Marine litter, predominantly plastic, is a global environmental threat, which management is hindered by the absence of large-scale monitoring tools. This study extends a framework to detect Floating Marine Macro-Litter (FMML) in the complex waters of the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) and Hong Kong, using the MARIne Debris Archive benchmark dataset and Sentinel-2 imagery. A comparative analysis showed that a Random Forest (RF) classifier – leveraging spectral indices and textural features – significantly outperformed a U-Net model, achieving higher macro-F1 scores and precision. Applying the RF classifier to the PRE from 2017 to 2024, results revealed distinct spatial–temporal patterns, with FMML peaks in March and September linked to seasonal hydrology and complex circulation. Detection results deviated from summer clean-up ground truth data, suggesting that high hydrodynamic energy processes may cause rapid transport, submergence, or stranding, reducing satellite visibility. Although the model faced generalization challenges, it demonstrated strength in identifying large accumulations related to circulation and regional debris traits. This research underscores the potential of satellite monitoring while emphasizing the need for regionally calibrated models that integrate hydrodynamic data to align remote sensing with on-ground realities, ultimately supporting mitigation in dynamic coastal environments.

Microplastics are widely discussed as a pervasive environmental issue, yet decisive action and turning them into a governable “policy object” has proven to be slow and challenging. This paper investigates the shifting and heterogeneous problem framings of microplastic pollution and the regulatory complexities that emerge from them. Drawing on research from science and technology studies, we analyze how microplastics remained “hidden in plain sight” for decades, obscured by limited scientific standardization, competing problematizations, debates over scientific evidence, widespread cultural imaginaries and economic interests. The research reveals that the path from scientific knowledge to policy action is not linear but a process of co-production, where public concern, scientific capabilities and political agendas continuously reshape one another. We trace the evolution of the issue – from marine pollution to other media, human health and now nanoplastics – highlighting how each shift opens up new questions posing new (regulatory) challenges. The findings demonstrate that effective environmental governance requires more than data; it demands a critical understanding of the complex innovation pathways that produce such residues. We conclude that durable solutions require extended infrastructures of responsibility and care and the development of adaptive institutional frameworks capable of navigating scientific uncertainty and contested values.

With plastic pollution continuing to rise, there has been increasing interest in bioplastics as potential solution. While protein and starch-based bioplastics offer biodegradable properties, many still rely on non-sustainable starch sources. For these materials to be effective, they need to be both biodegradable and sustainably sourced. Just as importantly, the public, as the end users, need to find them appealing and understand what makes them different. This study evaluates perception of bioplastics and the possible applications of the starch-protein blend biopolymers (SPBBs) made from: Potato, Tapioca, Sago and Swamp Taro. Through public survey and focus group, the study found that age and education influenced people’s understanding of terms like “biodegradable” and “biobased.” While most were familiar with biodegradability, fewer understood biobased, though many were open to paying up to 5% more for sustainable alternatives. The results also showed that 74% of people use plastic alternatives, and 80% identified packaging, especially food packaging, as major source of pollution. In the focus group, participants prioritised sustainability, cost, clarity and colour. They also suggested using media campaigns, influencers and clearer labelling to boost public awareness. Future research should investigate public understanding of bioplastics and their cost implications to encourage shift towards more sustainable, environmentally friendly choices.

Ocean plastic pollution is a global issue, but many small island states lack relevant research studies and data. Microplastics are a major concern due to their persistence, entry into food chains and potential to transfer pollutants. Fish gastrointestinal tracts are easy to sample and provide a useful indicator of pollution levels. In 2024, we sampled 201 reef fish spanning 44 species from Funafuti Atoll, Tuvalu, to provide the first baseline microplastic data from this island nation. In total, 75 individuals (37.3%) contained microplastics. The mean occurrence was 0.72 ± 1.16 (mean ± SD) particles per fish, with a maximum of 5 particles per fish found in individuals of four species: Aphareus rutilans, Mulloidichthys flavolineatus, Mulloidichthys vanicolensis and Sargocentron spiniferum. When focusing analyses on seven species with 10 or more individual samples, generalized linear models found no significant differences among species, but revealed fish had significantly more microplastics close to the most populous islet Fongafale (0.95 ± 1.26 particles per individual), compared to rural islets Papaelise and Funafala (0.28 ± 0.77 particles per individual). Fibers were the most common microplastic, and polypropylene was the dominant polymer. This study confirms microplastic presence within the gastrointestinal tracts of key food fish from Funafuti lagoon, emphasizing the need for further research.

