MLAP
Platform

Knowledge and
resource library

Essential knowledge and guidance on marine litter in one place: legislation and regulation, international conventions, technical guidelines and policy documents.

Example selection: the documents below are public reference material chosen for the prototype; the library is completed with the platform's own guidance at launch.

Legislation and regulation

  • Save Our Seas 2.0 Act (United States, 2020)

    Federal framework for marine debris response, waste management infrastructure and international engagement on ocean plastic.

    Go to source
    WebUS Congress2020

  • Directive (EU) 2019/904 on single-use plastics

    Bans or restricts the most common single-use plastic items found on European beaches and sets extended producer responsibility rules.

    Go to source
    WebEuropean Union2019

  • Marine Litter Provincial Action Plans Circular (Türkiye, 2019/09)

    Sets out how coastal provinces prepare marine litter action plans, which institutions sit on the provincial commission and how progress is reported.

    Go to source
    WebNational environment ministry2019

International conventions

  • Basel Convention plastic waste amendments

    Brings mixed and contaminated plastic waste under the prior informed consent procedure for transboundary movements.

    Go to source
    WebUNEP2019

  • Barcelona Convention Regional Plan on Marine Litter Management in the Mediterranean

    Binding regional framework for Mediterranean countries on preventing, monitoring and reducing marine litter.

    Download PDF
    PDFUNEP / MAP2013

  • MARPOL Annex V: Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships

    International rules banning the discharge of garbage from ships and setting requirements for port reception facilities.

    Go to source
    WebIMO2013

Guidelines and technical resources

  • Best Practice Framework for the Management of Fishing Gear

    Guidance for fisheries, ports and authorities on preventing gear loss, reporting and retrieving abandoned gear safely, and routing recovered material to recycling.

    Download PDF
    PDFGlobal Ghost Gear Initiative2021

  • UNEP/IOC Guidelines on Survey and Monitoring of Marine Litter

    Field methods for recording beach, floating and seabed litter in a standard format: survey design, sampling, count sheets and the classification categories used to compare sites.

    Go to source
    WebUNEP / IOC-UNESCO2009

Policy and strategy documents

  • Turning off the Tap: how the world can end plastic pollution

    Systems-change scenario for reducing plastic pollution by 80% by 2040 through reuse, recycling and reorientation of products.

    Go to source
    WebUNEP2023

  • UNEA Resolution 5/14: End plastic pollution, towards an international legally binding instrument

    The mandate to negotiate an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, covering the full life cycle of plastic.

    Go to source
    WebUN Environment Assembly2022

Never miss a new document

A monthly digest of new guidance documents, legislation and policy papers.

Addresses are stored for the launch mailing list. The first update goes out at the COP31 launch.