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Future of Plastic THE PLASTIC TIME BOMB
We need to rethink the way we use plastic. P4 MCSUK CEO
How we can ensure our seas are healthy, pollution-free and protected. ONLINE
Sir David Attenborough OM FRS, Vice-president, Fauna & Flora International: “The momentum is building.” P4
PHOTO CREDIT: © GARY MORRISROE PHOTOGRAPHY
Playing our part in keeping plastics out of the oceans Using 140,000 tonnes of post-consumer plastic waste every year www.kpfilms.com
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IN THIS ISSUE
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation
How to stop plastics polluting our ocean
Why we all need to refuse, reduce and recycle
How the circular economy can help the plastics crisis
According to the President of the Ocean Foundation
Learn from, Plastic Pollution Coalition’s Dianna Cohen
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It’s time to get drastic on plastic! Our addiction to single-use plastic is destroying our oceans at an ever-increasing pace. Urgent action is needed if we are going save them from irreparable harm.
E
very year, we dump up to 13 million tonnes of plastic into our oceans, harming marine plants and animals and potentially also human health. Unless we act now, our addiction to single-use plastic items, such as straws and plastic bags, will destroy our oceans for future generations. In order to prevent this from happening, we need to fundamentally change the way we think about plastic. We need to stop treating it as a material that we can just throw
away immediately after use, and start thinking of it as something that has real value. As part of this change, we need governments to build robust legislation, and consumers to use both their voice and their wallets to let producers know they won’t stand for unnecessary plastic use. Ultimately though, this is a problem of design. The way in which we’ve designed our manufacturing, distribution, consumption and trade systems – indeed our global economy – needs to change. The linear
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Dr Lisa Emelia Svensson Global Director, Oceans, UN Environment
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model of planned obsolescence, in which items are designed to be thrown away immediately after use, sometime after just seconds, needs to itself become obsolete. Just like climate change, plastic pollution is not something that, once it hits, is even remotely easy to reverse. And just like climate change, it requires us to collectively slam on the brakes. No one can solve the problem of marine litter alone, but we can all do something. We have no time to lose. It is time to turn the tide on plastic! PLEASE RECYCLE AFTER READING
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Plastic that biodegrades faster SPONSORED
Oxo-biodegradable plastic will become biodegradable much more quickly than ordinary plastic, and will then be recycled back into nature.
All plastics will fragment when exposed in the open environment, but the problem with conventional plastics is that their fragments will lie or float around for decades before becoming biodegradable. During that time they break down into microplastics and may attract toxins. Marine life often consume these microplastics, mistaking them for plankton, which can begin the process of toxins moving into the human food-chain.
Catalyst to degrade plastic more quickly Oxo-biodegradable technology was therefore invented to speed up the degradation process, by adding a catalyst which promotes oxidation. The catalyst is dormant during the intended life of the product and activates on exposure to the open environment. Oxidation reduces the molecular-weight of the polymer by dismantling the molecular structure. This is easy to prove, using the methods prescribed by international standards such as ASTM D6954, and is well-documented in the scientific literature. When the molecular weight has reduced to 5,000 Daltons or thereabouts, it is no longer a plastic and is accessible to bacteria and fungi, who will recycle it back into nature. It definitely does not just produce fragments of plastic.
Oxo-biodegradable plastic safely consumed by bacteria It is less easy to observe the action
What is a ‘reasonable’ timescale for plastic degradation?
Michael Laurier CEO, Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc. (AIM:SYM)
of the bacteria and fungi, but it can be done. In 2016, a sample of oxo-biodegradable plastic, which had degraded in seawater, was sent to Queen Mary University London, who observed it being consumed by bacteria that are commonly found on land and also by bacteria commonly found in the oceans. They see no reason why the bacteria should not continue to consume it until there is nothing left. The oxo-biodegradable plastic had no adverse effect on the bacteria.
