Os custos econômicos da poluição marinha por plásticos: estratégias para a superação do problema a partir do modelo da União Europeia

The release of plastic waste into the oceans has proved to be one of the biggest problems of the 21st century. In view of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, it appears that, based on the measures implemented to combat the spread of the new virus − such as the use of face protection masks and latex gloves−, there was an exponential increase in the consumption of plastic materials, which raised a new warning about marine pollution. The damage resulting from the release of these residues in the ecosystems, in addition to the losses to the environment and human health, is reflected in the world economy, as it affects all ecosystem services to some extent, with a reduction in the provision of these services, which alters the conditions of people’s health and well-being. European Union Law, in this context, has been presented as a legal-normative source capable of overcoming regulatory gaps at regional and international level, presenting Strategies and Directives for the management of Plastics and implementing the European Green Deal, a document that truly measures the global magnitude and the accelerating growth of the problem. The present study, through the inductive method and starting from theoretical and qualitative research, aims to reveal the relations between transboundary pollution of plastic waste and its effects on the marine environment and the world economy, demonstrating that the European Union may emerge in a privileged position to lead a transition without plastics in the near future, becoming a true model of action to overcome the current scenario.