Journal of Science Policy & Governance
Volume 24, Issue 01 | April 30, 2024

Op-Ed:  ​Ensuring the Future Accessibility of Drinking Fountains in Oklahoma and Beyond​

Luis M. García-Marín (1,2), Miguel E. Rentería (1,2)
  1. Mental Health and Neuroscience Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  2. School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

​Corresponding author: [email protected]​​
Keywords: plastics; pollution; environment; oceans; food chain; climate change
https://doi.org/10.38126/JSPG240107

Executive Summary

Plastic pollution poses a significant challenge to the environment, biodiversity, and human health. Each year, the world produces 300 million tons of plastic waste, equivalent to the weight of the planet's entire human population. Only 9% of plastic products worldwide are recycled due to a pervasive throw-away culture and inefficient policies for managing single-use plastic. Over time, plastics fragment into smaller pieces, distributed across ecosystems by wind and rainfall. Marine and terrestrial wildlife accidentally ingest these smaller plastics, leading to a build-up of toxins in tissues. These toxins are transferred to other species, including humans, through the food chain. This document proposes two policy options to address this issue: (a) replacing conventional plastics with more environmentally friendly alternatives or (b) transitioning to a circular economy focused on reducing, reusing, repairing, and recycling. We urge the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to pursue the latter by leading the development and implementation of a comprehensive global policy agenda for the appropriate and effective management of plastics. This would include the development of  financial, environmental, and social estimators to quantify, manage, and reduce plastic waste. A UNEP-led global plastic policy agenda has the potential to standardize and regulate plastic production, consumption, and waste management and ultimately reduce the negative impact of plastics on ecosystems and human health.

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Background header image courtesy of Ocean Blue Project


Luis M. García-Marín is a Ph.D. candidate at The University of Queensland and the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Australia. He holds a B.Eng. in Biotechnology from the Tecnológico de Monterrey in Guadalajara, Mexico. He is passionate about the environment, genomics, and data science. He has been recognized for his work with the Lindon Eaves Award from the Institute of Behavioral Genetics at the University of Colorado Boulder and the Enrico Greppi Award from the Italian Society for the Study of Headaches.

Miguel E. Rentería is an Associate Professor, Al & Val Rosenstrauss Fellow, and Global Atlantic Fellow. He is a Principal Investigator at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Brisbane, Australia. He holds a Ph.D. in Human Genetics from the University of Queensland and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. He co-led the establishment of the Oficina de Ciencia y Tecnología para el Congreso de la Unión (INCyTU), Mexico’s first technology assessment unit to support policymaking, modeled after the UK’s Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology.

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