Microplastics are everywhere. Here's how to curb plastic pollution

The authors argue that the international community must shift from a 'circular economy' focused on recycling to a 'low plastic economy' centered on absolute reduction. They highlight that only 9% of plastics are recycled and that many 'sustainable' bioplastics still create microplastics or require commercial facilities to degrade. The text advocates for the UN Global Plastics Treaty to recognize natural polymer materials, such as seaweed-based alternatives, as key tools for replacing plastics. Additionally, it calls for standardized transparency in measuring progress to avoid 'green inflation,' noting that the cost of inaction on plastic waste is double the cost of combating it.

• Plastic pollution has reached critical levels, with humans potentially ingesting 5 grams of plastic weekly and projections suggesting that by 2050, the weight of plastic in the ocean could exceed that of fish.
• Recycling is an insufficient solution for plastic waste, as only 9% of plastics are recycled and the process can release up to 13% of materials into the environment as microplastics.
• The authors propose that the UN Global Plastics Treaty should prioritize the elimination of plastics and formally recognize natural polymer materials as essential non-plastic substitutes.
• The financial cost of failing to address plastic waste is significantly higher than the cost of mitigation, with the UN Environment Programme estimating the cost of inaction at $113 billion per year compared to $65 billion for combating it.

APA

Deguerre, O. P. P. H. D. M. (2023). Microplastics are everywhere. Here's how to curb plastic pollution. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/plastics-microplastic-pollution-reduce-climate-health/

Chicago

Deguerre, Olga Paxson, Ph.D., Hoa Doan, Margaux. Microplastics are everywhere. Here's how to curb plastic pollution. World Economic Forum, 2023. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/plastics-microplastic-pollution-reduce-climate-health/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Deguerre |first1=Olga Paxson, Ph.D., Hoa Doan, Margaux |title=Microplastics are everywhere. Here's how to curb plastic pollution |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=8 November 2023 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/plastics-microplastic-pollution-reduce-climate-health/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{deguerre2023microplastics, author = {Deguerre, Olga Paxson, Ph.D., Hoa Doan, Margaux}, title = {{Microplastics are everywhere. Here's how to curb plastic pollution}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/plastics-microplastic-pollution-reduce-climate-health/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }