Counting what counts: Three years of Cambridge Prisms: Plastics

Since publishing its first article in May 2023, Cambridge Prisms: Plastics has established itself as a leading platform for interdisciplinary, policy-relevant scholarship addressing the global plastics crisis. The journal has published research spanning political economy, activism, waste management, chemical safety, life-cycle assessment and environmental justice, united by a commitment to societal relevance and actionable insights. Its contributions have informed policy debates, supported international negotiations, strengthened civil society advocacy and fostered collaborations across disciplines, sectors and regions. A notable achievement was the 2025 collection of open letters from more than 60 experts calling for ambitious measures within the global plastics treaty negotiations. The journal has now received its first Impact Factor (5.3) and CiteScore (4.2), placing it in the top quartile of Environmental Studies journals. While these metrics signal strong early visibility and scholarly engagement, they should be interpreted cautiously as partial and short-term indicators. More significant is the journal's growing influence in connecting research, policy and practice to drive meaningful change.