The global threat from plastic pollution

Science, vol. 373, pp. 61–65

Abstract

Plastic pollution accumulating in an area of the environment is considered "poorly reversible" if natural mineralization processes occurring there are slow and engineered remediation solutions are improbable. Should negative outcomes in these areas arise as a consequence of plastic pollution, they will be practically irreversible. Potential impacts from poorly reversible plastic pollution include changes to carbon and nutrient cycles; habitat changes within soils, sediments, and aquatic ecosystems; co-occurring biological impacts on endangered or keystone species; ecotoxicity; and related societal impacts. The rational response to the global threat posed by accumulating and poorly reversible plastic pollution is to rapidly reduce plastic emissions through reductions in consumption of virgin plastic materials, along with internationally coordinated strategies for waste management.

Authors 4

1. Matthew MacLeod corresponding

   Stockholm University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden

2. Hans Peter H. Arp corresponding

   Norwegian Geotechnical Institute · Norwegian University of Science and Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway

   Department of Environmental Engineering, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, NO-0806 Oslo, Norway

3. Mine Banu Tekman corresponding

   Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung

   Affiliation as printed

   Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany

4. Annika Jahnke corresponding Aachen Institute for Environmental Research

   Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Ecological Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research–UFZ, DE-04107 Leipzig, Germany

   Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, DE-52074 Aachen, Germany