May 24, 2023
Report offers recommendations to improve issues of equity in marine plastics pollution
A new report from the University of Washington seeks to highlight the impact of plastic pollution in the ocean on human populations, and particularly the unequal burden it places on different communities. In particular, the authors seek to refocus the problem as being one of plastic production rather than an issue of waste management.
Key topics covered in the report include recommending changes in nomenclature (e.g., using plastic pollution instead of plastic litter), discussing the rise in plastic waste as a result of the pandemic, analyzing waste cleanup programs and reviewing rules for waste disposal.
The team’s next steps are to bring stakeholders together to create a roadmap for an equity-focused path to address marine plastics.