A Transdisciplinary Approach to Reducing Global Plastic Pollution

Plastic waste is ubiquitous in the environment. Without a new approach, about 710 million metric tons of plastics will enter the environment between 2016 and 2040, leading to negative repercussions at all levels of biological organization. Global plastics production without sufficient waste management constitutes an “uncontrolled experiment” by humanity.

As negotiations for an international plastic pollution treaty proceed, an interdisciplinary group of Duke scholars has published a commentary in Frontiers in Marine Science that underscores the urgency of the crisis and recommends novel interventions for curbing plastic pollution. The authors are part of the Plastic Pollution Working Group, which was launched with funds from the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability. 

Author affiliations:

• Zoie Diana, Duke University Marine Lab, Nicholas School of the Environment
• Rachel Karasik, Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability
• Greg B. Merrill, Duke University Marine Lab, Nicholas School of the Environment
• Margaret Morrison, Duke University Marine Lab, Nicholas School of the Environment
• Kimberly A. Corcoran, Duke University Marine Lab, Nicholas School of the Environment
• Daniel Vermeer, Fuqua School of Business
• Evan Hepler-Smith, Department of History, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
• Nishad Jayasundara, Nicholas School of the Environment
• Jeremy Pare, Nicholas School of the Environment
• John Virdin, Duke University Marine Lab, Nicholas School of the Environment; and Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability
• William C. Eward, Department of Orthopedics, Duke University Medical Center
• Jason A. Somarelli, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center
• Megan A. Dunphy-Daly, Duke University Marine Lab, Nicholas School of the Environment
• Daniel Rittschof, Duke University Marine Lab, Nicholas School of the Environment