Reckoning with the U.S. Role in Global Ocean Plastic Waste

Reckoning with the U.S. Role in Global Ocean Plastic Waste

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher:

Published: 2022-09

Total Pages: 250

ISBN-13: 9780309458856

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An estimated 8 million metric tons (MMT) of plastic waste enters the world's ocean each year - the equivalent of dumping a garbage truck of plastic waste into the ocean every minute. Plastic waste is now found in almost every marine habitat, from the ocean surface to deep sea sediments to the ocean's vast mid-water region, as well as the Great Lakes. This report responds to a request in the bipartisan Save Our Seas 2.0 Act for a scientific synthesis of the role of the United States both in contributing to and responding to global ocean plastic waste. The United States is a major producer of plastics and in 2016, generated more plastic waste by weight and per capita than any other nation. Although the U.S. solid waste management system is advanced, it is not sufficient to deter leakage into the environment. Reckoning with the U.S. Role in Global Ocean Plastic Waste calls for a national strategy by the end of 2022 to reduce the nation's contribution to global ocean plastic waste at every step - from production to its entry into the environment - including by substantially reducing U.S. solid waste generation. This report also recommends a nationally-coordinated and expanded monitoring system to track plastic pollution in order to understand the scales and sources of U.S. plastic waste, set reduction and management priorities, and measure progress.


Global Plastics Outlook Economic Drivers, Environmental Impacts and Policy Options

Global Plastics Outlook Economic Drivers, Environmental Impacts and Policy Options

Author: OECD

Publisher: OECD Publishing

Published: 2022-02-22

Total Pages: 201

ISBN-13: 9264584064

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While plastics are extremely useful materials for modern society, plastics production and waste generation continue to increase with worsening environmental impacts despite international, national and local policy responses, as well as industry commitments. The first of two reports, this Outlook intends to inform and support policy efforts to combat plastic leakage.


Plastic Waste and Recycling

Plastic Waste and Recycling

Author: Trevor Letcher

Publisher: Academic Press

Published: 2020-03-10

Total Pages: 688

ISBN-13: 0128178817

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Plastic Waste and Recycling: Environmental Impact, Societal Issues, Prevention, and Solutions begins with an introduction to the different types of plastic materials, their uses, and the concepts of reduce, reuse and recycle before examining plastic types, chemistry and degradation patterns that are organized by non-degradable plastic, degradable and biodegradable plastics, biopolymers and bioplastics. Other sections cover current challenges relating to plastic waste, explain the sources of waste and their routes into the environment, and provide systematic coverage of plastic waste treatment methods, including mechanical processing, monomerization, blast furnace feedstocks, gasification, thermal recycling, and conversion to fuel. This is an essential guide for anyone involved in plastic waste or recycling, including researchers and advanced students across plastics engineering, polymer science, polymer chemistry, environmental science, and sustainable materials. - Presents actionable solutions for reducing plastic waste, with a focus on the concepts of collection, re-use, recycling and replacement - Considers major societal and environmental issues, providing the reader with a broader understanding and supporting effective implementation - Includes detailed case studies from across the globe, offering unique insights into different solutions and approaches


The Plastics Paradox

The Plastics Paradox

Author: Chris Dearmitt

Publisher:

Published: 2020-03

Total Pages: 188

ISBN-13: 9780997849967

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The Plastics Paradox is the first and only book to reveal the truth about plastics and the environment. Based on over 400 scientific articles, it dispels the myths that the public believe today. We are told that plastics are not green when in fact, they are usually the greenest choice according to lifecycle analysis (LCA) We are told that plastics create a waste problem when they are proven to dramatically reduce waste, for example replacing 1lb of plastic requires 3-4lb of the replacement material We are told that plastics take 1000 years to degrade when in fact a plastic bag disintegrates in just one year outdoors We are led to believe that plastic bags and straws are an issue when in fact they barely register in the statistics The list goes on... Everything you believe now is untrue and we are making policies that harm the environment based on bad information. After reading The Plastics Paradox you will be able to make wise choices that help create a brighter future for us and for our children.


