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The rise in ocean plastics evidenced from a 60-year time series

Author

Listed:
  • Clare Ostle

    (The Marine Biological Association)

  • Richard C. Thompson

    (University of Plymouth)

  • Derek Broughton

    (The Marine Biological Association)

  • Lance Gregory

    (The Marine Biological Association)

  • Marianne Wootton

    (The Marine Biological Association)

  • David G. Johns

    (The Marine Biological Association)

Abstract

Plastic production has increased exponentially since its use became widespread in the 1950s. This has led to increased concern as plastics have become prevalent in the oceanic environment, and evidence of their impacts on marine organisms and human health has been highlighted. Despite their prevalence, very few long-term (>40 years) records of the distribution and temporal trends of plastics in the world’s oceans exist. Here we present a new time series, from 1957 to 2016 and covering over 6.5 million nautical miles, based on records of when plastics have become entangled on a towed marine sampler. This consistent time series provides some of the earliest records of plastic entanglement, and is the first to confirm a significant increase in open ocean plastics in recent decades.

Suggested Citation

  • Clare Ostle & Richard C. Thompson & Derek Broughton & Lance Gregory & Marianne Wootton & David G. Johns, 2019. "The rise in ocean plastics evidenced from a 60-year time series," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-6, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-09506-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09506-1
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    Cited by:

    1. Edward Vingwe & Edgar Towa & Arne Remmen, 2020. "Danish Plastic Mass Flows Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-22, November.
    2. Mateo Cordier & Takuro Uehara & Juan Baztan & Bethany Jorgensen, 2020. "Plastic pollution and economic growth: the influence of corruption and the lack of education," Working Papers hal-02862787, HAL.
    3. Alessandro De Matteis & Fethiye Burcu Turkmen Ceylan & Mona Daoud & Anne Kahuthu, 2022. "A systemic approach to tackling ocean plastic debris," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 136-145, March.
    4. Thu-Trang T. Nguyen & Ngan-Ha Ha & Thanh-Khiet L. Bui & Kieu Lan Phuong Nguyen & Diem-Phuc T. Tran & Hong Quan Nguyen & Ashraf El-Arini & Qamar Schuyler & Thu Thi Le Nguyen, 2022. "Baseline Marine Litter Surveys along Vietnam Coasts Using Citizen Science Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-15, April.
    5. Cordier, Mateo & Uehara, Takuro & Baztan, Juan & Jorgensen, Bethany & Yan, Huijie, 2021. "Plastic pollution and economic growth: The influence of corruption and lack of education," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    6. Jeffrey E Black & Kathrin Kopke & Cathal O’Mahony, 2019. "Towards a Circular Economy: Using Stakeholder Subjectivity to Identify Priorities, Consensus, and Conflict in the Irish EPS/XPS Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-20, December.
    7. Mutuku, Judith & Tocock, Mark & Yanotti, Maria & Tinch, Dugald & Hatton MacDonald, Darla, 2024. "Public perceptions of the value of reducing marine plastics in Australian waters," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).

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