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Plastic waste originates from human activities on land and flows into the ocean through rivers. To understand its overall dynamics, comprehensive investigations that encompass not only the ocean, rivers, and coasts but also urban and residential areas are essential. Once discharged into the ocean, plastics do not decompose even after fragmentation but circulate within the Earth system from the surface to the deep sea. Understanding these dynamics requires diverse Earth science approaches such as oceanography, geology, and paleontology, together with new observation techniques including direct sampling and remote sensing. At the same time, reducing the generation and leakage of plastics and establishing recovery systems demand institutional and policy research as well as international collaboration. A key challenge is how to translate scientific knowledge from observations and analyses into societal actions leading to emission reduction and sustainable solutions.
This session, jointly proposed by the Japan Geoscience Union (JpGU) and the Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies (SEEPS), provides a platform for researchers in Earth science fields such as observation, analysis, modeling, and environmental impact assessment and for experts on pollution and waste-management policies, both domestic and international, to exchange insights. The topics include:
(1) development of observation and analytical methods for plastics and other wastes,
(2) analyses of their dynamics and environmental impacts within the Earth system, and
(3) recent policy and societal initiatives.
Through these discussions, the session aims to promote interdisciplinary understanding of pollution issues caused by plastics and other wastes, and to explore pathways toward sustainable solutions.