摘要
本篇章為《水體中的塑膠（Plastics in the aquatic environment）》專書中的其中一章，描繪東亞四個國家（中國、日本、南韓與台灣）的政府減塑與廢棄物管理政策、NGO的教育、媒體、監測與推廣計畫，以及新創產業提出的替代產品與回收方法。此回顧篇章旨在概觀東亞國家的相關努力，不只促成更一致的行動以支持相關科學發展，而也用政策與管理措施來解決塑膠污染問題。
Abstract
Plastic waste has become an increasingly worrying threat to the aquatic environment. The oceans and seas in East Asia are among the world’s most polluted. Therefore, East Asian societies should make concerted efforts to tackle the problem. In this review, we summarize the current state of scientific research about macroplastic, microplastic and nanoplastic contamination of the aquatic environment, including the food chain, for four East Asian countries (China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan). We then summarize mitigation efforts to decrease the plastic pollution in these four countries, which includes: government policies and waste management; education, media, monitoring and outreach campaigns by NGOs; and inventors and businesses developing alternative products and methods of production and recycling. This review aims to give an overview which will hopefully inspire a more concerted effort by East Asian governments to support the relevant science, but also to tackle the plastic pollution problem with much needed policies and management solutions.
Walther BA, Kusui T, Yen N, Hu C-S, Lee H. (2022). Plastic pollution in East Asia: Macroplastics and microplastics in the aquatic environment and mitigation efforts by various actors. Pp. 353-403 in: Stock F, Reifferscheid G, Brennholt N, Kostianaia E, eds. Plastics in the aquatic environment – Part I: Current status and challenges. Springer, Berlin, Germany.