Reimagining Florida's Plastic Policies and Co-Developing Management Alternatives

The pervasiveness of plastics in society has resulted in diffuse policies to reduce plastic pollution. This patchwork makes identifying comprehensive management opportunities extremely challenging. Progress is further hindered by plastic regulation preemptions in several states, including Florida. To help clarify this ill-defined field, Florida policies in plastic management and regulatory frameworks that could be relevant are reviewed. This review provides context for a case study generating management alternatives for reducing plastic pollution including microplastics (plastics < 5 mm in size) in Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA. Stakeholders in waste management, water management, and the Everglades restoration were interviewed. Of six alternatives, creating a regional recycling cooperative and developing Best Management Practices guidelines for microplastics ranked the highest according to three policy analysis criteria: 1) effectiveness, 2) benefit and engagement of society, and 3) cost. This study fosters policy innovation in regions where plastic management is politically contentious.