The Intractable Challenge
Plastic pollution is one of the world’s fastest-growing environmental and societal challenges – and it continues to worsen globally, despite decades of awareness, clean-up efforts and recycling initiatives. The issue persists not because we lack passion or technology, but because the systems that shape how plastics are produced, used and managed remain deeply fragmented. The economic, social, cultural and infrastructural forces are misaligned.
PISCES Relay exists to close this gap
By uniting researchers, policymakers, communities and private sector stakeholders, PISCES Relay uncovers the many connected causes of plastic pollution and addresses them together. Through the integration of research, innovation and action, we deliver systems-based, evidence- informed, locally grounded and scalable solutions for the regions that need them most.
Why this moment matters?
- Plastic production is accelerating, and downstream clean-up cannot keep pace with upstream growth.
- Communities need solutions that reflect local realities – effective interventions must be co-owned.
- Enterprises and governments need credible evidence to act – data, metrics and evaluation tools
- Innovation must be tested in real contexts – Pilot projects rarely scale because they are not embedded in real systems.
- The impacts on climate, ocean health and human wellbeing are connected and converging. Unmanaged plastics drive flooding, harm fisheries, damage ecosystems and threaten human wellbeing.
PISCES Relay exists because this is the moment that systems most move together – and drive change where it matters most.
Why a Systems Approach?
PISCES foundational Research showed that plastic pollution is not just a waste management issue – it is a systems issue, shaped by clashing waves of:
- Social norms and daily habits
- Economic constraints and market incentives
- Cultural practices and lived realities
- Policy gaps and governance structures
- Limited access to waste services and circular alternatives
- Global supply chains and rapid urbanisation
- Industry pressures and product design decisions
Acting on only one of these cannot create lasting change. PISCES Relay works across them — because only whole-system change can turn the tide on plastic pollution.