Americans May Add Five Times More Plastic to the Oceans Than Thought

Share This Post

The United States contribution to coastal plastic pollution worldwide is significantly larger than previously thought, possibly by as much as five times, according to a study published Friday.

The research, published in Science Advances, is the sequel to a 2015 paper by the same authors. Two factors contributed to the sharp increase: Americans are using more plastic than ever and the current study included pollution generated by United States exports of plastic waste, while the earlier one did not.

Read more…

Photo credit: Francisco Robles/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

More To Explore

Your Voice, Your Power: Get Out and Vote!

By Gregory Kolen II. As individuals who care deeply about the health of our communities, environment, and future, we know that the decisions made at