A systemic approach to tackling ocean plastic debris

Fethiye Burcu Turkmen Ceylan,Anne Kahuthu,Alessandro De Matteis,Mona Daoud

doi:10.1007/s10669-021-09832-0

Abstract

Growing evidence of the prevalence of plastics in the oceanic environment is causing increasing concern. In this study we consider the possible impact of major changes to the supply and consumption of plastics. While we recognize that tackling the problem of plastic debris in the ocean calls for integrated solutions, our analysis contributes to filling the gap in knowledge about the effectiveness of intervention strategies. Our results find that strategies addressing plastics demand have a greater impact than those focussing on plastics supply. However, only measures aimed at plastics supply are effective in the short run. These considerations can help to inspire the prioritization of intervention strategies and to contribute to the design of integrated interventions aimed at tackling the problem of marine plastic debris through a systemic approach.

Highlights

Plastics manufacturing is continuously on the rise
It is important to remark that plastics production is considered here as flows to capture the new input of plastics into the economic system
On the other hand, is considered here as a stock, and annual data have been cumulated to take into account the very slow degradation process and the long time required for plastic debris to decompose

Summary

Introduction

Plastics manufacturing is continuously on the rise. Almost half of the over 300 million MTs of plastics produced annually worldwide is for single-use purposes.. The use of single-use plastics is quite short, but on the contrary it is destined to stay on the planet for several hundred years. These few—apparently contradictory—considerations remark our current incapacity to find a consistent solution to reconciling our need for plastics with our inability to handle plastic waste. The infamous garbage patches on the surface of oceanic gyres are evidence of the unprecedented scale of one of the trickiest forms of plastic pollution.

Methods

Results

Conclusion