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Map of the circumpolar Arctic as defined by CAFF (Irons et al. 2015), including the major Arctic seas (Environment Canada et al. 2008) and an outline of the Arctic circle at 66°33′N. Sources: Arctic boundary from CAFF (https://www.caff.is/); basemap from Esri (www.esri.com).

Map of the circumpolar Arctic as defined by CAFF (Irons et al. 2015), including the major Arctic seas (Environment Canada et al. 2008) and an outline of the Arctic circle at 66°33′N. Sources: Arctic boundary from CAFF (https://www.caff.is/); basemap from Esri (www.esri.com).

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Article
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Marine plastic is a ubiquitous environmental problem that can have an impact on a variety of marine biota, such as seabirds, making it an important concern for scientists and policy makers. Although research on plastic ingestion by seabirds is increasing, few studies have examined policies and long-term monitoring programs to reduce marine plastic...

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... Arctic sea ice has already been polluted with MPs, posing a threat to species living in polar areas. [154][155][156] Increased snowmelt runoff to the oceans, rivers, and freshwater ecosystems because of polar ice melting will pave new MP pathways into each environment. Increased soil temperature can change and open the transportation portal for MPs by earthworms and soil biota, among other possible effects on the groundwater environment. ...
Article
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Climate change and plastic pollution are two main issues that our world is currently facing, and they are mainly linked through various processes, mechanisms, and chemical blueprint. Emerging issues related to microplastic (MP) contamination in freshwater are expanding and diverse research is being carried out globally. Factors causing climate change are increasing the frequency of extreme weather phenomena such as floods, drought, sea level rise, and heat waves, which can directly or indirectly influence the plastic/MP contamination in various ecosystems including groundwater environments. Here, we review the impacts of extreme weather events on MP contamination in freshwater with a specific focus on groundwater environments. This narrative review shows that flooding can have the most adverse effect on the MP pollution in groundwater environments through recharge events. Drought can also have major effects on MP pollution. Karst, alluvial, and coastal aquifers exhibit the highest levels of MP contamination among various aquifer types. Climate change's impact on different types of aquifers can vary depending on hydrogeological conditions and other factors in the groundwater environment. Prevention and comprehensive solutions are crucial for addressing MPs in the environment, with downstream measures being supplementary to upstream ones.
... Additionally, besides the Eastern Garbage Patch between California and Hawaii, other patches have been reported in subtropical areas, such as the Western Garbage Patch of the GPGP and the trash vortex spanning hundreds of miles off the North America's Atlantic coast from Cuba to Virginia (between 22 and 38 degrees north latitude) 162,163 . Polar regions also serve as repositories for MPs, facilitated by thermohaline circulation, acting as strong sinks for discarded plastic items 61,62,164,165 . The Arctic Ocean, particularly in the northernmost and easternmost areas of the Greenland and Barents seas, hosted hundreds of thousands of pieces of plastic per square kilometer. ...
... Other ports, such as the Port of San Diego, the Port of Vancouver, Sydney Harbour, the Port of Barcelona, the Port of Oslo, and the Port of Mombasa, have also implemented various initiatives to tackle plastic waste. These initiatives include the Green Business Challenge, plastic pellet recovery and recycling programs, plastic bag bans, litter traps, public awareness campaigns, and the introduction of alternative solutions like "plastic to fuel" systems [6,17,19,21]. ...
Article
This study focuses on plastic waste management in the Dikkowita fishery harbour in Sri Lanka. Plastic bottles and polythene packaging are identified as the primary sources of plastic waste accumulation. Inadequate waste disposal methods are also observed. The study reviews successful policy frameworks worldwide, including extended producer responsibility, plastic bag bans, and Pay-As-You-Throw systems. Insights from case studies in other harbours and ports are incorporated. The study explores implementing a circular economy approach, considering Sri Lanka's specific challenges. The recommendations aim to guide policymakers and stakeholders in effectively managing plastic waste, reducing its negative impacts, and promoting sustainable resource utilisation. Further details on the study methodology, key findings (such as specific amounts of plastic waste), and policy measures for improving plastic waste management in fishery harbours could be incorporated for a more comprehensive study presentation.
... 56 Despite the presence of marine plastic policies in many Arctic countries, their implementation varies across regions, and there lacks a cohesive pan-Arctic framework to address marine plastic pollution. 57 Secondly, maritime transport, particularly when utilizing heavy fuel oil (HFO) and operating in environmentally sensitive areas like the Arctic, substantially augments black carbon emissions (commonly known as soot) due to incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. 58 These particulate matters not only induce climate impacts upon deposition on ice and snow, absorbing solar radiation and hastening melting but also contribute to degraded air quality and potential health repercussions. ...
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Few transformations in Earth systems are as dramatic as those currently occurring in the Arctic. This Article reveals the emergence of a new route regime in response to the evolving context of climate change and human pressures. This paradigm shift presents both opportunities for Arctic exploration and maritime trade, as well as risks for marine ecosystems and coastal communities. It underscores the need for concerted efforts to recalibrate the associated legal framework.
... Entanglement of the limbs of marine turtles results in necrotic processes and amputation (e.g., Barreiros & Raykov, 2014). Entanglement can also affect the fitness of individuals by compromising their ability to capture and digest food, reproduce, migrate and escape from predators (Linnebjerg et al., 2021). For example, Wegner and Cartamil (2012) observed a shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) entangled in a biofouled fishing rope, which showed scoliosis of the spine and severe undernourishment. ...
Article
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Seabirds have been the messengers of marine plastics pollution since the 1950s, not long after plastics began to be commercially manufactured. In the decades since, a number of multilateral agreements have emerged to address marine plastics pollution that have been informed by research and monitoring on plastic ingestion in seabirds. Seabirds continue to serve as effective monitors for plastics pollution in the oceans, and increasingly of the chemical contamination from the marine environment as plastic additives and chemicals can adsorb and accumulate in seabirds’ tissues. Plastics pollution has far-reaching ecological impacts, but the motivation for addressing the issue has escalated rapidly at the international level. Seabirds are also the most globally threatened group of birds and require concerted conservation actions to mitigate population declines from multiple pressures. However, most policy mechanisms focus on the monitoring and mitigation of anthropogenically induced stressors, using seabird data, and often fail to include mechanisms to conserve the messengers. In this review, we discuss how research on the impacts of plastics on seabirds is used to inform policy and highlight the competing interests of monitoring and conservation that emerge from this approach. Finally, we discuss policy opportunities to ensure seabirds can continue to be the indicators of ocean health and simultaneously achieve conservation goals.