As to timescale, no government has ever said what they regard as a reasonable time for plastic degradation. They accept that ordinary plastic takes decades to biodegrade, and this is why there is so much public concern about it. The reason why it takes such a long time is that the reduction of molecular weight from about 250,000 Daltons to 5,000 is such a slow process, and anything that speeds it up, as oxo-biodegradable technology does, must therefore be beneficial. One thing is certain – that in the same place at the same time in the open environment, oxo-biodegradable plastic will become biodegradable at least ten times faster than ordinary plastic, and will not accumulate as a problem for future generations. Read more on symphonyenvironmental.com biodeg.org
Fuel for thought: how to transform waste plastic SPONSORED
Keith Allaun, CEO and Director of PowerHouse Energy Group plc, wants to make one thing very clear. It’s not plastic he has an issue with, per se. Plastic is, he says, a life-changing material that has revolutionised agriculture and healthcare, to take just two examples.
Rather it’s the management of plastic that is a major problem. “We have to manage it in a more effective way,” he says. “We are seeing significant disruption in marine eco-systems in particular because
Unwanted plastic is a store of clean hydrogen fuel
of the introduction of plastic into the environment. If we continue to make single-use plastics at the same pace, by 2050 we are going to be dealing with an ocean that has more plastic in it, by weight, than fish.”
Turning plastic trash into fuel Because the UK doesn’t have the capacity to deal with the amount of plastic waste we generate, 500,000 tonnes of it is sent abroad for recycling every year. This is a crazy situation, says Allaun. Firstly, shipping plastic overseas leaves a carbon footprint. Secondly, much of this waste plastic isn’t recycled and ends up in the ocean anyway. Allaun advocates a novel waste-to-energy solution, which turns unwanted plastic into hydrogen that can be used to fuel road transport and , in the future,
Keith Allaun CEO and Director, PowerHouse Energy Group, plc
hydrogen-powered trains and ferries. It’s an environmentally-friendly waste management approach that removes waste plastic from the eco-system and helps in the fight against climate change. “By displacing fossil fuels, we save in the region of 21,000kg of CO 2 per tonne of hydrogen created,” says Allaun.”
Hydrogen is also environmentally advantageous because there are no tail pipe emissions when using it as a fuel- only water vapour. Waste plastic can be a resource. Plastic is only a waste if we don’t extract the maximum value of that resource and use it responsibly. Taking waste plastic and turning it into something positive is a compelling model for companies to follow. “We have an obligation to bring some good to this planet and leverage technologies that can responsibly utilise plastic and eliminate it before it reaches the ocean,” says Allaun. “Because once it gets out there, it’s too late.” Tony Greenway Read more on powerhouseenergy.net
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ATTENBOROUGH SPEAKS…
Sir David Attenborough OM FRS, Vice-president, Fauna & Flora International A word with broadcaster, conservationist and FFI Vice-president, Sir David Attenborough.
How serious do you think plastic pollution really is? It could hardly be more serious. I suppose, for me, the thing that is so galling about plastic pollution in particular is that it is so utterly unnecessary. The plastic in our oceans ought never to have got there in the first place – much of it perhaps ought not to have even been manufactured at all. And yet it is there, in unbelievable quantities, causing untold harm to marine wildlife. Blue Planet II helped to put plastic pollution on the global agenda. How do you feel about that? Well, naturally I’m pleased! Not everybody has had the chance, as I have, to visit these remote and astonishing places, and so I do think that our job as filmmakers is not only to inspire people with the wonders of the natural world, but also to help them understand the threats our planet is facing. Why this topic has particularly captured the public imagination now as opposed to at any other time I can’t say, but it has certainly helped to build momentum for us to take action. Read more on globalcause.co.uk The path to the UK microbeads ban
Fauna & Flora International (FFI) has been sounding the alarm about the potential impacts of microplastics since 2009. They initially focused on reducing microplastics that are directly washed into our seas and can immediately be eaten by marine life, such as the microbeads used in toiletries. Five years of painstaking research into the ingredients of over 1,500 products provided the evidence with which to engage manufacturers and retailers, and ultimately make the case for a UK ban on microbeads. Buoyed by this success, they are continuing to address other direct sources of microplastic pollution, including preproduction pellets (nurdles) from plastics manufacture and microplastic fibres released from synthetic clothing and fishing nets as part of their wider plastics programme.
