What Can be Done to Reduce Marine Plastic Pollution
There are many different ways that people can help to manage marine plastic pollution, including large government or charity led schemes and technologies as well as smaller scale individual efforts. This blog discusses these strategies in the hope of educating you on how you can help to make a change and work towards a greener future.
Firstly, on a larger scale, the existing international legislative frameworks must be strengthened and maintained over time to ensure their efforts have the intended impact. For example, the 1972 Convention on the Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter (the London Convention and the 1978 Protocol to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) both involve the contribution and collaboration of governments and businesses. These legislations should work to extend producer responsibility and introduce low-cost solutions.
Another system which is being used to remove plastic from the ocean is conducted by Ocean Cleanup – a non-profit organisation who aims to remove 90% of floating plastic in the ocean. They use a netted U-shaped barrier towed by two boats to collect plastic on the surface which is then collected and sorted once a week to be sent to recycling facilities. However, this method has received criticism due to the vast amount of carbon dioxide that the boats produce and the harm that the nets can cause to marine life. The system includes a camera which checks that animals haven’t been caught, but there’s still the risk of damaging the delicate aquatic ecosystems.
Furthermore, cleaning up rivers is an extremely effective way of reducing the pollution of our ocean as 1000 of the world’s rivers are responsible for 80% of the plastic that is released into the oceans. To combat this, Ocean Cleanup have created Interceptors – solar powered vessels that guide plastic out of the mouth of large rivers. This plastic is then collected, sorted and sent to waste management facilities. The introduction of this technology has already helped to remove 2.2 million pounds of waste from rivers worldwide.
There are many smaller scale ways that individuals can play a role in reducing oceanic plastic pollution. Large societal change would have a massive impact on the rate at which plastic is released into the ocean. Ways that you can help include reducing your plastic consumption by choosing items with compostable and recyclable packaging and becoming more aware of what is recyclable so that your recycling habits allow waste to be disposed of in the appropriate way. Another way that you can help is to join in at local marine conservation events such as beach clean-ups or fundraisers.
Studies have found that 77% of plastic stays on the shores and beaches or in shallow coastal waters. By removing the plastic found on beaches, they are prevented from being washed out further to sea or being ground down by today action into microplastics. This demonstrates the powerful impact that beach clean-up events can have.
Overall, there are many ways that marine plastic pollution can be managed and prevented. If you are looking to make a difference, The Big Blue Ocean Foundation is running a beach clean-up event of our own in summer 2024 on the south-eastern coastline and we would be delighted if you joined us in our journey to work towards a cleaner future. In the next blog, microplastics and their effects will be discussed in detail along with the ways in which scientists are looking to remove them safely from the ocean.