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To curb plastic pollution, industry and academia must unite

Collaboration is key to making plastic use greener as soon as possible. Our experience yields tips on how to set up industry–academic partnerships.
By
  1. Collin P. Ward

    1. Collin P. Ward is an associate scientist in environmental science in the Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA.

  2. Christopher M. Reddy

    1. Christopher M. Reddy is a senior scientist in marine chemistry and geochemistry in the Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA.

  3. Brian Edwards

    1. Brian Edwards is a senior scientist working on fibre technology at Eastman, Kingsport, Tennessee, USA.

  4. Steven T. Perri

    1. Steven T. Perri is a corporate innovation technology manager at Eastman, Kingsport, Tennessee, USA.

An underwater view of water polluted with plastic waste

Plastic pollution is harming the ocean globally. Credit: Sebnem Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty

From the top of Mount Everest to the deepest ocean trench, pieces of plastic are found almost everywhere on Earth. Specks have even been found in human blood and breast milk. This pervasiveness is just one aspect of a global crisis that encompasses the entire life cycle of plastics.

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Nature 625, 658-662 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00155-z

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Competing Interests

C.P.W. and C.M.R. acknowledge funding from Eastman, a manufacturer of biodegradable plastics. B.E. and S.T.P. are employees at Eastman.

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