Publications

Publication:Article
 
Anthropogenic litter poses a growing threat to aquatic ecosystems worldwide. While the EU's Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) addresses this pollution as an environmental status indicator, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) lacks such a measure.The publication, jointly authored by researchers from the European Plastic Pirates initiative, illustrates how citizen science can address this issue by using existing litter data from related initiatives. Members of the author team included Doris Knoblauch and Mandy Hinzmann from the Ecologic Institute.

Public Participation in EU Legislation?

Recommendations for Involving Citizen Scientists in Anthropogenic Litter Research Within the Water Framework Directive

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Publication:Article
 
Cover of a publication from 'Cambridge Prisms' titled 'Plastics.' The cover features a gradient background transitioning from deep red to blue, with white lines cutting across the lower half. The title 'Plastics' is displayed in simple white text.
To enable a genuine shift toward a circular plastic economy, the UN plastics treaty must confront two critical structural barriers: fossil fuel and plastic production subsidies, and the failure to internalize the true societal and environmental costs of plastic. Without addressing these root causes, efforts to end plastic pollution risk falling short, the authors of this article argue. Among them Ecologic Institute's Doris Knoblauch.

A Circular Plastic Economy Should Account for all Societal Costs

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Publication:Article
 
Plastic pollution has become a severe global crisis, posing grave threats to the environment, human health, and sustainable development. Driven by unchecked plastic production, the problem worsens through the entire lifecycle of plastics—from creation to disposal—releasing not only large debris but also microscopic particles, monomers, and thousands of chemical additives. These pollutants travel worldwide via air and water currents, damaging ecosystems and wildlife, including marine species that suffer from entanglement, ingestion, and toxicity. This editorial is part of a Special Issue "An effective plastic treaty for marine life".

An Effective Plastic Treaty for Marine Life

Editorial to the Special Issue

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Publication:Article
 
Cover of a research article from the Marine Pollution Bulletin. The title reads "Temporal variability of litter pollution of rivers in Germany – A long-term assessment by schoolchildren as citizen scientists." The article lists multiple authors and affiliations, and the abstract discusses the study's findings on river litter dynamics. Visible sections include the abstract and the introduction.
A seven-year citizen science study with schoolchildren on German riversides found stable litter density, mainly plastic and cigarette butts, with wider rivers showing higher litter levels, stressing the need for policy action.

Temporal Variability of Litter Pollution of Rivers in Germany

A long-term assessment by schoolchildren as citizen scientists

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Publication:Article
 
Cover of a publication from 'Cambridge Prisms' titled 'Plastics.' The cover features a gradient background transitioning from deep red to blue, with white lines cutting across the lower half. The title 'Plastics' is displayed in simple white text.
In this article, we delve into the first zero draft of the treaty, offering a critical examination of its approach and potential shortcomings. Our analysis not only identifies key gaps in the draft's problem definition and scope but also underscores the urgent need for a more comprehensive and holistic strategy that addresses both upstream and downstream solutions, i.e. the whole life-cycle. For policymakers, environmental advocates, and stakeholders eager for a robust global response to plastic pollution, this open access article offers essential insights into the path forward.

The Missing Consensus: An analysis of problem definitions and key motivations in the first zero draft for a global plastics treaty

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Publication:Policy Brief
 
Document page titled 'Towards an Effective Science-Policy Interface for the Global Plastics Treaty'. The page discusses the complexity of plastic pollution and the necessity for a dedicated Science Policy Interface (SPI) to complement and inform the Global Plastics Treaty, stressing the importance of independent scientific input and a focus on interventions across the entire life cycle of plastics.
The Policy Brief discusses how a dedicated SPI should be established as a subsidiary body that works effectively with existing science-policy panels of other Multilateral Environmental Agreements. Such an interface would not only promote synergy between different environmental initiatives, but also ensure that scientific findings are accurately translated into actionable policy recommendations. The main tasks of the SPI include the evaluation and monitoring of intervention strategies, the setting of science-based reduction targets and the continuous updating of safety and sustainability-related criteria for plastics and chemicals.

Towards an Effective Science-Policy Interface for a Global Plastics Treaty

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Publication:Policy Brief
 
Policy brief titled 'Primary Plastic Polymers: Urgently needed upstream reduction' with a logo of the Scientists' Coalition in the top right. Text discusses the urgency of reducing primary plastic polymer production, predicting at least 20,000 million metric tons by 2040. A graph shows cumulative plastic production from 1950 to 2040, highlighting significant increases even with a proposed reduction rate of 2.35% annually.
Amidst intense global efforts to tackle plastic pollution, the Scientists' Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty highlights the critical role of reducing primary plastic polymers. The Scientists' Coalition, consisting of leading scientists worldwide, argues in its latest policy brief that without a significant reduction in the production of these polymers, the effective fight against plastic pollution is not possible. The urgent call aims to draw attention to the need to break the plastic cycle at its source - the production of primary plastic polymers. This approach is crucial as it directly reduces the amount of plastics that end up in our environment.

Primary Plastic Polymers: Urgently needed upstream reduction

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Publication:Article
 
First page of the community case study "Sharing communication insights of the citizen science program Plastic Pirates—best practices from 7 years of engaging schoolchildren and teachers in plastic pollution research"
This article illustrates the communication strategies that were successfully applied in the citizen science program Plastic Pirates in Germany. The program engages schoolchildren, teachers and youth groups in plastic pollution research. A variety of communication strategies have been implemented and continuously revised and adapted since the start of the program in 2016.

