San Francisco Bay Microplastic Project

The San Francisco Bay Microplastics Project was designed to provide critical data on sources and pathways of microplastics in the Bay Area, and generate scientifically supported, regional recommendations for solutions to plastic pollution. Read more about this research here.  

 
 
SF Bay Microplastics Study

Understanding Microplastic Levels, Pathways, and Transport in the SF Bay. T

he first comprehensive regional study of microplastic pollution in a major estuary.

 
 

 
 

Better Alternatives Now List Series

The Plastics BAN (Better Alternatives Now) List series of reports identifies the world’s most dangerous plastics and suggests viable alternatives currently on the market today.

 
 
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BAN List 1.0 examined California statewide levels of plastic pollution in support of the successful California plastic bag ban Proposition 67.


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BAN List 2.0 examined the true life cycle of “plant-based” plastic products in the United States, finding most do not actually break down and that the terms “compostable” and “biodegradable” may be the next generation of greenwashing.

 
 

 
 

Reports and Findings

 
 

By partnering with other organizations within the plastic pollution movement, we are able to amplify our collective research and efforts to effect change.

 
 
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Plastic & Climate: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet.

This report examines the stages of the plastic lifecycle to identify the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions, sources of uncounted emissions, and uncertainties that likely lead to underestimation of plastic’s climate impacts

Brand Audit 2019

2019 Global Brand Audit.

72,541 volunteers in 51 countries to conducted 484 brand audits and collected

476,423 pieces of plastic waste, 43% of which was marked with a clear consumer brand. The 5 Gyres TrashBlitz data collection app and methods were used to generate this data.

 
 
 

For more information on our research, please contact marcus@5gyres.org