More than half of all plastic manufactured is used just once and then thrown away. One tenth of plastic waste ends up in our seas and oceans, where it does not decompose but instead merely breaks down into ever-smaller particles. Macro- and microplastics in the sea have a negative impact on animal and human health and also cause considerable economic damage. Microplastics are ingested by marine organisms and can get into the flesh of the fish and other seafood that end up on our plates. Reducing microplastics in the environment can only be achieved through the responsible management of plastic waste.