There are a number of things that governments can do to stem the toxic tide — from running public awareness campaigns, to offering incentives for recycling, and introducing levies or even banning certain plastic products outright.

Dozens of national and local governments around the world have already adopted policies to reduce the use of disposable plastic. And the number continues to grow. Here are some tide-turning national governments and city authorities: (from Single-Use Plastics: A Roadmap for Sustainability and news outlets)