Community plastic cleanups may be more effective than high-tech solutions: report

A new report highlights that local community beach cleans could be more effective than advanced but untested technologies in mitigating the environmental and human health impacts of ocean plastics. Released during the latest United Nations Plastics Treaty negotiations in Ottawa, Canada, the report emphasises the importance of preventing plastic waste from entering the environment initially. It suggests that clean-up efforts should prioritise areas where plastics pose the greatest threats rather than areas with the highest concentrations. Authored by Professor Richard Thompson, the report argues for a focus on prevention and properly evaluating any clean-up technologies before widespread deployment. (Phys.org)