2020 2021
20202 2022 2023
“ We currently convert fossil fuels into plastic , make stuff , use it , then throw it away . It rarely re-enters the economy . A circular economy based on improved resource efficiency and recyclability changes this . It would also be where our enzyme technology would make a big difference because this breakdown process , compared to heating and melting , doesn ’ t diminish the quality of the base material . It ’ s a good example of the type of technology needed to transition plastics to a circular economy productively .”
The policy research hub should contribute significantly to a proposed global agreement on plastics to be discussed at the UN Environment Assembly in February 2022 . A key objective will be systemic change towards a circular plastics economy .
Citizen science in action
1.2 MILLION
Rollout of known solutions for four microplastic sources ( tyres , textiles , personal care products and production pellets ) could reduce annual microplastic leakage to the ocean from three million metric tonnes to 1.2 million metric tonnes by 2040
SOURCE : BREAKING THE PLASTIC WAVE
In addition to the Global Plastics Policy Hub , the Flotilla Foundation is also supporting a citizen science initiative launched by the University of Portsmouth .
The University is recruiting up to 300 citizen scientists and equipping them with a phone app , built by partner organisation Jetsam Tech , to undertake a detailed survey of plastic waste across the city of Portsmouth .
“ People take a photo of the plastic and the app automatically uploads this to a live map . The process will also include a capability to classify the type of plastic ,” Professor Steve Fletcher explains .
He says the objective is to undertake a whole-city survey of plastics pollution : “ This will be quite different to existing apps that allow you to track litter and waste as you are walking somewhere . This ad hoc approach doesn ’ t pick up what might be piled up out of sight , around the corner . Our project will assign people to areas to be surveyed comprehensively . We understand this will be the first such citizen science survey of plastics pollution across a whole city .”
June 2022
Competitors in the GB Row Challenge gather samples as they race , enabling Dr Fay Couceiro and team to paint the clearest picture yet of microplastics in Britain ' s coastal waters ( see page 26 ).
July 2022
The Global Plastics Policy Centre launches .
September 2022
Revolution Plastics announces a new and innovative cluster of PhD students to be formed in Portsmouth , dedicated to finding solutions to the global plastic crisis .
September 2022
A new report examining the effectiveness of global plastic policies concludes that current approaches to policy making will not produce the step change needed to tackle the global plastic pollution crisis . The findings from the University of Portsmouth ’ s Global Plastic Policy Centre are unveiled at the UN Environment Programme 7th International Marine Debris Conference in Busan , South Korea .
Researchers will analyse the survey data to better understand the patterns and movement of plastic waste in Portsmouth . This will create the evidence base for solutions to tackle the waste at source and reduce the amount of plastics entering the sea and the wider environment .
Professor Fletcher says the surveys will be done several times throughout the course of a year .
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