Sharing Communication Insights of the Citizen Science Program Plastic Pirates

Best practices from 7 years of engaging schoolchildren and teachers in plastic pollution research

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Publication:Article
 
Hinzmann Mederake EU single use plastics directive article
This article, co-authored by Mandy Hinzmann and Linda Mederake from Ecologic Institute, assesses the potential of the EU "Single-Use Plastics Directive" (SUPD) to reduce litter pollution in the environment with three scenarios. The scenario analysis revealed that the success the current SUPD can be an important first step, yet further legislative actions are needed to effectively prevent plastic waste pollution - bans alone are not sufficient. The success of the Directive is therefore highly dependent on implementation and enforcement.

What Potential Does the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive Have for Reducing Plastic Pollution at Coastlines and Riversides?

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Publication:Book
 
Lesemaus book "Alte Flaschen, neue Flaschen"
Plastics shape our modern life like hardly any other material. They are flexible, light, and versatile. At the same time, they also represent one of the greatest ecological challenges of our time. To make this topic clear and understandable for children and to convey the relevant knowledge, Ecologic Institute and Stiftung Lesen, together with Carlsen Verlag, have developed this special edition of Lesemaus.

Alte Flaschen, neue Flaschen!

A Lesemaus on the subject of recycling

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Publication:Document
 
1 page of the summary of the Online Expert Dialogue on Reusable Transport Packaging
Almost one third of all packaging in Germany is so-called transport packaging, which becomes waste after its single use. Despite the factual relevance of this packaging group, it is strongly underrepresented in the public perception as well as in the political discourse. During the online expert dialogue "Reusable Transport Packaging" on 27 February 2023, good examples from practice were presented and potentials, challenges and necessary elements for the expansion of reusable transport packaging were discussed together with experts from trade, logistics industry, civil society and politics. The summary is available for download.

Online-Fachdialog "Mehrweg-Transportverpackungen"

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Publication:Book
 
PIXI-Buch die Geisterstunde
For many people, plastic bottles have become an indispensable part of everyday life. However, the production and throwing away of plastic bottles is harmful to the environment and the climate. Ideally, PET bottles are recycled and reused. But what happens to the bottles during the recycling process? "Die Geisterstunde" by Christian Tielmann is the third PIXI book produced as part of the BMBF research focus "Plastics in the Environment" with Stiftung Lesen and Carlsen Verlag and is dedicated to the recycling of plastic bottles.

Die Geisterstunde

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Publication:Postcard
 
Ecologic Institute coordinated the organisation of the European event "Tackling microplastics in the environment". It focussed on specific results and policy recommendations from scientific research projects from Germany and other EU member states. We invited policy stakeholders at the EU level as well as other interested stakeholders to learn more about these new findings on microplastic emissions into the environment and how to reduce them. Social media cards were created to draw stakeholders' attention to the event.

Tackling Microplastics in the Environment – Social Media Cards

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Publication:Article
 
Cover Journal Circular Economy and Sustainability
To tackle the "plastic crisis", the concept of circular economy has attracted considerable attention over the past years, both by practitioners and scholars alike. Against this background, Linda Mederake, Ecologic Institute, reflects in this opinion paper from a political scientist's point of view on key issues currently under discussion regarding the implementation of a circular plastics economy.

Without a Debate on Sufficiency, a Circular Plastics Economy will Remain an Illusion

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Publication:Report
 
Cover page of a report titled "Politikinstrumente zur Steigerung des Einsatzes von Rezyklaten" (Policy Instruments to Increase the Use of Recycled Materials). The cover features the logos of Ecologic Institute and Freie Universität Berlin at the top. The title is centered in blue text, with the authors listed on the right side.
This analysis shows that there is considerable potential in Germany to facilitate, stimulate, and ultimately increase the use of recycled materials through political regulation and incentivization. It provides recommendations for a successful policy mix to increase the use of recyclates.

Politikinstrumente zur Steigerung des Einsatzes von Rezyklaten

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Publication:Video
 
Most packaging for many consumer goods is thrown away after a very short period of use. In Germany, plastic packaging accounts for the largest share of plastic waste at almost 60%. How can the amount of packaging be reduced? Where exactly does the packaging waste occur? How can it be avoided and who should bear the main responsibility for it? The results video of the research focus "Plastics in the Environment" was conceived and produced by Ecologic Institute.

Plastikverpackungen sinnvoll vermeiden

Ergebnisvideo des Forschungsschwerpunkts "Plastik in der Umwelt"

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Publication:Video
 
Germany is striving for a circular economy, which aims to use products, components and materials for as long as possible and to reuse, repair and recycle them as often as possible. In this way, raw materials are to be saved and the life cycle of products is to be designed in such a way that hardly any waste is generated. But how exactly can the circular economy be implemented for plastics? What contribution can recycling and biodegradability of plastics make to waste prevention? What is technically possible? And where are the limits? The results video of the research focus "Plastics in the Environment" was designed and produced by Ecologic Institute.

Recycling und Bioabbaubarkeit können Plastikeinträge in die Umwelt reduzieren

Ergebnisvideo des Forschungsschwerpunkts "Plastik in der Umwelt"

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