Though awareness of the impact of marine debris — namely plastic litter — has been growing throughout the last several decades, Dr. Kara Lavender Law of the Sea Education Association said the discipline merits more study before accurate conclusions can be drawn. 
In an April 30 presentation during Maine’s 20th Annual Recycling & Solid Waste Conference at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, Law said there is a great deal of misinformation being propagated regarding the nature and impact of marine refuse, even by “reputable” scientists.