Plastic and other litter EU environment commissioner Janez Potocnik calls on all Europeans, individuals and NGOs, to get out and clean up their cities, forests or beaches on or around 10 May during lets clean up Europe day. ---------- ..much of the plastic we throw away at present is not properly collected, sorted and treated, or even correctly landfilled. All too often it ends up in the seas and oceans, where it stays for many decades, with dramatic consequences for our sea life. Scientists have already found areas in the oceans where the concentration of microplastics is six times higher than the concentration of plankton. Thats plastic ready to be ingested by sea fauna, and ultimately by us. The massive pollution of world oceans with plastic debris is a global challenge, and it requires a global response. But someone needs to lead the change. The EU should become a showcase for how to build a coherent strategy to tackle marine litter and optimise the management of plastic waste. The plan we are suggesting, which aims to prevent waste and reduce the littering problem at the same time, has two strands. One obliging member states to take action to reduce their consumption of lightweight plastic bags, and the other intended to ensure the planned reductions become a reality. While the proposal does not prescribe specific measures or a target, it does highlight the important role various instruments play in reducing the consumption of plastic bags. You do not have to look far; some member states have already achieved spectacular reductions through rather simple measures. That said, there is nothing to prevent the commission from considering an EU-wide reduction target in the future, if this proposal does not bring the expected results.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 10:07:08 +0000
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