Rakhmet Dirgantara, FFI
Our oceans are facing a plastic time bomb We have long known that plastic poses a direct risk to wildlife; however, the true horror story of plastic pollution lies in the ocean, the destination point for so much of our rubbish over the years. Abigail Entwistle
We talk about the plastic islands of the Pacific gyre, but the reality is even more pernicious and insidious: look below the waves and you will discover a deep ‘plastic smog’ of tiny microplastic particles that could prove even more devastating to the marine ecosystem than the surface rubbish. Because microplastics – and the toxins they contain and attract – can be eaten by even the smallest marine creatures, they allow these toxins to enter
Director, Conservation Science and Design at Fauna & Flora International
the food chain. Microplastics have been found in everything from krill and mussels to baleen whales, seabirds and even crabs from the deepest ocean trenches. But we are faced with a ticking time bomb. All the plastic rubbish that continues to pour into the oceans will break
down to form the microplastics of the future, adding to that plastic smog. The volume of plastic currently reaching the sea needs to be reduced as quickly as possible. This is not just about better waste management in the most polluting countries, it also requires a global change to our culture of plastics use – this is an international phenomenon that needs multilateral cooperation and clear corporate leadership. Only by fundamentally changing the way we design, use and recapture plastic can we truly address the scale of plastic pollution and forestall a future where microplastics smother our oceans. Read more on fauna-flora.org
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How tankers are working to minimise plastics at sea
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Preventing plastic pollution from ships
Waste disposal on tankers is a carefully considered operation, with more companies moving to plastic-free fleets, but waste disposal onshore isn’t meeting these standards. SPONSORED
Thirty years ago, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) introduced a total prohibition on the disposal of plastics into the seas through its MARPOL Convention. Today, the careful segregation and storage of plastics on a modern tanker is an essential part of health and safety on board, with operators now focusing on eliminating plastics brought on board in the first place. Many tanker owners are moving towards a plasticfree environment on board their fleets. Replacing disposable plastics with glass or ceramics can increase the need for washing but phosphate-free detergents and soaps help alleviate any knock-on environmental effects. A recently published, free guide on waste management for tankers addresses the need to record, carefully store and eventually dispose of all waste, going as far as what to do with fibrous filters from cigarette butts. Now, plastics and rubbish in general are being managed, minimised and eventually eliminated on board, so where are the challenges for the tanker industry today? Kathi Stanzel, INTERTANKO Managing Director and Marine Biologist, points to a few key challenges that can’t be managed by the tanker industry alone.
Tim Wilkins Environment Director, INTERTANKO
Stop packaging with plastic! The first challenge stems, as it does ashore, from the constant battle with suppliers to provide goods that are not packaged in plastics. Then there are the ports; tankers are still struggling to find ports and terminals that will accept their rubbish. A member’s tanker has previously had to make nine separate port calls before it found a port that would accept its rubbish. Onshore waste management needs improving Most major ports do provide facilities and ports in Europe mandate the discharge of all rubbish before a ship leaves port. However, as more new ports open up around the world, the provision of adequate waste reception facilities needs to be higher on the list of developers’ priorities. Waste segregation needed on shore And when so much effort is made on board to sort rubbish, particularly the various types of plastics, it is hugely disheartening for a ship’s
crew to see this carefully segregated waste simply dumped together into a single skip on the dock side. Stanzel comments that while it is good that the waste can be landed, it is disappointing that more often than not, the efforts on board are not reflected ashore. Working with the IMO will assist in overcoming some of the challenges, but another question is how the tanker industry can collectively assist in the global effort to reduce plastics from land-based sources that have already accumulated in the oceans? Tankers are reporting on the plastic problem at sea New initiatives are using tanking vessels to act as observation and reporting platforms to assist research on the quantities and locations of plastics in the oceans. Others are involved with projects that use tankers to collect rubbish as they move through the open oceans. These initiatives and ideas are being shared across the industry so that such projects can gain momentum as additional fleets are introduced to bolster the efforts. This, Stanzel says, is the real strength of working collaboratively. INTERTANKO
INTERTANKO is the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners. It is a forum where the industry meets, policies are discussed, and best practice developed. It is a valuable source of first-hand information, opinions and guidance. INTERTANKO stands for safe transport, cleaner seas and free competition.
Read more on intertanko.com
Stefan Micallef Assistant Secretary-General and Director, Marine Environment Division, International Maritime Organization When it comes to plastic waste on ships, the rules are clear – keep it on board until it can be disposed of properly.
