Plastics in the North Pacific Gyre

Commenting on Project Kaisei's findings on plastics in the North Pacific Gyre, the British Plastics Federation (BPF) believes that plastics litter is far too common in the marine environment, it should not be there and more effort is needed by all concerned to ensure good waste management on shore and on vessels, and to provide education on littering. Furthermore, the Federation wishes to draw attention to a major initiative it has recently launched to stop any loss of plastics raw material into the environment.

The United Nations Environmental programme's report last year pointed to the difficulties in obtaining accurate information but to tackle the problem of all waste in the oceans they called for: integrated waste management to tackle litter; raise public awareness and education; improved port waste collection facilities; and stronger economic incentives, fines, and enforcement.

The BPF supports all these objectives and recently launched an initiative in the UK called Operation Clean Sweep – Plastic Pellet Loss Prevention, to ensure that raw material does not escape into the environment. The BPF hopes to get the commitment of every company, from top management to shop floor employees to use the Operation Clean Sweep manual on prevention, containment and clean up of plastic materials to ensure no escape into the environment.

Peter Davis, BPF Director-General says:

"The Plastics industry does not put plastic into the seas. This is caused by littering, illegal dumping, poor waste management. We want the plastic back to be recycled or provide much needed energy through energy from waste combustion. International co-operation is needed to make this work, it is a global problem. But we do support the Marine Conservation Society's call for one Government body to be created to take charge of the marine litter problem for our country."

ENDS

For further information on this press release, please contact Anthony Roberts, British Plastics Federation, 6 Bath Place, Rivington Street, London, EC2A 3JE, tel 020 7457 5043, fax 020 7457 5045, email: [email protected]

Notes for editors:

1) British Plastics Federation (BPF) is the UK trade association for the plastics industry - representing the whole supply chain including polymer producers, distributors, additives suppliers, machinery manufacturers, processors and recyclers.
2) For more information on Operation Clean Sweep please visit: www.operationcleansweep.co.uk
3) To read the BPF’s position statement on Used Plastics in Marine and Riverine Environments please visit: www.bpf.co.uk/Press/Marine_Litter.aspx