The need for a global plastic strategy

Plastic pollution in freshwater and marine areas has been widely recognized as one of the most crucial global concerns of our time. It has been estimated that in the last six decades, 8,300 million metric tonnes (Megatonnes; Mt) of plastic has been produced, most of it for the creation of disposable products. Of this, 6,300 Mt of plastic became waste, around 9% of which has been recycled, 12% incinerated and 79% accumulated in landfills or disposed in the natural environment (Geyer et al., 2017) and the world’s oceans: the final sink (Pham et al., 2014; Ryan, 2015), causing environmental, economic, health and aesthetic implications (Engler, 2012; Rochman et al., 2013a, b; Sheavly & Register, 2007; Silva-Iñiguez & Fischer, 2003). Barring some local fluctuations, marine litter sources can be separated into sea-based (considered to contribute around 20% in total marine litter pollution) and land-based sources (which account for 80%) (UNEP, 2006). Sea-based