The global plastic waste crisis might be best tackled by social scientists, according to one expert, as the problem is strongly linked to global inequalities.
Consumer choice
Dr Lesley Henderson, Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Communications at Brunel University London, suggests that while pressure is being put on decision-makers at both international and national level to introduce better regulation, the heart of the issue is a behavioural one.
"Most people find it hard to see the link between their own behaviour and remote damage to the oceans," she stated. "While natural scientists focus on identifying the causes of microplastic pollution, there is an obvious space for social scientists to engage in the debates around the use and disposal of plastics in terms of the direct impact on human health, because although plastic pollution does not neatly fit into the public health agenda it clearly represents a major health threat."
Social scientists, she said, are well-placed to engage between policymakers and the public.
The top ocean polluters in the world, Dr Henderson said, also have significant health inequalities and in order to address the pollution issue, research needs to be done into social practices. Moreover, social scientists need to explore the dimensions surrounding the ubiquity of plastic products and how different social groups use them in everyday life.
There are numerous different ways we can influence behaviour but each will affect various social groups differently.
Nudge politics influencing consumers to engage in ocean-friendly behaviour can be implemented by using powerful imagery on packaging, such as the vivid health warnings on cigarette packaging. However, it is suggested that fear is the wrong motivator and the nudge theory assumes different aspects of human behaviour can be separated out from each other.
Those who witness pollution on a regular basis, perhaps because they live near the sea, are more likely to alter their behaviour because they are faced with plastic pollution on a daily basis - this is evident as a result of the media surrounding the danger of microbeads entering the marine environment and the impact this exposure has had on the manufacture and sales of toiletries containing microbeads.
Other emerging issues such as microfiber pollution from synthetic clothes could influence mass behaviour change, but without knowing in more detail how different social groups use plastics and are willing to adapt their decisions as consumers, it is hard to anticipate what will have the greatest impact.
"Without a clear and detailed understanding of behaviour at the level of individual, community or society, we are unlikely to solve the issue. Education and awareness is only part of the solution," said Dr Henderson.
"Still, we also know from decades of public health research that much more is needed to explore how cultural ideas about being “a good citizen” or “responsible parent” might interplay with other ideas that undermine environmentally friendly behaviour."
"For now, people can have a strong affective response to images of sea birds caught in plastic or a dead whale, but the challenge is for a sustained systemic approach to the issue. After decades of research around issues like sexual health behaviour, it should be obvious that ignoring the social dimensions of a public health risk, stores up problems for the future," she concluded.
