Evaluating scenarios toward zero plastic pollution

Winnie W.Y. Lau; Yonathan Shiran; Richard M. Bailey; Ed Cook; Martin R. Stuchtey; Julia Koskella; Costas A. Velis; Linda Godfrey; Julien Boucher; Margaret B. Murphy; Richard C. Thompson; Emilia Jankowska; Arturo Castillo Castillo; Toby D. Pilditch; Ben Dixon; Laura Koerselman; Edward Kosior; Enzo Favoino; Jutta Gutberlet; Sarah Baulch; Meera E. Atreya; David Fischer; Kevin K. He; Milan M. Petit; U. Rashid Sumaila; Emily Neil; Mark V. Bernhofen; Keith Lawrence; James E. Palardy

doi:10.1126/science.aba9475

Evaluating scenarios toward zero plastic pollution

Winnie W.Y. Lau^*, Yonathan Shiran^*, Richard M. Bailey^*, Ed Cook, Martin R. Stuchtey, Julia Koskella, Costas A. Velis^*, Linda Godfrey, Julien Boucher, Margaret B. Murphy, Richard C. Thompson, Emilia Jankowska, Arturo Castillo Castillo, Toby D. Pilditch, Ben Dixon, Laura Koerselman, Edward Kosior, Enzo Favoino, Jutta Gutberlet, Sarah BaulchMeera E. Atreya, David Fischer, Kevin K. He, Milan M. Petit, U. Rashid Sumaila, Emily Neil, Mark V. Bernhofen, Keith Lawrence, James E. Palardy^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Plastic pollution is a pervasive and growing problem. To estimate the effectiveness of interventions to reduce plastic pollution, we modeled stocks and flows of municipal solid waste and four sources of microplastics through the global plastic system for five scenarios between 2016 and 2040. Implementing all feasible interventions reduced plastic pollution by 40% from 2016 rates and 78% relative to “business as usual” in 2040. Even with immediate and concerted action, 710 million metric tons of plastic waste cumulatively entered aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. To avoid a massive build-up of plastic in the environment, coordinated global action is urgently needed to reduce plastic consumption; increase rates of reuse, waste collection, and recycling; expand safe disposal systems; and accelerate innovation in the plastic value chain.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1455-1461
Number of pages	0
Journal	Science
Volume	369
Issue number	6510
Early online date	23 Jul 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aba9475
Publication status	Published - 18 Sept 2020

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Lau et al science

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Lau, W. W. Y., Shiran, Y., Bailey, R. M., Cook, E., Stuchtey, M. R., Koskella, J., Velis, C. A., Godfrey, L., Boucher, J., Murphy, M. B., Thompson, R. C., Jankowska, E., Castillo, A. C., Pilditch, T. D., Dixon, B., Koerselman, L., Kosior, E., Favoino, E., Gutberlet, J., ... Palardy, J. E. (2020). Evaluating scenarios toward zero plastic pollution. Science, 369(6510), 1455-1461. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aba9475

@article{cde699403e5e45deb07d7ff0824fafdb,

title = "Evaluating scenarios toward zero plastic pollution",

abstract = "Plastic pollution is a pervasive and growing problem. To estimate the effectiveness of interventions to reduce plastic pollution, we modeled stocks and flows of municipal solid waste and four sources of microplastics through the global plastic system for five scenarios between 2016 and 2040. Implementing all feasible interventions reduced plastic pollution by 40% from 2016 rates and 78% relative to “business as usual” in 2040. Even with immediate and concerted action, 710 million metric tons of plastic waste cumulatively entered aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. To avoid a massive build-up of plastic in the environment, coordinated global action is urgently needed to reduce plastic consumption; increase rates of reuse, waste collection, and recycling; expand safe disposal systems; and accelerate innovation in the plastic value chain.",

