Marcus Eriksen
Papers
1
Total Citations
48
H-Index
1
About
Dr. Marcus Eriksen is a pioneering environmental researcher and co-founder of The 5 Gyres Institute, whose work has fundamentally shaped the global understanding of plastic pollution. His research centers on the transport, fate, and ecological impacts of microplastics in marine and freshwater systems, with a recent focus on shifting the paradigm from downstream cleanup to upstream prevention. Eriksen’s most-cited contributions include seminal global assessments of plastic debris in the world’s oceans, which have amassed thousands of citations and informed international policy. His 2023 work, "Moving from symptom management to upstream plastics prevention," critiques the fallacy of plastic cleanup technologies, arguing that evidence-based criteria must guide policy to ensure ecological benefits outweigh costs—a paper already garnering 48 citations for its timely, provocative stance. Beyond academia, Eriksen’s expeditions, including sailing across the North Pacific Gyre to document plastic accumulation, have galvanized public awareness and legislative action. His interdisciplinary approach—merging rigorous science with advocacy—has made him a leading voice in the fight for a circular plastics economy, inspiring a generation of researchers to prioritize prevention over mitigation.
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Top Papers
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