Plastics in the Indian Ocean: Survey, Transport, and Removal

Over the last thirty years, a significant rise in plastic production, driven by population growth and economic development, has led to a substantial increase in plastic in the oceans. The leading cause of plastic pollution in the ocean is the mishandling of plastic waste on land. Marine plastic pollution affects all nations, particularly developing countries, as marine plastic debris is challenging to locate and retrieve due to knowledge gaps in this area. This study aims to address the issues of marine plastic pollution, track its sources, and highlight the efforts made to reduce the impacts of marine plastic pollution, focusing on India. In India, various initiatives have been taken by the government and NGOs to address the issue of marine plastic pollution. For instance, the Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar campaign was a national-level beach cleanup initiative that enabled the removal of macroplastic debris from 60 beaches in India. Despite various efforts, this problem persists, as there is a knowledge gap in understanding the dynamics of marine plastic debris, especially microplastics. This study aims to be a starting point for initiating research into dynamics so that better waste management policies can be drafted, especially to retrieve marine plastic debris and prevent plastic from entering the ocean.