The discharge of rubbish containing plastics into the sea from ships is prohibited under rules adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the global regulatory body for shipping. These regulations, contained in the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), also oblige governments to ensure adequate port reception facilities to receive ship waste. Another treaty regulates the dumping of waste at sea. Dumping waste at sea is generally prohibited, with only a limited number of materials permitted for disposal, such as those from dredging. This waste must be fully assessed to ensure it does not contain harmful materials, like plastics. More needs to be done to ensure full and effective implementation of these regulations, so it is important that organisations are keeping marine litter on their agenda. A key way of helping countries to develop training packages is by implementing the MARPOL rubbish rules and contributing to a Massive Open Online Course on marine litter. Educational resources, such as online websites and interactive materials, aimed at children are also useful ways we can promote awareness of shipping in relation to marine pollution. Through interagency partnerships, organisations can ensure that the global efforts to tackle marine litter are carried out effectively and in harmony with other stakeholders involved in waste management, both at sea and on land. Read more on imo.org A website aimed at a young audience can be found at kids.imo.org
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How to stop plastics polluting our ocean
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The plastics we use may end up in our global ocean, and we can all make a big difference to the sustainability of marine life with small, everyday lifestyle changes. Rob Opsomer Lead Systemic Initiatives, The Ellen MacArthur Foundation
What is the circular economy and what opportunities does it present? A circular economy rests on three principles: designing out waste and pollution; keeping materials and products in use; and regenerating natural systems. It is a systemic approach to rethinking how we make, use, and reuse products and materials. It presents an economic opportunity to move away from our current wasteful and extractive ‘take-make-dispose’ model that could generate over US $1 trillion a year. How does it differ from recycling? While recycling is an important aspect, activities such as sharing, service, maintenance, refurbishment and remanufacturing are also fundamental to the circular economy. It’s about designing products to fit within a system that is restorative and regenerative by design. How can the circular economy help solve the plastics crisis? So far, most efforts to address the problem treat the symptoms - waste and pollution - not the causes. If we want to free our ocean from plastics, we have to do more than just cleaning up.We have to fundamentally rethink the way we make, use and re-use plastics so that they don’t become waste in the first place. To do this we need better materials, smarter product designs, and circular business models. Read more on ellenmacarthurfoundation.org
I
t’s an alarming statistic: approximately eight million metric tons of plastic waste enter our ocean every year. Perhaps that shouldn’t be a surprise. After all, we live in a world where one million plastic bottles are bought every minute. And, it is all because plastic’s durability and light weight make it a wildly successful form of packaging. Plastics that end up in the sea loosely fall into three categories: 1. Marine debris - bigger pieces of plastic that can be easily seen; 2. Microplastics - fragments of plastics that have broken off larger items; 3. Microfibres - from synthetic clothing that break away every time they are washed in a washing machine. All are devastating to marine life. We have to cut down our use of plastic “Marine debris — such as derelict fishing gear — kills animals indiscriminately,” says Mark J. Spalding, President of The Ocean Foundation. Spalding’s mission is to support and promote organisations that are dedicated to reversing the trend of the destruction of the world’s ocean environments. “Microplastics and microfibres can be ingested, causing tissue damage and affecting organ function.” The fact is that anyone who uses plastics — which is the vast majority of us — is adding to an enormous environmental problem. Sadly, for the plastic already in the sea, it may be too late as it is almost impossible to collect effectively, economically, or safely for marine life. The most proactive approach, now, is prevention; stopping more plastic entering the marine environment. More and more people opt for plastic substitutes “There is a global effort to get people to ask themselves when they should use plastic and when they shouldn’t,” says Spalding. “That’s encouraging. For example, we have perfectly reasonable
Mark J. Spalding President of The Ocean Foundation and member of the Ocean Studies Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
“Marine debris — such as derelict fishing gear — kills animals indiscriminately.” substitutes, such as reusable cloth bags, which make the use of plastic bags absurd. On the other hand, for medical, sanitary reasons, a singleuse plastic syringe is a brilliant way to stop the spread of disease. “Plus, we are finally asking — a little late, unfortunately — which polymers in plastics are the most recyclable? And if putting ‘booms’ (filtering screens) at the mouths of rivers can prevent this stuff getting into the ocean in the first place.” Your choices are important Spalding emphasises that every little, consistent behaviour change helps. “People think they’re such a small cog in a big wheel that what they do individually doesn’t matter. But it does. For instance, if every one of us stopped using single-use plastic bags and single-use plastic straws, it would make a gigantic difference to marine sustainability. Or if we have a choice between buying juice in a plastic bottle or a glass bottle, our main question ought to be: ‘Which one is most recyclable?’” Tony Greenway
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Photo: a Chilean Salmon farm
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Working together to ensure responsible use of our oceans SPONSORED
Salmon farmers from around the globe join together to accelerate progress towards sustainable food production.
