High-level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy publishes its Blue Paper

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Plastic has gone from being the greatest invention of the modern era to one of the most difficult materials to handle. Every year, up to 13 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean, the equivalent of one garbage truck every minute. The world has responded with countless initiatives, campaigns and agreements to ban plastic straws and bags; 127 countries have introduced legislation to regulate plastic bags. But here's the thing: Plastic bags and straws aren't the only ocean pollution problem. Plastic debris visible near the ocean surface (the kind that makes up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and attracts the most attention) makes up just 3% of the total plastic in the ocean. Plastic also sinks to the ocean floor, remains suspended in the water current, or is deposited outside the ocean in remote locations, making cleanup difficult. The United Nations Environment Program estimated that the global damage to marine environments from plastic pollution is a minimum of $13 billion per year. And there are a whole host of non-plastic pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus that promote harmful algal blooms, antibiotics, heavy metals, pesticides, oil, gas and other waste. These pollutants enter the ocean directly, through rivers, storm water or wind. These substances have been harming the environment, human health, and the economy long before plastics became so common.

Protecting human and marine health as well as the benefits of a sustainable ocean economy will require not only the reduction of plastic waste, but also all ocean pollutants. Actions to address all ocean pollutants The various pollutants that reach the ocean often share common pathways and root causes, such as lack of access to sanitation and wastewater treatment or inefficient use of natural resources. Addressing these root causes can have a multiplier effect. For America Cell Phone Number example, improving wastewater management at the scale of a city or region can reduce plastic entering the ocean and, at the same time, reduce pollution from harmful substances, which in turn improves health of fisheries and coral reefs. This means there is an opportunity to harness the attention being paid to plastics to tackle multiple ocean pollutants at once. A new Blue Paper ( link ) commissioned by the High Level Group for a Sustainable Ocean Economy highlights seven solutions that can reduce plastic pollution while curbing other types of ocean pollution: High-level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy publishes its Blue Paper Improve wastewater management Developing and building sustainable wastewater infrastructure for the 3 billion people who lack access to regulated waste disposal facilities. Raw wastewater contains a number of contaminants such as pathogens, plastics and chemicals. They can pose a serious risk to human and environmental health through toxic exposure, vector-borne diseases and eutrophication.



Improve stormwater management Implementing stormwater and storm drain filtration as well as trash collection at river mouths can prevent debris such as macroplastics (waste items), microplastics (tire dust), and road chemicals. flow into rivers and eventually into the ocean. Regulating waste and pesticide use along with behavioral changes - for example, the cultural norm of having a well-manicured lawn, which can increase the use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers - can also ensure that these contaminants do not enter the ocean through stormwater. For example, a toxic algae bloom caused by chemical pollution in the western basin of Lake Erie in 2011 disrupted water supplies for 400,000 people. Adopt green chemistry practices and new materials This includes banning difficult-to-handle substances such as expanded polystyrene (commonly packaging material), limiting the use of chemicals of concern such as phthalates, and research into base materials. Developing new materials that maintain the desirable performance characteristics of plastics but not the problematic ones, such as truly biodegradable ones, could prevent plastics from causing as much harm if they enter the ocean.