Food and beverage plastics rank among the top three litter usage types in 93% of countries, with food packaging, caps/lids and bottles the leading items in over half of nations. The authors conclude that waste management alone cannot solve plastic pollution and that cutting single-use packaging production is necessary.
Researchers from the University of Plymouth, Brunel University of London and Plymouth Marine Laboratory compiled more than 5,000 beach litter surveys from 112 nations, covering about 86% of the world's population. The study ranks litter by usage type to give the first harmonized global picture of what ends up on shorelines.
