A new Duke University study estimates the economic cost of the life cycle of plastic ranges anywhere from $436 billion to $1.1 trillion annually. While plastic products tend to be relatively cheap on the spot, “there are so many other costs that we may not necessarily realize we’re paying when we use that plastic,” lead author Nancy Lauer, staff scientist at the Duke Environmental Law & Policy Clinic, told Coastal Review.

Plastic production, use and disposal each year saddles the U.S. with up to $1.1 trillion in social costs, the bulk of which are due to human health impacts, according to a new report from Duke University. The analysis characterizes the tally as a “conservative” estimate, reports The New Lede.

In a new report, researchers from Duke University have worked to shine a light on the invisible—but still all too real—costs of plastic products. A blog post from the Natural Resources Defense Council highlights the findings of the analysis and the staggering figures it reveals: Every year, the real costs of plastic are estimated to be between $436 billion and $1.1 trillion per year.

Plastic is everywhere in daily life in the United States, from synthetic fabrics to toys to disposable utensils, straws and bags. While plastic is cheap for the average consumer, its impacts cost Americans $436 billion to $1.1 trillion per year—and that’s likely an underestimate, according to a new report from Duke University scholars.

The 2024–2025 Bass Connections program featured 16 interdisciplinary teams in the Energy & Environment theme administered by the Nicholas Institute. Duke students involved in a handful of the teams talked about their projects during the annual Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Showcase last month.

The Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University has released the latest update to a resource for policymakers and researchers exploring how governments are responding to the plastics crisis.

A new White House strategy targeting plastic pollution cites Duke University research on the environmental justice implications of plastics' impacts.

While there are ways in which individuals can reduce their use of plastic in their daily activity, science and technology have pushed the boundaries of what is possible to address plastics pollution. Earth.org covered 10 scientific solutions, including the Nicholas Institute's Plastic Pollution Prevention and Collection Technology Inventory.

Rachel Karasik, a senior policy associate at the Nicholas Institute, told Grist that a successful case by the New York Attorney General's Office could spur PepsiCo to invest in reuse systems throughout the Buffalo area. In the absence of a statewide extended producer responsibility law for plastic packaging, Karasik also said litigation could yield financing for plastic cleanup and collection activities.

Rachel Karasik, senior policy associate at the Nicholas Institute, and Zoie Diana (PhD '23), now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto, joined WUGA's Aquathread podcast to talk about their work on plastics policy, including development of the Plastics Policy Inventory.

The Nicholas Institute has updated its Plastics Policy Inventory to include nearly 900 public policies introduced around the world since 2000 to reduce plastic use and waste. A new library also connects individual policies to studies of their effectiveness, while a pair of publications explore overarching trends and gender considerations in the policy landscape.

The Plastics Policy Inventory developed by Duke University researchers has documented "an increasing trend in the number of policies passed" around the world to address plastic consumption and waste, said Nicholas Institute expert Rachel Karasik. But The Christian Science Monitor reports that even in places seemingly most ripe for change, there have been setbacks, loopholes, and unintended consequences.

This year's World Environment Day focused on solutions to plastic pollution. Humanity produces more than 430 million tons of plastic each year, two-thirds of which end up in landfills. On CGTN's "World Insight with Tian Wei," Nicholas Institute expert Jackson Ewing and other panelists provided insights on how the global community can reduce plastic waste.

Nicholas Institute expert Rachel Karasik talked with Let Me Breathe about her work on global plastics policy; the Plastic Pollution Working Group as a central hub for Duke students, staff, and faculty; how stakeholders are tackling plastics; quick tips on how to reduce the use of plastic in daily life; and more.

An interdisciplinary group of 18 Duke students brought considerable and diverse skills to bolster the Nicholas Institute’s research, engagement and educational endeavors during the 2022–2023 academic year.