By The 5 Gyres Institute
An Analysis of Ocean Plastic Trends Over Time Reveals an Urgent Need for Policy Interventions
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA – A research paper published today in PLOS ONE reveals there are more than 170 trillion plastic particles, weighing approximately 2 million tonnes, afloat in the world’s oceans. By evaluating trends of ocean plastic from 1979 to 2019, the authors observe a rapid increase of marine plastic pollution and make an urgent call for policy measures focused on source reduction and reuse rather than recycling and cleanup.
Understanding the occurrence and trends of plastic in the environment are foundational to assessing current and potential future risks to humans and ecosystems. The co-authors used previously published and new data (11,777 samples) of floating ocean plastics to create a global time series that estimates the average counts and mass of microplastics in the ocean surface layer. The paper also offers a historical overview of international policy measures aimed at reducing plastic pollution to evaluate their effectiveness.
From 2005 onward, there is a rapid increase in the mass and abundance of ocean plastic, which may reflect exponential increases in plastic production, fragmentation of existing plastic pollution, or changes in terrestrial waste generation and management. Without immediate action, the rate of plastic entering aquatic environments is expected to increase approximately 2.6-fold from 2016 to 2040. This acceleration of marine plastic pollution demands urgent international policy intervention at the source of plastic production and product manufacture – before waste is generated – in order to minimize ecological, social, and economic harm.
“The exponential increase in microplastics across the world’s oceans is a stark warning that we must act now at a global scale, stop focusing on cleanup and recycling, and usher in an age of corporate responsibility for the entire life of the things they make,” said Dr. Marcus Eriksen, Co-Founder of The 5 Gyres Institute. “Cleanup is futile if we continue to produce plastic at the current rate, and we have heard about recycling for too long while the plastic industry simultaneously rejects any commitments to buy recycled material or design for recyclability. It’s time to address the plastic problem at the source.”
We are at a turning point in history, with United Nations Member States adopting a resolution to end plastic pollution at UNEA 5.2 last year3. Existing international policies on plastic are fragmented, lack specificity, and do not include measurable targets. Creating binding and enforceable international agreements focused on source reduction is the best long-term solution. As treaty negotiations are underway, it’s crucial to establish a legally binding global treaty that addresses the full life cycle of plastic, from extraction and manufacturing to its end of life.
The 5 Gyres Institute published the first Global Estimate of Marine Plastic Pollution in 20144, which determined there were more than 5 trillion plastic particles afloat in the ocean. The updated paper brings together many of the same co-authors and scientists who are leaders in ocean plastic research, including Edward Carpenter, who published the first paper on plastic in the ocean in 1972; Robert Day, who first discovered plastic in the North Pacific in 1985; and Charles Moore, who discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in 1997.
For more information, visit 5gyres.org/plasticsmog.
About The 5 Gyres Institute
The 5 Gyres Institute is a leader in the global movement against plastic pollution with more than 10 years of expertise in scientific research and engagement on plastic pollution issues. Since 2009, the team has completed 19 expeditions, bringing more than 300 citizen scientists, corporate executives, brands, and celebrities to the gyres, lakes, and rivers to conduct first-hand research on plastic pollution. Through this research, 5 Gyres engages diverse stakeholders in understanding the science to drive impact as well as conduct community outreach and citizen science to implement data-driven solutions. With over 1,400 Ambassadors in 66 countries, 5 Gyres supports and is supported by community members with information, tools and connections to help drive local change to fight this global crisis.
This piece was prepared online by Panuruji Kenta, Publisher, SEVENSEAS Media