The inability of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to reach agreement on a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty at INC-5.2 in August 2025 reflects deep geopolitical and economic divisions that limit international environmental governance. While most countries in the High-Ambition Coalition supported upstream interventions, including capping plastic production and phasing out hazardous chemical additives, oil-producing states (members of the Like-Minded group) pushed to limit the treaty to waste management and recycling (downstream measures). This deadlock carries profound implications: escalating plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, impacting the trust in multilateral institutions that rely on consensus and the growing influence of petrochemical lobbies. Moving forward may require reforming negotiation procedures that do not rely on consensus, making evidence-based policymaking a priority, supporting equity and just transition principles and leveraging regional leadership and civil society mobilisation. Despite the current stalemate, the urgency of the plastics crisis underscores the necessity of renewed global commitment to an ambitious and equitable Global Plastics Treaty.

Plastic pollution represents far more than an environmental crisis—it serves as the gateway to a global meta-crisis encompassing climate change, hyper-consumption, biodiversity loss, and profound threats to human health. This letter examines plastic’s role as both catalyst and symptom of unsustainable global systems, arguing that addressing the plastic crisis provides a roadmap for broader systemic transformation.

Since mass production began in the 1950s, humanity has produced over 10 billion tonnes of plastic, with annual waste now reaching 400 million metric tonnes. Production is forecast to triple within 25 years, consuming one-fifth of the global carbon budget, with 90% of emissions occurring during production.

Plastics now permeate the human body. Over 16,000 chemicals are potentially present in plastics, with only 6% globally regulated. Recent research estimates 13% of cardiovascular deaths in individuals aged 55–64 are attributable to phthalates, while microplastics accelerate cancer development.

Solutions require comprehensive legislative frameworks creating financial risk and accountability. The Health Scientists’ Global Plastics Treaty, produced by the Plastic Health Council, proposes a roadmap to change, with measures such as a 70% reduction in virgin plastic production by 2040 and elimination of chemicals of concern. Ultimately, the plastic crisis offers humanity a tangible challenge that could catalyse essential systemic change toward regenerative systems working within planetary boundaries.

Plastic pollution is an emerging threat to our marine and terrestrial environments. International policy development to mitigate this pollution is currently underway; however, the process is complex. In parallel, local, national and regional initiatives are being developed. The research community is advocating for strong regulations based on robust evidence of the harm and severity of plastic pollution on oceans, land and for humans. However, the research community comprises different disciplines, research traditions and methodological approaches. This heterogeneity is in its core a great advantage, but only when we manage to build on each other where “synthesis” occurs. Currently, there remains a divide between the physical and social sciences, with research predominantly skewed toward the physical sciences, focusing on concentrations, fate and impact of plastic pollution.

In this article, I question the lack of philosophical discussions about the foundation of our research on plastic pollution, our knowledge claims, our views of “clean,” “pristine” and nature itself, as well as of the need for such discussions. I also propose a possible way forward to bridge the gap between disciplines and research traditions, fostering real interdisciplinarity.

