This month the European commission released a long awaited marine litter reduction target as part of the communication on implementing a circular economy. Seas at risk has campaigned for a reduction target for many years, but we are concerned that the proposed target is non-binding and lacking in ambition.
The communication sets an ‘aspirational’ target of a 30 per cent reduction by 2020 in the top ten items found during beach litter surveys. A 50 per cent reduction target would have been more ambitious and fitting, considering the scale of the issue, but also fully achievable with the right measures.
By tackling specific litter items, drastic reductions can be made. For example, Ireland significantly reduced the amount of plastic bags found on their beaches after they implemented a levy which reduced bag usage by 95 per cent in the first year. Action taken by the plastics industry to reduce the leakage of pellets from their supply chain has resulted in a significant decrease in the number of pellets found in the stomachs of marine birds.
"Ireland significantly reduced the amount of plastic bags found on their beaches after they implemented a levy which reduced bag usage by 95 per cent in the first year"
Unfortunately, governments have shown less enthusiasm for challenging the status-quo, and key marine litter reduction measures such as improved sewage treatment and ending single-use plastics, will likely face political resistance that only binding EU level targets can address.
The hard truth is that we need to change certain aspects of our society and way of life to stop the continuing input of marine litter. This is where the European commission’s circular economy package comes in. By reducing the production of waste, designing products for reuse and treating waste as a valuable resource, it is less likely to be carelessly discarded and end up in the oceans.
Becoming more resource efficient as a society does not need to damage the economy; in fact a recent study by the European environmental bureau demonstrated that significant social and economic benefits can be had from increased resource efficiency.
Why should we care about marine litter? The consequences of this phenomenon are becoming more and more apparent, and researchers are beginning to understand the full scale of the problem. What we know is that plastic breaks down in to microscopic particles under marine conditions, and that these particles are then readily available for organisms to ingest.
There is a strong likelihood that a large portion of our waste is being ingested by marine life, potentially transferring pollutants from the oceans to our food chain. Microplastics can also be carriers of harmful pathogens and bacteria across the oceans.
"There is a strong likelihood that a large portion of our waste is being ingested by marine life, potentially transferring pollutants from the oceans to our food chain"
The marine strategy framework directive (MSFD) is currently the only piece of EU legislation to address the issue of marine litter. Together with a wide network of international and national NGOs, Seas at Risk has developed a joint NGO paper with priority measures we want to see implemented under the MSFD as of 2016.
A recent Eurobarometer poll of EU citizens’ attitudes to waste showed that 94 per cent would support a mandatory EU-level target to reduce the amount of litter entering the oceans, and 96 per cent agree that more initiatives are needed by industry to limit plastic waste and increase recycling.
We are calling on policy makers to respect the will of EU citizens and protect the oceans through implementing a true circular economy and a binding marine litter reduction target.