Ocean plastic pollution news, research and analysis - the conversation

April 3, 2025 Stephanie Brodie, _CSIRO_ and Britta Denise Hardesty, _CSIRO_ A CSIRO study has found 39% less plastic pollution in and around Australian coastal cities over ten years. It also

found more places with no rubbish at all. December 9, 2024 Pere Monràs i Riera, _Universitat de Barcelona_ and Elisenda Ballesté, _Universitat de Barcelona_ Plastic debris in the sea hosts

the plastisphere, a whole new microbial ecosystem. December 2, 2024 Mateo Cordier, _Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ) – Université Paris-Saclay _ Plastic pollution in

the world’s ecosystems could cost more than $280 trillion in environmental damage. That’s at least $120 trillion higher than the cost of reducing plastic production and pollution. October

16, 2024 Sharon Hook, _CSIRO_ There’s a good chance the objects on Coogee beach are not, as some have suggested, tar balls. But in any case, they pose a potential risk and authorities are

right to close the beach. May 3, 2024 Richard Thompson, _University of Plymouth_ Since coining the term microplastics 20 years ago on May 7 2004, Richard Thompson reflects on the progress

being made to halt plastic pollution. January 16, 2024 Bethanie Carney Almroth, _University of Gothenburg_ and Eric Carmona Martinez, _Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ_

Recycled plastics are not safe if the chemicals used in creating them in the first place are harmful. January 12, 2024 Judith Weis, _Rutgers University - Newark_ Your washing machine is

polluting the ocean. November 12, 2023 Deborah Lau, _CSIRO_ United Nations efforts to advance a global treaty on plastic pollution echo past multilateral agreements that tackled ozone layer

depletion and acid rain. June 6, 2023 Jennifer Weeks, _The Conversation_ Humans rely on the ocean for food, jobs and other resources, but these systems are being stressed to the brink. April

17, 2023 Yolanda Lee Waters, _The University of Queensland_ and Angela Dean, _The University of Queensland_ Promoting small actions, such as reducing plastic use, can be a useful entry

point for other actions around climate change. It’s an example of ‘positive spillover behaviour’. March 21, 2023 Matthew Savoca, _Stanford University_ Many marine animals, birds and fish are

ingesting plastic. New research identifies the first named health effect from it. February 14, 2023 Pam Longobardi, _Georgia State University_ Pam Longobardi collects and documents ocean

plastic waste and transforms it into public art and photography. Her work makes statements about consumption, globalism and conservation. January 13, 2023 Antaya March, _University of

Portsmouth_; Steve Fletcher, _University of Portsmouth_, and Tegan Evans, _University of Portsmouth_ How to make England’s new ban a success. September 7, 2022 Qamar Schuyler, _CSIRO_

Product standards have real power. We could use them to reduce waste at every part of the plastic lifecycle. July 13, 2022 Karen Scott, _University of Canterbury_ Better enforcement of

existing international laws would be a much faster way of addressing plastic pollution from fishing vessels than waiting for a new treaty to be adopted. June 8, 2022 Kathryn Willis,

_University of Tasmania_; Britta Denise Hardesty, _CSIRO_; Chris Wilcox, _CSIRO_, and Joanna Vince, _University of Tasmania_ Here’s some good environmental news – local governments and local

actions have slashed the plastic on our beaches. Incentives, awareness and access are the key. May 24, 2022 Rashid Sumaila, _University of British Columbia_ Humans have failed to take good

care of the ocean — and the environment at large — because we undervalue its goods and services. March 4, 2022 Steve Fletcher, _University of Portsmouth_ Without action in the next five

years, an extra 80 million tonnes of plastic may end up in the ocean by 2040. March 2, 2022 Sarah J. Morath, _Wake Forest University_ Representatives of 175 countries voted to start

developing a global treaty to reduce plastic waste. Treaties addressing mercury, long-range air pollution and ozone depletion offer some lessons. December 3, 2021 Matthew Savoca, _Stanford

University_; Anna Robuck, _Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai_, and Lauren Kashiwabara, _University of the Pacific_ An estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic waste enters the ocean

each year – equivalent to dumping in a garbage truckload of it every minute. A new report calls on the US to help stem the deluge.