The present study aimed to elucidate the extent of microplastic (MP) contamination in the Guandu River basin. Samples were collected from surface waters using a Manta trawl at 11 sites in two seasonal periods. MPs abundance was 6.1 ± 4.9 particles m−3 in the cold-dry season, and 2.3 ± 1.1 particles m−3 in the warm-rainy season. Four shapes and 12 colors were identified, indicating a high degree of particle diversity. Fragments were the most common, followed by fibers. The frequent colors were black, blue and transparent. Eleven plastic polymers were identified using micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis; the dominant ones were polyethylene and polypropylene. Artificial cellulose particles (including the semisynthetic polymer rayon) were also detected in high relative abundance. No significant difference in MP abundance was found between seasons and limnic conditions. There was a significant trend toward higher abundance of MPs near areas with greater urban influence and lower abundance in reservoirs surrounded by less urbanized areas (upstream river). Therefore, MPs appeared to be influenced by land use and occupation, with higher abundance in more urbanized areas, suggesting an urban–rural effect.

This perspective article invites readers to (re)imagine research as a means of practicing right relations with the places we inhabit and descend from. We anchor our work in a Kanaka Hawaiʻi, a Native Hawaiian cosmogeny and epistemology, one that recognizes all life as kin. We begin with the central question, “Where have the sand turtles gone?” to explore how a Kanaka Hawaiʻi-informed perspective, grounded in the genealogical creation chant, ke Kumulipo, can guide plastics research in Hawaiʻi. We elaborate this perspective through a moʻolelo, a story of a collaboration between a Kanaka Hawaiʻi cultural practitioner and a French and Swedish plastics researcher along the shores of Kapua, Waimānalo. By tracing the transformation of a conventional scientific study, we aim to grow entry points for research that is accountable to the place and the genealogical descendants of those specific lands, who have inherited the privilege and responsibility to steward them. We conclude by discussing how this perspective might offer critical insights for global environmental policy, such as the UN Plastic Treaty, urging a shift from treating Indigenous Peoples as stakeholders to honoring them as rights-holders. Ultimately, this work is a call to research in ways that honor the original peoples of the places where we are blessed to live, work, and research, particularly in ways that amplify the knowledge traditions and lifeways birthed from those specific lands. We write this piece for and with Waimānalo as a living, reciprocal co-author. We hope the experiences shared here return to and strengthen those places and people.

Negotiations by more than 180 States during the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) session 5.2 to develop a legally binding instrument with the purpose to end plastic pollution have, once again, concluded without a treaty. This is especially disastrous for developing States and marginalized peoples (such as indigenous communities and waste pickers), who are disproportionately suffering from plastic pollution. In this article, we show that developing States were underrepresented at the INC-5.2 negotiations in Geneva: Their delegations were on average only half as large (~5 delegates) when compared to delegations from Western European States (~13 delegates) and those from States with a high and very high Human Development Index (~10 delegates). In addition, more than 230 industry representatives participated in INC-5.2, exerting influence in diverse ways, both during official negotiations and through side events, organized by lobbying organizations. Finally, we discuss the importance of how treaty negotiations were organized: Simultaneously occurring negotiation formats (such as contact groups and informal meetings) put smaller delegations at a disadvantage, causing procedural injustice, which falls under the responsibility of the INC Secretariat.

In areas where waste management is inadequate, the welfare of free-roaming animals can be significantly affected by the ingestion of plastic waste, potentially impacting human livelihoods and health. However, the effect of plastic pollution on terrestrial animals is poorly understood. Using a combination of methodologies from animal behaviour, environmental and social sciences, this study assesses the effects of plastic pollution on donkeys, cattle and their owners in Kenya. Behavioural observations suggested that donkeys and cattle preferentially fed at waste sites, where 1 in every 10–20 items ingested were plastic. Faecal sampling also showed much higher concentrations of microplastics than those reported in previous studies of farmed cattle and significantly higher concentrations in the faeces of donkeys and cattle grazing at waste sites compared to rural areas. Survey data showed that the majority of livestock owners believed that plastic pollution was a problem, and nearly a third of local residents had witnessed an animal becoming ill following plastic ingestion, reporting mortality rates of 78%. Triangulating data from multiple methods highlights the risks terrestrial plastic pollution poses to domestic animals, demonstrating the need for interdisciplinary projects that tackle this important issue by addressing the interconnectedness of human behaviour, animal welfare and environmental health.