A Coordinated Digital Response to Plastic Wastes: The Global Plastics Policy Inventory

A multimedia story for the Ocean Innovation Challenge's website highlights how the Nicholas Institute's Plastics Policy Inventory provides a digital repository of resources and innovative solutions to aid government and non-government entities in their responses to plastic waste.

An estimated 710 million metric tons of plastic waste will have entered our environment between 2016 and 2040, a result of plastics being produced, imported, consumed and quickly disposed of in unsustainable quantities. Despite extensive knowledge of the grave consequences caused by plastics and some level of concerted “all hands on deck” efforts, current interventions will only reduce plastic pollution by 7.7% by 2040.

“This underscores the need for governments at all levels to continue to enact coordinated legislation that targets more plastic types at more stages of the plastic lifecycle,” said Rachel Karasik, policy associate in the Nicholas Institute's Ecosystem Services Program.