ocean plastic prevention

At the outset it is important to note that preventing ocean plastic does not mean that the way we use all types of plastic needs to change. Plastic is used by many industries, such as construction or transport, in long-term installations that do not necessarily pollute the environment. It is our use of single-use plastic, such as packaging, or of plastic products which shed fibres, such as clothing or tyres, which needs to change.

In order to stop further plastic entering the ocean we need to rethink the whole lifecycle of these types of plastic. The sooner we accept that our current system of production, use and then disposal, usually in a way that is detrimental to the environment and human health, needs improvement the better. Plastic needs to be seen as a resource that should be kept in the economy rather than discarded, adopting a circular rather than linear path.

The first step in this journey is to switch off the tap so that no more virgin plastic is created for single-use. In order for this to happen in the current economic climate, in which it is still cheaper for petrochemical companies to produce new plastics rather than recycle needs to change. For this government intervention is needed and in particular the subsidies provided to the fossil fuel industry need to stop. Instead, governmental support should be given to those producing alternative materials, to manufacturers working closed-loop designs and to waste management schemes.

The design phase is key: in order for reuse to become a viable alternative to disposal, change must come upstream: if we change how products are designed so that they can be used and reused, creating systems that do not generate waste in the first place, and if products are created with alternative distribution and delivery systems, we can move forward to a zero-waste lifestyle. With this new mindset, waste management turns into resource management, with benefits for humankind, the environment and the economy.

Here the Ellen MacArthur Foundation is leading the way in their work towards a circular economy for many industries. In relation to plastic, they propose three actions:

1. Eliminate all problematic and unnecessary plastic items. 

2. Innovate to ensure that the plastics we do need are reusable, recyclable, or compostable. 

3. Circulate all the plastic items we use to keep them in the economy and out of the environment.

By establishing a circular plastic economy the value of plastics can be recaptured, recovered and recycled again and again while simultaneously minimizing plastic pollution and the consumption of natural resources. According to their website, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation believe that a circular economy has the potential to reduce the annual volume of plastics entering our oceans by 80%, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25%, generate savings of USD 200 bn per year and create 700,000 net additional jobs - all by 2040.

A zero-waste circular system adopts a 7-tier hierarchy which adheres to the following principles:

1. rethink: manufacturers should use reused, recycled, or sustainably-sourced materials in their products, which are designed to be recovered and recycled as part of the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme;

2. reduce: by eliminating the use of unnecessary plastic, for example by selling products loose, support can be given to local markets, promoting sustainable consumption without waste;

3. reuse: centres for repair, refurbishment and repurposing can support the optimal reuse of materials and products. Training courses can enhance interest in these schemes;

4. recycle/compost: consumers should be empowered to compost their own organic waste and sort and collect their residual waste correctly, to be processed locally;

5. recover: material recovery should be optimized

6. residual management: waste which remains should be treated in order to avoid releasing gases or toxins into the environment; and

7. refuse: any scheme to destroy recyclable material or organic material is condemned. Incineration should not be used, harmful toxins and chemicals should be removed from all consumer products.

In order for a zero-waste strategy to work, all stakeholders need to play a role:

• Manufacturers: it is key for products to be (re-)designed with this circular approach in mind, products should be labelled clearly to help consumers sort their waste.

• Consumers: rather than discard waste, a new mindset open to repairing or repurposing items should be encouraged as well as consumers being empowered to sort their waste correctly.

• Local councils: waste facilities should be available near to consumers, information and training should be provided so that waste is sorted correctly, incentives should encourage the public to collect and sort their waste.

• Governments: legislation should be put in place to set standards on material composition and incentives established to reduce waste.
  

On a global level, the 2022 decision of the UN Environmental Assembly (UNEA), the world’s highest-level decision making body on the environment and also the governing body of UNEP, to start negotiations for a legally binding international convention to regulate how we deal with plastics should ensure that a global approach can be adopted and the amount of plastic entering the ocean be reduced. You can find out more about these negotiations here.

In the meantime, there is much for each and every one of us to do. Some ideas can be found on the What can I do? page.