News
Future microplastics in the Black Sea: how come and what to do?
Plastic pollution is a major problem in seas and rivers worldwide. The semi-enclosed Black Sea is a unique example. It receives plastics from more than 20 European and Asian countries through, among others, three huge transboundary rivers – the Danube, Don and Dnieper.
A couple of WSG’s water quality researchers and colleague researchers from the Ukrainian university NUBiP and Open University Heerlen have together dived into the case of the Black Sea. Their aim was to identify pollution sources as well as to better understand future pollution developments. The researchers modelled various scenarios for 2050 in which plastic pollution would be reduced. These scenario insights can and should be used to inform policy and management, to yield an effective strategy to realize a healthy future for the current Plastic Black Sea.
This is the sea I went to as a child. With this research I am happy to do my part to clean up this sea.
Last week, the research was published in Science for Environmental Policy, and send out to over 20,000 policymakers, academics and businesspeople across Europe to assist in the development of effective, evidence-based policies. Curious to know more about the research? Read the full news article of the European Commission here: