drain waste and pollutions into water courses and the coastline, or even improving the processes in wastewater treatment plants, notably filtering out the micro-plastics coming, for example, by textile fibres from household washing machines. The sheer scale of plastic production and its impact on the environment has led some scientists to define it as a geological marker of our era. Its dissemination into our oceans is a global problem, requiring multiple responses from those in civil society, economic parties and political decision-makers. Scientific, technological, but also social innovation, as well as collaboration, are at the heart of the solu- tions which must urgently be implemented to prevent this haemorrhaging of plastics into our oceans.

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Granulés de plastique PET recyclés I Recycled PET plastic pellets

More than ever, creating the conditions required for a circular economy of plastic appears imperative.

1-Report: Marine Litter - Vital Graphics, UNEP & Grid-Arendal, 2016. 2-Report Marine Plastic Debris and Microplastics, UNEP, 2016.

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