Topic Guide
Stopping plastic at the source and cleaning what already pollutes the ocean
Plastic enters the ocean from rivers, coasts, shipping, and fishing gear. Once at sea, it fragments into microplastics that circulate through food webs—from plankton to fish to people. Entanglement and ingestion kill wildlife, while chemical additives raise long-term health concerns.
Cleanup alone cannot keep pace with production. Durable progress requires redesigning products, expanding reuse systems, and holding producers accountable for waste.
Phase out unnecessary single-use plastics, improve packaging design, and scale refill models that keep materials in circulation.
Abandoned fishing gear is among the deadliest marine debris. Targeted recovery and gear marking cut ongoing harm.
Reusable bags, bottles, and packaging-free shopping reduce demand signals that drive plastic production.
Support extended producer responsibility, deposit-return schemes, and strong global plastics treaty rules.
We treat Plastic-Free Seas as a cross-cutting priority—linking science, community action, and durable policy so progress in one place can inform work worldwide.
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