How scientific studies can help enact tougher plastic pollution legislation

• Plastic pollution is a global issue that has a negative impact on both marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
  
• In Africa, a circular economy project is collaborating with experts to investigate the impact of plastic on the ocean.
• In the Western Indian Ocean, scientists are gathering information that could support stronger regulation and behavioural changes.

Plastic pollution is a worldwide issue that is on many people's minds. We already know that plastic waste can impact marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and that the average person consumes five grammes of plastic per week. But we're not sure how we'll ever get rid of our dependency on single-use plastics.

There are more supporters for ending single-use plastics than ever before, and articles, movies, and campaigns pushing businesses and consumers to reject single-use plastics are published practically daily. But we need to do more than discuss. To minimise, reuse, and recycle more plastics, words must be translated into action.

We're looking to the scientific community to help us learn more about plastics, including its immediate and long-term effects, where and how much of it there is, and how we might minimise the problem through research and development.

Setting sail on a mission to learn more about plastic waste

The Flipflopi is the world's first sailing dhow made entirely of recycled plastic. It was made utilising traditional craftsmanship on Kenya's Lamu Island to demonstrate alternative applications for waste plastic and to generate public and policy engagement on how plastics might be used in a circular economy. Since its launch in 2019, we've been participating in scientific studies to learn more about how plastics affect our environment.

We believe that by building believable narratives that engage all stakeholders in locally relevant debates about plastic pollution, scientific research can inspire behavioural and legislative reforms.

We organised a specific expedition to the Lamu archipelago in February 2022. During that period, it became evident that we needed to understand how tides affect the volume and distribution of ocean plastic in order to successfully address the problem. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), little is known about the amounts, types, trends, sources, and sinks of marine litter in the Western Indian Ocean.

With that in mind, we spoke with David Obura, the Founding Director of Coastal Oceans Research and Development Indian Ocean (CORDIO) East Africa, about the issue of plastic pollution, how it affects marine ecosystems, and how scientific research, legislation, and behavioural changes can help mitigate it.

CORDIO is a knowledge organisation that supports coral reef research to promote the health and resilience of marine ecosystems and the well-being of coastal peoples in the Western Indian Ocean. It was created as a non-profit in 2003.

What has been the evolution of plastic pollution throughout time?

I noticed an increase in ocean plastics when single-use plastics became popular 20 years ago, but the number has increased dramatically in the last five years. This is especially true in locations where municipal waste management systems can't keep up with the amount of plastics being consumed.

In coastal locations like Kiunga, Northern Kenya, where secluded beaches with turtle nesting sites have operated as plastic traps, the amount of plastic is much more obvious. Communities were driven to action, and they began to think of new methods to combat plastic pollution by making art out of the hundreds of flip-flops that washed up on the beach.

What consequences on undersea habitats have you observed?

Unfortunately, because most plastics slip undetected into the sediment as they degrade, they can only be evaluated scientifically. Research is constrained due to financial constraints. Plastics, on the other hand, have been discovered almost everywhere we've looked.

Furthermore, microplastics in the water can support microbial communities that help such ecosystems thrive. New potentially dangerous microorganisms, on the other hand, can develop on microplastics, causing diseases and contributing to the global decline in coral reef health.

How can we address the issue of ocean plastic pollution?

The global economy now operates on a linear paradigm, in which items are manufactured from raw materials and subsequently discarded. We need a circular economy model in which items are designed with reusability and recycling in mind, extending product life cycles and reducing overall waste.

We could start to address the problem if more research and development was put toward finding more innovative ways to reuse and recycle existing plastic trash while also guaranteeing that new products are developed as part of a circular economy model.

While a circular economy may provide a solution for future plastics, greater efforts are needed to address the current problem through better waste management, ensuring that beach clean-ups become obsolete.

Why is it vital to look into whether or not there are any plastics present?

We need to know what we're up against before we can figure out how to cope with plastic contamination. We need to completely comprehend the problem in order to clean it up, recycle it, and repurpose it.

We must consider where it comes from, where it stays, what the most common types of plastic are, what we can do with it, and how it affects the environment.

We can figure out what to do next once we've answered these questions. Part of scientific research's job is to prove what's out there and what the repercussions of doing nothing are.

How may scientific research influence public policy and behaviour?

Scientific evidence shows that effective and controllable activities can be made to improve the situation. However, for legislation to be effective, politicians must be fully committed to acting on research findings. Nothing will change if legislation is not successfully enforced or does not provide viable alternatives and substantial deterrents.

Our unwavering dedication

Plastic waste will require a whole-systems approach, with everyone from scientists to politicians to individuals changing their behaviour playing a role.

The Flipflopi Project will continue to raise awareness about plastic pollution through its three pillars of education, innovation, and influence. We will continue to participate in scientific research and exert pressure on lawmakers to modify laws governing plastic manufacturing and consumption, while also supporting community-led trash management solutions.