From the Back Cover
This book reviews comprehensively the opportunities and responsibilities of science, society and politics to combat plastic pollution in marine and freshwaters. It provides insights on what information is needed, and from whom, and it outlines policies proposed by various institutions including OSPAR, HELCOM and the European Union. Plastic waste has become a global threat to the aquatic environment that does not stop at country borders. Meanwhile, there are many efforts in science, industry, commerce and governments to tackle the problem worldwide. School education, NGO public actions, voluntary trade reduction measures, governmental management options and governmental regulatory actions are part of the portfolio of efforts to deal with the problem.
Together with the companion volume Plastics in the Aquatic Environment - Part I: Current Status and Challenges, it provides scientists, policymakers and environmental managers with essential reference information on how this problem is being solved, what challenges and barriers are expected and how they can be overcome.
Dr. Friederike Stock is a research assistant in the Department of Biochemistry and Ecotoxicology at the German Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG; Koblenz, Germany) since 2016. She has a Ph.D. in sedimentology /paleogeography from the University of Cologne, Germany. Dr. Stock is leading a project about micro- and macroplastics in German ivers and is involved in an international project about plastics in fresh- and marine waters. During the last years, she organized conferences and workshops to get scientists, politicians and stakeholders together, is responsible for a homepage about plastics (https: //www.plastic-network.org) and published several scientific research papers about plastics.
Dr. Georg Reifferscheid is Head of the Department of Biochemistry and Ecotoxicology and Deputy Head of the Division Qualitative Hydrology of the German Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG; Koblenz, Germany). He has a Ph.D. in genetic toxicology (University of Mainz, Germany). Dr. Reifferscheid has broad experience in ecotoxicology, toxicological risk assessment and project management. He is involved in various standardization projects within ISO TC147 Water Quality Subcommittee 5 Biological methods (SC5). He is Chairperson of SC5 and a member of Joint ISO/TC 147/SC 2 - ISO/TC 61/SC 14 Working Group: Plastics (including microplastics) in waters and related matrices.
Dr. Nicole Brennholt is a research scientist in the Department of Biochemistry and Ecotoxicology at the German Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG; Koblenz, Germany) since 2009. She has a Ph.D. in ecology from the University of Essen, Germany. Dr. Brennholt is in charge of national and international projects dealing with (micro-)plastic issues in freshwater and marine ecosystems and microbial water quality. Furthermore, she manages the microbial laboratory (biosafety level 2). With her colleagues she organized several national and international workshops and symposia on plastics in marine and freshwater environments.
Dr. Evgeniia Kostianaia is a researcher at the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow, Russia). She is involved in several international initiatives such as acting as the Focal Point for the International Ocean Institute (Malta) for Moscow, Russia; representing Russia as the Black Sea Young Ambassador and being a member of the working group on sustainable development of the Caspian Sea region and the Caspian Integrated Scientific Network (CASPISNET). She has helped organize several conferences on sustainable development of the Russian parts of the Azov, Black and Caspian Seas.
