Marazzi, L, Loiselle, S, Anderson, L.G, Rocliffe, S and Winton, D.J (2020) 'Consumer-based actions to reduce plastic pollution in rivers: a multi-criteria decision analysis approach.' PLoS ONE, 15 (8). e0236410.
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Abstract
The use and management of single use plastics is a major area of concern for the public, regulatory and business worlds. Focusing on the most commonly occurring consumer plastic items present in European freshwater environments, we identified and evaluated consumer-based actions with respect to their direct or indirect potential to reduce macroplastic pollution in freshwater environments. As the main end users of these items, concerned consumers are faced with a bewildering array of choices to reduce their plastics footprint, notably through recycling or using reusable items. Using a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis approach, we explored the effectiveness of 27 plastic reduction actions with respect to their feasibility, economic impacts, environmental impacts, unintended social/environmental impacts, potential scale of change and evidence of impact. The top ranked consumer-based actions were identified as: using wooden or reusable cutlery; switching to reusable water bottles; using wooden or reusable stirrers; using plastic free cotton-buds; and using refill detergent/ shampoo bottles. We examined the feasibility of top-ranked actions using a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) to explore the complexities inherent in their implementation for consumers, businesses, and government to reduce the presence of plastic in the environment.
| Item Type: | Article |
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| Keywords: | pollution, water pollution, environmental impacts, finance, decision analysis, freshwater environments, rivers, sustainability science |
| Subjects: | G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology |
| Divisions: | School of Sciences |
| Related URLs: | |
| Date Deposited: | 26 Aug 2020 10:33 |
| Last Modified: | 21 Oct 2022 15:42 |
| ISSN: | 1932-6203 |
| URI / Page ID: | https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/13398 |
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