International Marine Litter Research Unit

Furthering our understanding of litter on the environment and defining solutions
Plastic litter washed up on beach with tree

  • HCoined the phrase 'microplastics'

  • HFirst to demonstrate marine organisms ingest and retain microplastics

  • HFirst to discover global distribution of microplastics from Arctic sea ice to the deep sea

 

Two decades of research

Working for the past two decades on marine and freshwater projects in the UK, Europe and around the world, the International Marine Litter Research Unit has developed a detailed understanding of the environmental and societal impacts of plastic marine litter.
The global outlook of the team’s research has seen them test numerous interventions with industry partners aimed at identifying the solutions to this worldwide problem. They have published 134 papers on microplastics alone, and their work has influenced both national and international legislation.

Discovering microplastics

In 2004, Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS and his team were the first to show that microplastic particles have accumulated in oceans since the 1960s and are now globally present in our seas.
Their work has shown that microplastic debris is now found in substantial quantities in remote locations such as the deep sea and the Arctic and that they are damaging to a range of marine organisms who ingest these pieces.

Evidence to inform solutions in policy and industry

The team’s work has influenced policy worldwide and has advised governments and international organisations across the globe. They continue to provide the evidence that will underpin the most appropriate solutions to the problem of marine plastic pollution.

Research highlights and top stories

Supporting the United Nations Treaty on Plastic Pollution
Microplastics in the Mediterranean: Fine plastic parts in the sea off the Greek island of Crete. Recorded in May 2018. Credit: Dirk Wahn, courtesy of Getty Images

Published in Science: 'Twenty years of microplastics pollution research – what have we learned?'

REF2021 landscape

'Stemming the tide of microplastics and marine litter' REF2021

 

Current projects

TYRE-LOSS: Lost at Sea – where are all the tyre particles?
National Highways attenuation pond for microplastic removal

National Highways: quantifying microplastic contribution from the Strategic Road Network

Environmental Issue: Underwater image of Plastic in the Ocean. The location here is Phi Phi Islands, Krabi, Thailand.

PISCES: a systems analysis approach to reduce plastic waste in Indonesian societies

Crops in a farmed field covered by protective sheeting

BIO-PLASTIC-RISK: assessing risk of biodegradable plastics

Future Fibres Network+: decarbonising the fashion industry
Brightly lit oil rig operating over calm sea

INSITE: decommissioning and subsea plastics

 
Plastic bottle and other plastic marine litter on a beach

Marine Litter: are there solutions to this global environmental problem?

The University's Marine Institute research into marine plastics and their impact on the environment, over almost two decades, has resulted in numerous research findings of major importance, influencing national and international legislation. As well as demonstrating the impacts, the focus of the International Marine Litter Research Unit has progressively shifted towards solutions orientated approaches.
Our brochure delves into more specific details of the world-leading research that our team continue to progress.