Sustainable Resource Recovery and Zero Waste Approaches

Sustainable Resource Recovery and Zero Waste Approaches

Author: Mohammad Taherzadeh

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2019-07-18

Total Pages: 306

ISBN-13: 0444642838

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Sustainable Resource Recovery and Zero Waste Approaches covers waste reduction, biological, thermal and recycling methods of waste recovery, and their conversion into a variety of products. In addition, the social, economic and environmental aspects are also explored, making this a useful textbook for environmental courses and a reference book for both universities and companies. - Provides a novel approach on how to achieve zero wastes in a society - Shows the roadmap on achieving Sustainable Development Goals - Considers critical aspects of municipal waste management - Covers recent developments in waste biorefinery, thermal processes, anaerobic digestion, material recycling and landfill mining


Plastics and the Environment

Plastics and the Environment

Author: R. M. Harrison

Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry

Published: 2018-11-20

Total Pages: 208

ISBN-13: 1788012410

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This book reviews the role of plastics in society and examines the environmental impact of different types of plastics.


Improving Markets for Recycled Plastics Trends, Prospects and Policy Responses

Improving Markets for Recycled Plastics Trends, Prospects and Policy Responses

Author: OECD

Publisher: OECD Publishing

Published: 2018-05-24

Total Pages: 164

ISBN-13: 9264301011

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Plastics have become one of the most prolific materials on the planet: in 2015 we produced about 380 million tonnes of plastics globally, up from 2 million tonnes in the 1950s. Yet today only 15% of this plastic waste is collected and recycled into secondary plastics globally each year. This ...


Can I Recycle This?

Can I Recycle This?

Author: Jennie Romer

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2021-04-13

Total Pages: 274

ISBN-13: 0143135678

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“If you’ve ever been perplexed by the byzantine rules of recycling, you’re not alone…you’ll want to read Can I Recycle This?... An extensive look at what you can and cannot chuck into your blue bin.” —The Washington Post The first illustrated guidebook that answers the age-old question: Can I Recycle This? Since the dawn of the recycling system, men and women the world over have stood by their bins, holding an everyday object, wondering, "can I recycle this?" This simple question reaches into our concern for the environment, the care we take to keep our homes and our communities clean, and how we interact with our local government. Recycling rules seem to differ in every municipality, with exceptions and caveats at every turn, leaving the average American scratching her head at the simple act of throwing something away. Taking readers on a quick but informative tour of how recycling actually works (setting aside the propaganda we were all taught as kids), Can I Recycle This gives straightforward answers to whether dozens of common household objects can or cannot be recycled, as well as the information you need to make that decision for anything else you encounter. Jennie Romer has been working for years to help cities and states across America better deal with the waste we produce, helping draft meaningful legislation to help communities better process their waste and produce less of it in the first place. She has distilled her years of experience into this non-judgmental, easy-to-use guide that will change the way you think about what you throw away and how you do it.


The Beachcomber’s Guide to Marine Debris

The Beachcomber’s Guide to Marine Debris

Author: Michael Stachowitsch

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2018-10-12

Total Pages: 365

ISBN-13: 331990728X

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This richly illustrated book serves as the ideal guide to the items that litter the world’s beaches. Forget sea shells and other fauna and flora. Here, you will find what a beachcomber is actually most likely to encounter these days: glass, plastic, wood, metal, paper, oil, and other sources of marine pollution! Complete with nearly 700 photographs, this guide shows the full range of marine debris items, each presented with insight and a pinch of humor. In addition, the author provides full details about these items. You will learn everything worth knowing about them. This includes not just their sources and decomposition stages. Discover the threat each item poses to these beautiful environments as well as prevention strategies, clean-up recommendations, alternative products, and recycling and upcycling ideas. Beyond the aesthetic issue, marine debris poses a threat to wildlife, human health, and economic welfare. This book arms you with the knowledge you need to combat these disgraceful and often hazardous eyesores. Become a beach detective! Travel the world’s most beloved tourist destinations with this ultimate beach read and help restore these fascinating environments to their natural beauty.