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Islam MZ. Prevention policies for the marine ecological environment in the South China Sea as a consequence of excessive plastic compound use in Vietnam. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2024. [PMID: 38923110 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Vietnam suffers from a distressing predicament: It ranks among the most heavily contaminated nations on earth. Its coastal and marine domains are plagued by an excess of plastic waste. Vietnam has consistently discharged a substantial amount of waste into the oceans, ranging from 0.28 to 0.73 million metric tons annually. Numerous areas have emerged as focal points of plastic pollution throughout its extensive seashore and marine areas. The escalating presence of marine litter poses an increasingly grave threat to the intricate equilibrium of Vietnam's marine ecosystems. This comprehensive policy study reveals that the mounting problem of ocean plastic pollution, characterized by the abundance of floating plastic debris, imperils both plant and animal life, placing various marine species such as seabirds, fish, turtles, and cetaceans at risk. The consumption of minuscule plastic particles and the harmful impact of chemical pollutants from plastic waste in the ocean not only endangers the vitality of marine life but also poses a substantial hazard to human well-being because plastic waste infiltrates the food chain. This research reveals that, despite the existence of numerous laws and policies-including the Law on Environmental Protection 2020, the Marine Plastic Waste Management Initiative for the Fisheries Sector 2020-2030, and the National Action Plan for Management of Marine Plastic Litter-a significant amount of plastic waste is infiltrating the river network and eventually infiltrating oceans as a result of improper monitoring and ineffective enforcement of these legislations. Relying primarily on existing data released by the government and other sources and a wide range of gray literature retrieved from reputable databases, this study aims to evaluate the role of Vietnam's legal framework for combating the critical issue of marine plastic pollution in the South China Sea. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;00:1-19. © 2024 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Ziaul Islam
- Research Institute of Environmental Law (RIEL), School of Law, Wuhan University, Wuhan, PR China
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2
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Scrich VM, Elliff C, de Andrade MM, Grilli NM, Turra A. Stakeholder Analysis as a strategic tool in framing collaborative governance arenas for marine litter monitoring. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 198:115799. [PMID: 38101064 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring and assessment of marine litter requires multi-stakeholder involvement at national and subnational levels. Collaborative governance approaches are important, but often fail without adequate effort towards identifying and engaging stakeholders with appropriate profiles for the issue at stake. Stakeholder Analysis (SA) is increasingly used to ensure efficient governance arrangements. Our hypothesis is that SA contributes to collaborative governance processes for marine litter policies. We explored a pioneer participatory process in Brazil, where SA was applied to identify, categorize, and prioritize stakeholders, and analyze their power and interest, for the Strategic Plan for Monitoring and Assessing Marine Litter in the state of São Paulo. A top-down/bottom-up approach revealed that snowball sampling complemented the stakeholder assemblage identified by the consultation of experts. Prioritization of data-related stakeholders streamlined the participatory process. The interest-power matrix evaluated stakeholders' influences, guiding specific engagement strategies. We highlight the significance of SA in collaborative governance and mobilizing key stakeholders for effective marine litter monitoring initiatives, contributing to the global agenda to combat marine pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitória M Scrich
- Energy and Environment Institute, University of São Paulo (USP), 1289 Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-900, Brazil; Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo (USP), 191 Praça do Oceanográfico, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-120, Brazil; UNESCO Chair for Ocean Sustainability, Brazil.
