L'inquinamento marino legato ai materiali plastici post-consumo

One of the most ubiquitous and long-lasting recent changes to the surface of our planet is the accumulation and fragmentation of plastics. Within just a few decades since mass production of plastic products commenced in the 1950s, plastic debris has accumulated in terrestrial environments, in the open ocean, on shorelines of even the most remote islands and in the deep sea. The aim of this paper is to present the problem of marine pollution caused by plastic debris in the light of recent scientific surveys and studies and to provide an overview of the international actions and policies for the protection of marine ecosystems toward a sustainable development of the important business of plastics.