Marine Plastic Pollution - Evidence Review

Abstract

This review has been prepared for the Defra Marine Litter Policy team in order to provide a summary of evidence of relevance to addressing marine plastic pollution. Whilst developing appropriate policy is a key challenge for this emerging issue, this review and associated workshop is primarily evidence, rather than policy driven. The Marine Litter Policy team at Defra leads, and is consulted on, a wide range of interventions related to plastics and microplastics in the environment. These measures can range from designing the ban on microplastics in personal care products, to contributing to the revisions of the Ports Reception Facilities Directive (2000/59/EC). Whilst the remit of Defra Marine is primarily litter in the marine environment, evidence relating to the underlying drivers and interventions on land are key to solving the problem.