ARTICLE | Dr Anya Phelan, UQ Business School
Dr Phelan has been studying plastic waste in Indonesia and finds that for coastal communities in emerging economies the ocean plastic crisis cannot be abated without responsible actions on the supply side.
The oceans continue to fill with plastic litter, most of it single use plastic and retail packaging. At a systems level, social and economic costs are often borne by those affected rather than those responsible for the supply of the plastics and management of the wastes. This research confirms that for coastal and remote communities in Indonesia, the use of plastics is increasingly overwhelming waste management and infrastructure capacity.
Key points
- For coastal communities in emerging economies the ocean plastic crisis cannot be abated without responsible supply.
- Coastal communities with minimal waste infrastructure require circular systems and responsible supply chains with non-plastic alternatives.
- Producers and manufacturers distributing low-cost processed food and single-use products to remote, coastal communities need to take responsibility for the outcomes.
- Without access to degradable, environmentally friendly products, coastal communities and surrounding marine ecosystems will continue to drown in plastic waste.
Read the article in Momentum, the UQ Business School magazine
Read the academic journal article in PLOS One
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