Plastic pollution touches every ocean, watershed, and food chain on Earth — but solutions are gaining ground. This archive tracks scientific advances, policy wins, and community-led efforts that are reducing plastic waste and cleaning up what’s already out there.
Ocean Voyages Institute’s marine plastic recovery vessel, S/V KWAI completed a 48-day expedition, successfully removing 103 tons of fishing nets and consumer plastics from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
All retail outlets across the country are required to charge customers for the use of plastic bags. The new requirement is an attempt by the government to reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in the country’s rivers, forests, streams and, ultimately, surrounding oceans.
The plans, devised by renewable chemicals company Avantium, have already won the support of beer-maker Carlsberg, which hopes to sell its pilsner in a cardboard bottle lined with an inner layer of plant plastic.
Plans to ban a wide range of single-use plastics have been confirmed by the Welsh Government. Plastic straws, cotton buds and balloon sticks are among the items set to be outlawed or restricted by 2021
In 2019, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) stated that by the end of 2020 single-use plastic bags would be banned in all of China’s major cities. By the end of 2022, the plastic bag ban was to be extended to all cities and towns. As the world’s most populous nation and second-largest economy, this became the most significant plastic bag ban in history.
The new law went into effect January 1. By 2021, the same law will ban handing out plastic straws, spoons, coffee capsules and other single-use items.
At age 19, Boyan Slat founded The Ocean Cleanup. The organization has developed a massive plastic-cleaning device which is now operating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Southeast Asia nations fear they are the new dumping ground for the world’s trash after China banned the entry of several types of waste as part of a campaign against foreign garbage.
The measure gives merchants two years to phase out bags, straws, plates, cups and containers made from plastic or plastic foam, and replace them with compostable items.
Panama’s plastic bag ban has gone into effect. Panama became the first Central American country to ban single-use plastic bags in 2018.