author = "Lau, {Winnie W.Y.} and Yonathan Shiran and Bailey, {Richard M.} and Ed Cook and Stuchtey, {Martin R.} and Julia Koskella and Velis, {Costas A.} and Linda Godfrey and Julien Boucher and Murphy, {Margaret B.} and Thompson, {Richard C.} and Emilia Jankowska and Castillo, {Arturo Castillo} and Pilditch, {Toby D.} and Ben Dixon and Laura Koerselman and Edward Kosior and Enzo Favoino and Jutta Gutberlet and Sarah Baulch and Atreya, {Meera E.} and David Fischer and He, {Kevin K.} and Petit, {Milan M.} and Sumaila, {U. Rashid} and Emily Neil and Bernhofen, {Mark V.} and Keith Lawrence and Palardy, {James E.}",

year = "2020",

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doi = "10.1126/science.aba9475",

language = "English",

volume = "369",

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Lau, WWY, Shiran, Y, Bailey, RM, Cook, E, Stuchtey, MR, Koskella, J, Velis, CA, Godfrey, L, Boucher, J, Murphy, MB, Thompson, RC, Jankowska, E, Castillo, AC, Pilditch, TD, Dixon, B, Koerselman, L, Kosior, E, Favoino, E, Gutberlet, J, Baulch, S, Atreya, ME, Fischer, D, He, KK, Petit, MM, Sumaila, UR, Neil, E, Bernhofen, MV, Lawrence, K & Palardy, JE 2020, 'Evaluating scenarios toward zero plastic pollution', Science, vol. 369, no. 6510, pp. 1455-1461. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aba9475

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T1 - Evaluating scenarios toward zero plastic pollution

AU - Lau, Winnie W.Y.

AU - Shiran, Yonathan

AU - Bailey, Richard M.

AU - Cook, Ed

AU - Stuchtey, Martin R.

AU - Koskella, Julia

AU - Velis, Costas A.

AU - Godfrey, Linda

AU - Boucher, Julien

AU - Murphy, Margaret B.

AU - Thompson, Richard C.

AU - Jankowska, Emilia

AU - Castillo, Arturo Castillo

AU - Pilditch, Toby D.

AU - Dixon, Ben

AU - Koerselman, Laura

AU - Kosior, Edward

AU - Favoino, Enzo

AU - Gutberlet, Jutta

AU - Baulch, Sarah

AU - Atreya, Meera E.

AU - Fischer, David

AU - He, Kevin K.

AU - Petit, Milan M.

AU - Sumaila, U. Rashid

AU - Neil, Emily

AU - Bernhofen, Mark V.

AU - Lawrence, Keith

AU - Palardy, James E.

PY - 2020/9/18

Y1 - 2020/9/18

N2 - Plastic pollution is a pervasive and growing problem. To estimate the effectiveness of interventions to reduce plastic pollution, we modeled stocks and flows of municipal solid waste and four sources of microplastics through the global plastic system for five scenarios between 2016 and 2040. Implementing all feasible interventions reduced plastic pollution by 40% from 2016 rates and 78% relative to “business as usual” in 2040. Even with immediate and concerted action, 710 million metric tons of plastic waste cumulatively entered aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. To avoid a massive build-up of plastic in the environment, coordinated global action is urgently needed to reduce plastic consumption; increase rates of reuse, waste collection, and recycling; expand safe disposal systems; and accelerate innovation in the plastic value chain.

AB - Plastic pollution is a pervasive and growing problem. To estimate the effectiveness of interventions to reduce plastic pollution, we modeled stocks and flows of municipal solid waste and four sources of microplastics through the global plastic system for five scenarios between 2016 and 2040. Implementing all feasible interventions reduced plastic pollution by 40% from 2016 rates and 78% relative to “business as usual” in 2040. Even with immediate and concerted action, 710 million metric tons of plastic waste cumulatively entered aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. To avoid a massive build-up of plastic in the environment, coordinated global action is urgently needed to reduce plastic consumption; increase rates of reuse, waste collection, and recycling; expand safe disposal systems; and accelerate innovation in the plastic value chain.

U2 - 10.1126/science.aba9475

DO - 10.1126/science.aba9475

M3 - Article

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 369

SP - 1455

EP - 1461

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6510

ER -

Evaluating scenarios toward zero plastic pollution

Abstract

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