Littering happens when waste is left behind in streets, public spaces, beaches or nature. Leakage is broader. It happens when materials escape collection and waste-management systems and move into the wider environment. Preventing leakage depends on effective infrastructure, responsible disposal and systems that keep waste under control from the moment it is discarded.

Plastic can reach rivers, coastlines and seas through many different pathways. Poor waste management, littering, stormwater, rivers and coastal activity can all contribute to plastic entering aquatic environments. Once there, it can persist for long periods and create visible as well as long-term environmental pressure. Marine pollution is therefore not only an ocean issue. In many cases, it begins much earlier — on land.

Microplastics are small plastic particles that can come from different sources. Some are created when larger plastic items break down over time. Others come from sources such as tyre wear, synthetic textiles, paints and coatings, industrial processes and plastic pellets. Because the sources are diverse, microplastic pollution cannot be reduced through one single action or one single industry. Understanding where particles come from is an important part of addressing the issue effectively.

Clean-up has an important role in removing waste that has already reached streets, coastlines and natural environments. But clean-up alone cannot solve the underlying problem. Long-term progress depends on preventing waste from escaping in the first place — through better product and packaging design, stronger collection systems, clear disposal guidance, effective infrastructure and responsible behaviour.