Marine litter is a result of a combination of factors, the most important of which being the lack of implementation of waste-related legislation at national/regional level, the lack of proper waste management in some parts of the world and inappropriate littering behaviour.
PlasticsEurope has been at the forefront of the fight against marine litter and is fully committed to helping put an end to the leakage of plastics into the environment. We carry out concrete actions (see annex).
To reduce littering, we call for:
- Appropriate waste management infrastructure. Governments should integrate the issue of marine litter in their national waste management strategies: waste management infrastructure needs to be improved so that all plastic waste is collected and then used as a resource. Landfilling has to be avoided.
- Support for innovation and mindful product design.
- Awareness raising campaigns, which lead to responsible consumption and an understanding that waste is a resource.
We therefore urge the European Commission to avoid shortcuts – plastic product bans are not the solution and will not achieve the structural change needed to build the foundation for a sustainable and resource efficient economy; as alternative products may not be more sustainable.