Oceans are a shared resource. That means we are all responsible for their use and protection. After all, there are no benefits to unhealthy oceans. Global non-governmental organisations and governments have important roles to play in safeguarding the world’s oceans. However, the private sector also has a critical role and often has increased capabilities and resources to do so. Under the guiding principles of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), the private sector has been provided with a framework on which to guide its operations towards a more sustainable and responsible future. Partnerships form a critical part of this framework, as they act as a key driver in accelerating change at speed and scale. The ocean’s role in the global food challenge As we look to the future, we are faced with a substantial challenge
Avrim Lazar GSI Convenor
“We must look to our oceans to help fill the protein gap.” – how to feed a growing – and increasingly wealthy – population in a sustainable way. By 2050, it is predicted there will be 9 billion people on Earth, and there is simply not enough arable land or water for traditional agriculture to meet these demands. We must look to our oceans to help fill the protein gap, but it is important we work together to ensure we do it in a sustainable manner. Aquaculture offers one potential solution to addressing future food demands – healthy and high in protein, fish farming is intrinsically more ecologically efficient and less harmful to the environment than other types of protein production, and at the same time helps maintain healthy numbers of wild fish. However, the industry must make changes if it is to reach its potential.
A commitment to UN SDG 14 – a call to conserve and sustainably use the oceans is key. In addition to this, clear goals for the future of aquaculture are critical, putting responsible use of the oceans at the center, alongside three other integral pathways: transparency, collaboration and innovation. Working towards this vision as a collective of private sector companies enables change to happen at greater speed and scale than if working in isolation. But what do these pillars mean in practice? Industry leadership in creating a sustainable future Responsibility: When it comes to oceans, the actions of the few impact upon the many. For this reason, we are all responsible for operating to the highest levels of ocean stewardship. To demonstrate accountability, commitments should be made to achieving the most robust seafood certifications – for example the Aquaculture Stewardship Council. Transparency: Taking the brave step of transparently reporting on key sustainability indicators via annual reports, demonstrates commitment to progress and ensures companies are being held accountable. Innovation: To tackle the challenges facing our oceans – whether that be plastics pollution, acidification or depletion of fish stocks,
innovation is needed. When it comes to environmental innovation, we have learnt that new ideas can be developed much faster and deployed wider by working together and sharing expertise. Collaboration: A collaborative ethos should be taken within industries, but must also extend out to key stakeholders from both private and public sectors. We work closely with the supply chain – acknowledging that to create broader and more meaningful change, we must look beyond our core operations. Collaborations should also take a valuable role in engaging our local communities to inspire and educate responsible ocean use. Shared responsibility The progress being made by the farmed salmon industry is significant, but there is still more to be done to balance increasing food production with ocean sustainability. We hope the GSI can act as an example of what can be achieved by working together, and jointly taking responsibility for the oceans and all that they offer. Info box: The GSI is a leadership initiative, established by CEOs from the global farmed salmon sector – including Norway, Chile, Canada, UK, New Zealand and Australia, with a shared goal – produce more food for a growing planet at less environmental cost. GSI members have outlined their Pathways to the Future – which include ASC certification, transparent reporting via the GSI Sustainability Report, and working collaboratively to move the industry towards a more sustainable future.
Playing our part in keeping plastics out of the oceans kp uses more than 140,000 tonnes of post-consumer plastic waste every year to produce recyclable packaging which protects food, keeps it fresh and reduces food waste. That’s the equivalent weight of 1,500 blue whales. We need your plastic waste to feed the circular economy.
Don’t let it go to waste… www.kpfilms.com