| | - Carla Elliff
- Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo (USP), 191 Praça do Oceanográfico, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-120, Brazil; UNESCO Chair for Ocean Sustainability, Brazil
| | - Mariana M de Andrade
- Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo (USP), 191 Praça do Oceanográfico, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-120, Brazil; UNESCO Chair for Ocean Sustainability, Brazil
| | - Natalia M Grilli
- Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo (USP), 191 Praça do Oceanográfico, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-120, Brazil; UNESCO Chair for Ocean Sustainability, Brazil
| | - Alexander Turra
- Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo (USP), 191 Praça do Oceanográfico, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-120, Brazil; UNESCO Chair for Ocean Sustainability, Brazil
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3
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Idris SN, Amelia TSM, Bhubalan K, Lazim AMM, Zakwan NAMA, Jamaluddin MI, Santhanam R, Amirul AAA, Vigneswari S, Ramakrishna S. The degradation of single-use plastics and commercially viable bioplastics in the environment: A review. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:115988. [PMID: 37105296 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Plastics have become an integral part of human life. Single-use plastics (SUPs) are disposable plastics designed to be used once then promptly discarded or recycled. This SUPs range from packaging and takeaway containers to disposable razors and hotel toiletries. Synthetic plastics, which are made of non-renewable petroleum and natural gas resources, require decades to perpetually disintegrate in nature thus contribute to plastic pollution worldwide, especially in marine environments. In response to these problems, bioplastics or bio-based and biodegradable polymers from renewable sources has been considered as an alternative. Understanding the mechanisms behind the degradation of conventional SUPs and biodegradability of their greener counterpart, bioplastics, is crucial for appropriate material selection in the future. This review aims to provide insights into the degradation or disintegration of conventional single-use plastics and the biodegradability of the different types of greener-counterparts, bioplastics, their mechanisms, and conditions. This review highlights on the biodegradation in the environments including composting systems. Here, the various types of alternative biodegradable polymers, such as bacterially biosynthesised bioplastics, natural fibre-reinforced plastics, starch-, cellulose-, lignin-, and soy-based polymers were explored. Review of past literature revealed that although bioplastics are relatively eco-friendly, their natural compositions and properties are inconsistent. Furthermore, the global plastic market for biodegradable plastics remains relatively small and require further research and commercialization efforts, especially considering the urgency of plastic and microplastic pollution as currently critical global issue. Biodegradable plastics have potential to replace conventional plastics as they show biodegradation ability under real environments, and thus intensive research on the various biodegradable plastics is needed to inform stakeholders and policy makers on the appropriate response to the gradually emerging biodegradable plastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siti Norliyana Idris
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Tan Suet May Amelia
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Kesaven Bhubalan
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; Institute of Marine Biotechnology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Anim Maisara Mohd Lazim
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | | | - Muhammad Imran Jamaluddin
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Rameshkumar Santhanam
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Al-Ashraf Abdullah Amirul
- School of Biological Science, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia; Centre for Chemical Biology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia; Malaysian Institute of Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals, National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia.
| | - Sevakumaran Vigneswari
- Institute of Marine Biotechnology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.
| | - Seeram Ramakrishna
- Center for Nanotechnology and Sustainability, national University of Singapore, 119260, Singapore.
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Current trends of unsustainable plastic production and micro(nano)plastic pollution. Trends Analyt Chem 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2023.116984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
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5
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Fruergaard M, Laursen SN, Larsen MN, Posth NR, Niebe KB, Bentzon-Tarp A, Svenningsen SK, Acevedo N LI, Trinh BS, Tran-Thi PT, Doan-Nhu H, Nguyen-Ngoc L, Andersen TJ. Abundance and sources of plastic debris on beaches in a plastic hotspot, Nha Trang, Viet Nam. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 186:114394. [PMID: 36493520 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Viet Nam is challenged by extensive marine plastic pollution, however, remediation efforts are hampered by undefined sources to the coastal environment. This study surveyed the abundance, type, and source of beached plastic litter at seven beaches along the coast of Nha Trang, Viet Nam. A total of 4754 beached plastic litter items (>2 cm) yielded a mean abundance of 19.8 ± 19.5 items m-2 corresponding to 116 ± 226 g DW m-2. Our results demonstrate that plastic litter related to fishing and aquaculture constituted at least 62 % of the total by weight and 38 % by number, showing that these two sectors are responsible for a significant part of the plastic pollution along the coast. Hence, we argue that improved management of the fishing and aquaculture sectors could substantially reduce marine plastic pollution along Viet Nam's coast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikkel Fruergaard
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN), University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
| | - Simon N Laursen
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN), University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Marianne N Larsen
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN), University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Nicole R Posth
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN), University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Kasper B Niebe
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN), University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Abeline Bentzon-Tarp
