The role of citizen science in addressing plastic pollution: Challenges and opportunities

Nelms, Sarah E.; Easman, Emily; Anderson, Nichola; Berg, Madeleine; Coates, Sue; Crosby, Abigail; Eisfeld-Pierantonio, Sonja Mareike; Eyles, Lauran; Flux, Tony; Gilford, Emily; Giner, Claire; Hamlet, Jasper; Hembrow, Neil; Hickie, Jessica; Hopkinson, Peter; Jarvis, Dan; Kearsley, Jonathan; Millard, Justine; Nunn, Fred; Pollitt, Emily; Sainsbury, Avril; Sayer, Sue; Sinclair, Rory; Slack, Amy; Smith, Pat; Thomas, Rebecca L.; Tyler, Jen; Walker, Richard; Wallerstein, Claire; Ward, Mark; Godley, Brendan J.

doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2021.11.002

Cited by 50 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Involving citizens in data collection, whether through activities like beach cleanups, sample collection, or data analysis, raises a sense of ownership and active participation. Additionally, citizen science projects promote a deeper connection between communities and their local environments, motivating sustained efforts to combat microplastic pollution [94,95]. Educational initiatives and public engagement programs work in harmony to initiate a society that is not only well-informed but also actively committed to mitigating the impacts of microplastic pollution.…”

Section: Public Engagement and Citizen Sciencementioning

confidence: 99%

Crafting a Scientific Framework to Mitigate Microplastic Impact on Ecosystems

Nikpay,

Toorchi Roodsari

2024

Microplastics

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Microplastics (MPs), microscopic particles originating from plastic products, have emerged as a persistent environmental challenge, posing threats to both ecosystems and human health. Their omnipresence, extending from the highest mountains to the deepest oceans and infiltrating the bodies of humans and animals, requires urgent attention. In the face of escalating annual plastic production and inefficient waste management, where 79% of plastic production ends up in landfill sites or enters the environment, MPs multiply as its consequence. This emphasizes the urgent need for a comprehensive global framework that transcends borders to systematically address and control the growth of MPs. In response, our research conducts an in-depth investigation and proposes a seven-step strategy, providing a global perspective for mitigating microplastic pollution. The proposed approach begins with initial research steps and closes in predicting the remediation of areas impacted by microplastic pollution.

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Section: Public Engagement and Citizen Sciencementioning

confidence: 99%

Crafting a Scientific Framework to Mitigate Microplastic Impact on Ecosystems

Nikpay,

Toorchi Roodsari

2024

Microplastics

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“…Governments, environmental organizations, and communities dedicate substantial financial resources and time toward cleaning up plastic waste from beaches, waterways, and other public spaces. These efforts require mobilizing staff, equipment, transport, and waste disposal infrastructure, amounting to high costs [51]. For example, the state of California spends over $500 million annually removing trash, much of it plastics, from coastal areas alone [52].…”

Section: Economic Losementioning

confidence: 99%

Macroalgae Bioplastics: A Sustainable Shift to Mitigate the Ecological Impact of Petroleum-Based Plastics

Elkaliny,

Alzamel,

Moussa

et al. 2024

Polymers

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The surge in global utilization of petroleum-based plastics, which notably heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic, has substantially increased its harm to ecosystems. Considering the escalating environmental impact, a pivotal shift towards bioplastics usage is imperative. Exploring and implementing bioplastics as a viable alternative could mitigate the ecological burden posed by traditional plastics. Macroalgae is a potential feedstock for the production of bioplastics due to its abundance, fast growth, and high cellulose and sugar content. Researchers have recently explored various methods for extracting and converting macroalgae into bioplastic. Some of the key challenges in the production of macroalgae bioplastics are the high costs of large-scale production and the need to optimize the extraction and conversion processes to obtain high-quality bioplastics. However, the potential benefits of using macroalgae for bioplastic production include reducing plastic waste and greenhouse gas emissions, using healthier materials in various life practices, and developing a promising area for future research and development. Also, bioplastic provides job opportunities in free enterprise and contributes to various applications such as packaging, medical devices, electronics, textiles, and cosmetics. The presented review aims to discuss the problem of petroleum-based plastic, bioplastic extraction from macroalgae, bioplastic properties, biodegradability, its various applications, and its production challenges.

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“…As a result, Sanya's bag consumption remains unchanged from that of Yangzhou and shows no signs of improvement. Therefore, Shanghai's policies perform much better than Sanya's in terms of inducing pro-environmental behavioural change, which is an important measure of environmental policy success (Nelms et al 2022). However, these two types of policies may result in a tie in terms of reducing plastic waste damage.…”

Section: Implementation Effects Of Different Plastic Bag Ban Policies...mentioning

confidence: 99%

The implementation effects of different plastic bag ban policies in China: the role of consumers’ involvement

Wang

Li²,

Cai

2023

Environ. Res. Commun.

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This study selects three cities in China that implement plastic bag ban policies with different levels of consumer involvement to compare the effects of policy implementation. In general, consumer plastic bag usage behaviour becomes more environmentally friendly when plastic bag ban policies became more stringent. High consumer involvement policies induces changes in pro-environmental bag use; however, their plastic-reducing effects are uncertain and compounded. In contrast, low-consumer-involvement policies could reduce plastic waste damage but could not make consumers’ more environmentally conscious with regard to bag usage. Moreover, this study confirms robust bag usage differences across different groups of consumers. These findings provide valuable insights into the patterns of influence of different types of plastic bag bans. Based on these insights, plastic crisis managers can create more effective and targeted policies to combat the growing plastic crisis.

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The role of citizen science in addressing plastic pollution: Challenges and opportunities

Cited by 50 publications

References 26 publications

Crafting a Scientific Framework to Mitigate Microplastic Impact on Ecosystems

Crafting a Scientific Framework to Mitigate Microplastic Impact on Ecosystems

Macroalgae Bioplastics: A Sustainable Shift to Mitigate the Ecological Impact of Petroleum-Based Plastics

The implementation effects of different plastic bag ban policies in China: the role of consumers’ involvement

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