250-7 Talking about plastic pollution: Connecting science and citizens for change

Session: Deliver the Message: Harness Diverse Media and Divergent Methods to Describe and Depict Geoscience Information

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Plastic pollution in the natural environment has been overlooked, which leads to potential risks to human health and wildlife. This paper provides an overview of the citizen science approach to mitigate and manage plastic pollution in natural environments. Also, this talk highlights the importance of citizen science in raising public awareness of environmental issues and promoting sustainable practices. Case studies and different projects, such as “Plastic Pirates”, “Litterati”, “Trash Hunter”, “International Pellat Watch”, and many more projects on the role of citizen scientists, are summarized, which aim to monitor and collect plastic resin pellets from different ecosystems, for example, beaches, seas, and rivers, and also engage various stakeholders, for example, citizen scientists, students, academic and research organizations, non-profits, government agencies, industry, and local communities. Additionally, this talk discusses different methodologies, such as surveys and sampling approaches, using mobile apps, instruments, and kits to collect information on plastic pollution. Importantly, it discusses the need for global partnerships and policies to address plastic waste management and prevent conflict. Likewise, this talk emphasizes the citizen sciences and impacts of plastics on both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems to conserve, preserve, and monitor biodiversity through citizen participation. This talk also highlights the significance of community involvement, such as local, coastal, marginalized, or vulnerable communities, in environmental research and the potential benefits of citizen science programs. Overall, this talk concludes with insights into citizen science as a valuable resource tool for researchers, policymakers, and the public interested in understanding and addressing the problem of plastic pollution.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-8605

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