessary to keep plastic value in the economy while reducing the estimated 5-15 million tonnes of plastic entering oceans annually. Researchers present a framework of policy and industry measures to transition away from the current linear 'make-use-dispose' model that drives marine litter accumulation.
Global Material Flow of Macro‐ and Microplastics to Support a Circular Economy
Researchers developed a global material flow analysis of macro- and microplastics to identify where intervention efforts can best support a circular economy. The study found that current plastic waste reduction initiatives are often misaligned with the most impactful leverage points in the plastic material cycle.
Plastic Waste: Challenges and Opportunities to Mitigate Pollution and Effective Management
Researchers reviewed plastic waste generation and management strategies globally, identifying lack of technical skills, inadequate recycling infrastructure, and poor regulatory awareness as the main barriers to addressing the ~400 million tons of plastic produced annually.
Microplastic pollution in the marine environment: A review
This review covers the full scope of microplastic pollution in the ocean, from sources and distribution to effects on marine life and potential solutions. Microplastics have been found in marine organisms at every level of the food chain, raising concerns about human exposure through seafood. The authors emphasize that global plastic production continues to rise, making better waste management and policy action urgent.
Microplastic in the Marine Environment
This review examines the presence, sources, distribution, and ecological effects of microplastics in marine environments, arguing that the pervasive use of plastics in modern society and poor waste management have made ocean microplastic pollution a critical global issue.
Exploring the EU plastic value chain: A material flow analysis
Researchers conducted a material flow analysis of the EU27 plastic value chain, finding that only 19% of plastics were recycled in 2019, with total losses amounting to 4% of production and significant variation across sectors and polymer types.
An Integrated Analysis of Plastic Packaging Value Chain: Identifying Barriers and Enablers for a Circular Economy
Researchers analyzed the full plastic packaging value chain to identify barriers and enablers for transitioning to a circular economy, tracing the evolution of circular economy concepts and quantifying the environmental impacts associated with exponential plastic waste growth. The study provides an integrated framework mapping opportunities for intervention across production, use, collection, and recycling stages.
Global Plastic Waste Pollution Challenges and Management
This review examines the global plastic waste crisis, highlighting that over 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic waste have been generated and only 9% recycled, with microplastics now detected even in remote Arctic regions and in food consumed by humans. The authors discuss the environmental and health consequences of plastic pollution and argue for urgent action including alternative energy recovery and circular economy approaches to reduce plastic accumulation.
Plastic Waste: Current Environmental Pollution, Health Hazard and Biodegradation Strategies and Its Management
This review paper surveys the scope of global plastic pollution, covering environmental contamination, health hazards, and biodegradation strategies. The study highlights that with plastic production exceeding 390 million tons by 2021, effective waste management and biodegradation approaches are urgently needed to address microplastic accumulation.
Plastic Pollution: Understanding the Global Threat and Countermeasures
This review examines the global scale of plastic pollution, tracing the rapid growth of disposable plastics production and the distribution of plastic waste across all parts of the world — from deep oceans to high mountains — while evaluating proposed countermeasures.
Driver, Trends and Fate of Plastics and Micro Plastics Occurrence in the Environment
This review examines the sources, trends, and environmental fate of plastics and microplastics, which have become a major global pollution problem due to massive production and poor waste management. Understanding how plastics move through the environment is essential for designing effective pollution controls.
Analysis of Plastic Waste Processing Methods
This review summarizes global plastic waste production and recycling trends, arguing that the recycling industry must scale up urgently to address growing environmental contamination. Current recycling rates remain far below what is needed to prevent plastic pollution from continuing to accumulate.