Global plastic pollution may be nearing irreversible tipping point By IANS | 5 Views A path towards plastic-free world.. Image Source: IANS News London, July 4 : Current rates of plastic emissions globally may trigger effects that we will not be able to reverse, argues a study by an international team of researchers. The study, published in the journal Science, stated that plastic pollution is a global threat, and actions to drastically reduce emissions of plastic to the environment are "the rational policy response". "Plastic emissions are trending upward even though awareness about plastic pollution among scientists and the public has increased significantly in recent years," said lead author Matthew MacLeod, Professor at Stockholm University in Sweden.