Communities are being called upon to help tackle plastic pollution.

Researchers suggest that the escalating issue of plastic pollution may not only be solved by scientists and policy-makers but by communities themselves.

A recent paper from an interdisciplinary workshop at the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, including contributions from the University of Portsmouth, calls for a shift in how science engages with communities.

It says that communities should be partners in research, helping to co-create initiatives and knowledge.

Dr Alice Horton from the National Oceanography Centre said: "Communities are not 'out there' waiting to be engaged.

"They are dynamic, diverse, and already playing critical roles in shaping how we understand and respond to ocean plastics."

Plastic waste entering the ocean continues to rise, with estimates predicting that by 2040, up to 29 million tonnes could enter each year - more than double the 2010 figure.

The research identifies four key types of community - geographical, practical, virtual, and circumstantial.

It proposes new 'rules of engagement' for scientists, which includes co-designing research with these communities, validating their local knowledge, and recognising their unique relationships with the ocean and with plastic.

Dr Cressida Bowyer, deputy director of the Revolution Plastics Institute at the University of Portsmouth and co-author of the paper, said: "Community members bring valuable insight and agency to this issue.

"We've seen examples from Kenya to the Philippines where local actions, often overlooked by formal science, are leading the way."

An example comes from Kenya, where University of Portsmouth researchers worked with 12 waste pickers to create a piece of legislative theatre based on their experiences.

This also gave them a platform to advocate for inclusion and recognition.

The release of the paper coincides with international negotiations on a global plastics treaty in Geneva in August, where 175 countries are expected to debate plastics' lifecycle regulation.

Concerns have already been raised about the talks marginalising indigenous voices and non-Western knowledge systems.

The researchers warn that unless this imbalance is addressed, the treaty may repeat the exclusionary patterns that have hindered previous global environmental initiatives.