Marine litter presents a huge problem in our oceans, with some scientists warning that, by 2050, the quantity of plastics in the oceans will outweigh fish. (International Maritime Organization)

During the discussion it became clear that a mix of measures needs to be established on different levels in order to successfully reduce marine litter. For this, a stronger horizontal coordination between the different policy fields and administrative departments relevant for the sources and management of marine litter is indispensable. (Ecologic)

Within marine litter, plastics typically constitute the dominant pollutant item and sometimes can account for up to 100% of marine litter pollution in a specific area (Galgani, Hanke, and Maes, 2015; Williams and Simmons, 1997; Worm et al., 2017). (BioOne)