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN), University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Sidsel K Svenningsen
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN), University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Laura I Acevedo N
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN), University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Bao-Son Trinh
- Institute for Environment and Resources, National University of Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | | | - Hai Doan-Nhu
- Department of Marine Plankton, Institute of Oceanography (Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology, VAST), Cau Da 01, Nha Trang 650000, Viet Nam
| | - Lam Nguyen-Ngoc
- Department of Marine Plankton, Institute of Oceanography (Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology, VAST), Cau Da 01, Nha Trang 650000, Viet Nam
| | - Thorbjørn J Andersen
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN), University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
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Monteiro R, Andrades R, Noleto-Filho E, Pegado T, Morais L, Gonçalves M, Santos R, Sbrana A, Franceschini S, Soares MO, Russo T, Giarrizzo T. GLOVE: The Global Plastic Ingestion Initiative for a cleaner world. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 185:114244. [PMID: 36283155 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plastics are one of the most used materials in the world. Their indiscriminate use and inappropriate disposal have led to inevitable impacts, for instance ingestion, on the environment arousing the attention of the global community. In addition, plastic ingestion studies are often written in scientific jargon or hidden behind paywalls, which makes these studies inaccessible. GLOVE is an online and open-access dashboard database available at gloveinitiative.shinyapps.io/Glove/ to support scientists, decision-makers, and society with information collected from plastic ingestion studies. The platform was created in the R environment, with a web interface developed through Shiny. It already comprises 530 studies, including all biological groups, with 245,366 individual records of 1458 species found in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments. The main goal of the GLOVE dashboard database is to improve data accessibility by being a scientifically useful grounded tool for designing effective and innovative actions in the current scenario of upcoming global and local agreements and actions on plastic pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raqueline Monteiro
- Núcleo de Ecologia Aquática e Pesca da Amazônia and Grupo de Ecologia Aquática, Universidade Federal do Pará, 2651 Avenida Perimetral, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
| | - Ryan Andrades
- Laboratório de Ictiologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Goiabeiras, 29075-910 Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | | | - Tamyris Pegado
- Núcleo de Ecologia Aquática E Pesca da Amazônia and Laboratório de Biologia Pesqueira e Manejo dos Recursos Aquáticos, Grupo de Ecologia Aquática, Universidade Federal do Pará, 2651 Avenida Perimetral, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Morais
- Laboratório de Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal do Pará, Av. Augusto Corrêa s/n, Guamá, Belém, PA 66075-110, Brazil
| | - Myckey Gonçalves
- Núcleo de Ecologia Aquática e Pesca da Amazônia (NEAP), Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Robson Santos
- Laboratório de Biologia Marinha e Conservação, UniversidadeFederal de Alagoas, Cidade Universitária, 57072-900 Maceió, AL, Brazil
| | - Alice Sbrana
- PhD Program in Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy
| | - Simone Franceschini
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States of America
| | - Marcelo O Soares
- Instituto de Ciências do Mar (LABOMAR), Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC), Avenida da Abolição 3207, Fortaleza, CE 60165-081, Brazil; Reef Systems Research Group, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Bremen, Germany
| | - Tommaso Russo
- Laboratory of Experimental Ecology and Aquaculture, Dept. of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy
| | - Tommaso Giarrizzo
- Núcleo de Ecologia Aquática e Pesca da Amazônia and Grupo de Ecologia Aquática, Universidade Federal do Pará, 2651 Avenida Perimetral, Belém, Pará, Brazil; Instituto de Ciências do Mar (LABOMAR), Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC), Avenida da Abolição 3207, Fortaleza, CE 60165-081, Brazil; Grupo de Ecologia Aquática, Espaço Inovação do Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia do Guamá, Belém, PA, Brazil.
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7
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Islam MS, Phoungthong K, Islam ARMT, Ali MM, Ismail Z, Shahid S, Kabir MH, Idris AM. Sources and management of marine litter pollution along the Bay of Bengal coast of Bangladesh. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 185:114362. [PMID: 36410195 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Marine debris is often detected everywhere in the oceans after it enters the marine ecosystems from various sources. Marine litter pollution is a major threat to the marine ecosystem in Bangladesh. A preliminary study was conducted to identify the sources of marine litter (plastics, foamed plastic, clothes, glass, ceramic, metals, paper, and cardboard) along the Bay of Bengal coast. From the observations, the range of abundance of the collected marine litter was 0.14-0.58 items/m2. From the ten sampling sites, the highest amount of marine litter was observed for aluminium cans (3500), followed by plastic bottles (3200). The spatial distribution pattern indicated that all the study areas had beach litter of all types of materials. The present investigation showed that plastics were the dominating pollutants in the marine ecosystem in Bangladesh. The clean-coast index (CCI) value indicated that the Cox's Bazar coast was clean to dirty class. The abundance, distribution, and pollution of marine litter along the coastal belts pose a potential threat to the entire ecosystem. This study will help come up with ways to manage and get rid of marine litter along the coast in an effective way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Saiful Islam
- Environmental Assessment and Technology for Hazardous Waste Management Research Center, Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90112, Thailand; Department of Soil Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali 8602, Bangladesh; Centre for River and Coastal Engineering (CRCE), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
| | - Khamphe Phoungthong
- Environmental Assessment and Technology for Hazardous Waste Management Research Center, Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90112, Thailand.
