 The IAEA is spearheading an initiative to use radiation in the fight against plastic pollution. It is estimated that by 2050, plastics in the ocean will outweigh fish in the sea. Plastic pollution hinders sustainable development. It threatens ecosystems, imperils food safety, and impacts human health. Of the many environmental challenges of the day, we can clearly see plastic pollution emerging as one of the most serious ones that we have. As in many other areas, nuclear technologies can be part of the solution. The IAEA is helping in two ways. First, by using well-established isotopic tracer techniques to track microplastics through different ecosystems. Tracing helps us to understand how microplastics circulate in the atmosphere as well as in water. This can help us devise effective environmental management and mitigation strategies. Additionally, the IAEA is developing innovative recycling methods using electron beams to break down large amounts of plastics and avoid the toxic solvents used in chemical recycling. This will adapt to technology that is currently used to strengthen cables and sterilize medical equipment. We need to reuse and recycle our resources, especially plastics, in order to move away from a disposal culture and towards a circular economy. There can be no healthy planet without a healthy ocean, and the ocean's health on many fronts is currently in decline. The IAEA is prepared to be a partner, scientific advisor and practical partner of member states in facing this very serious challenge.