| | | | - Mir Mohammad Ali
- Department of Aquaculture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh
| | - Zulhilmi Ismail
- Centre for River and Coastal Engineering (CRCE), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Johor Bahru, Malaysia; Department of Water & Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Shamsuddin Shahid
- Centre for River and Coastal Engineering (CRCE), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Johor Bahru, Malaysia; Department of Water & Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Md Humayun Kabir
- Department of Environmental Science and Resource Management, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail, Bangladesh
| | - Abubakr M Idris
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 62529, Saudi Arabia; Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University, Abha 62529, Saudi Arabia
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8
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Davies L, Kemp A, O'Loughlin C, Korczynskyj D. Is conscientious beachcombing the key to 'unlock' marine plastic pollution trends through citizen science? A case study from Cockburn Sound, Western Australia. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 177:113519. [PMID: 35278905 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Despite the global implementation of plastic waste reduction policies and bans on single use plastics (SuPs), their effectiveness for protecting marine ecosystems remains unclear. Frequent monitoring could confirm policy effectiveness, but this is difficult due to resourcing and logistic constraints. This study tested a 'beach litter' beachcombing citizen science approach that could overcome some constraints. Between November 2018 and January 2021, 168 beach visits led to the collection of 12,659 pieces of litter from a beach in Western Australia. Litter was predominantly plastic (87%) and mostly associated with fishing/boating (34%). Significant reductions in six types of litter, including fishing/boating items, balloons, and straws were detected and four coincided with local government waste mitigation measures. We show potential to harness conscientious beachcombers as citizen scientists to help evaluate plastic policy impact. Furthermore, we propose how to harness this effort and increase spatial and temporal coverage of marine plastic pollution monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Davies
- The University of Notre Dame Australia, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Business and Law, National School of Arts and Sciences, Fremantle, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Annabeth Kemp
- The University of Notre Dame Australia, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Business and Law, National School of Arts and Sciences, Fremantle, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Claire O'Loughlin
- The University of Notre Dame Australia, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Business and Law, National School of Arts and Sciences, Fremantle, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Ocean Remedy, South Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Dylan Korczynskyj
- The University of Notre Dame Australia, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Business and Law, National School of Arts and Sciences, Fremantle, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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9
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Baxter L, Lucas Z, Walker TR. Evaluating Canada's single-use plastic mitigation policies via brand audit and beach cleanup data to reduce plastic pollution. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 176:113460. [PMID: 35217426 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Single-use plastics (SUPs) represent a major threat to marine environments and require proactive policies to reduce consumption and mismanagement. Many SUP management strategies exist to reduce SUP use and mitigate environmental impacts, including extended producer responsibility (EPR), deposit-return schemes, SUP bans or taxes, and public outreach and education. This study analyzed brand audit and beach cleanup data in four densely populated Canadian cities (Vancouver, Toronto, Montréal, Halifax) and a remote island (Sable Island) to determine efficacy of ongoing SUP mitigation measures. Cities were found to have similar litter type proportions, and six brands were found to disproportionally contribute to Canadian SUP litter, comprising 39% of branded litter collected. Results confirm that current Canadian SUP management appears to be insufficient to address leakage of SUPs into the environment. Recommendations to strengthen SUP management strategies and mitigate plastic pollution are recommended to improve future Canadian SUP reduction policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Baxter
- Marine Affairs Program, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
| | - Zoe Lucas
- Sable Island Institute, P.O. Box 11, Halifax Central, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2L4, Canada
| | - Tony R Walker
- School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
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Walker TR. Calling for a decision to launch negotiations on a new global agreement on plastic pollution at UNEA5.2. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 176:113447. [PMID: 35183950 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tony R Walker
- School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2, Canada.
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11
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Rakib MRJ, Ertaş A, Walker TR, Rule MJ, Khandaker MU, Idris AM. Macro marine litter survey of sandy beaches along the Cox's Bazar Coast of Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh: Land-based sources of solid litter pollution. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 174:113246. [PMID: 34952406 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Macro-sized marine litter (>2.5 cm) was collected, characterized, and enumerated along the Cox's Bazar Coast, Bangladesh. Marine litter abundance was converted to density (number of items/m2). Beach cleanliness was evaluated using the clean-coast index (CCI). Plastic polythene bags were the most abundant litter items, followed by plastic cups. Total marine litter abundance was 54,401 ± 184 items. Major sources of marine litter were from tourism, fishery and residential activities. Of 10 sites surveyed, two were classified as dirty, two were moderate, four were clean and two were very clean using the CCI. Marine litter pollution along the Cox's Bazar Coast represents a potential threat to coastal and marine environments. This baseline study will help to establish mitigation strategies that are urgently required to reduce marine litter pollution along the Cox's Bazar Coast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Refat Jahan Rakib
- Department of Fisheries and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh.
| | - Alperen Ertaş
- Ege University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, 35100 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Tony R Walker
- School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Michael J Rule
- Independent Researcher, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Mayeen Uddin Khandaker
- Centre for Applied Physics and Radiation Technologies, School of Engineering and Technology, Sunway University, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Abubakr M Idris
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University, 61431 Abha, Saudi Arabia; Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
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