Ocean Conservation: Playing our parts against plastic pollution
By: Daniel Olajuyigbe
Much less attention than required is given to finding real solutions to ocean conservation especially in the area of plastic pollution. Every change begins with a little step and everyone is capable of making a difference. We have realized both the causes and effects of ocean plastic pollution in the preceding articles, now is the time to talk about solutions.
Lisa Kaas Boyle says that just as we need to stop destroying our climate, air and water with fossil fuels, we need to stop polluting our planet with the byproduct of fossil fuels, plastic. There are a number of essential steps we must all take to address the problem at hand as we desperately need urgent action worldwide.
Now, what are the methods that must be adopted in order to ensure that plastic pollution in the ocean is prevented and consequences minimized? What can you do about the plastic in the ocean and how can you help keep oceanic wildlife from suffering the effects of plastic?
For the world to truly achieve ocean conservation I believe two major problems must be solved. How to stop plastic from getting into the ocean in the first place and secondly what to do about plastic already in the ocean.
To stop plastic from ever reaching the ocean, we must first cut down our usage of single-use plastics. This is by far the most direct method of reducing plastic waste. Just think about all the single-use plastics you use daily and how they are managed. Plastic bags, straws, cups, takeout (to-go) containers, utensils, water bottles, plastic wraps and packaging among others are plastics which are used just once and discarded. A report by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) even stated that up to 5 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide each year.
We can take basic steps to minimize their usage as they can all be replaced with sustainable alternatives. This will greatly reduce our heavy plastic dependence and consequently, plastic will form much less of our waste. Practical examples involve making use of reusable grocery bags made of paper or cloth instead of plastic bags, using reusable containers rather than takeout containers and the use of reusable bottles, cups and straws.
Beyond all that though, there is still much work to be done. We need to take the bull by its horns that is, face the problem at its source. And what exactly is the source of these single-use plastics? It lies within the companies and businesses manufacturing them backed up by the government allowing for their continuous production. The corporations should be called to order and mandated by the government to reduce their use and sales of single-use plastics with appropriate bans also being enacted where necessary. A limit must also be set by the government on the amount of plastic each corporation is allowed to produce and sell, and the general public must play the decisive role of discouraging their use by cutting down profits made by the corporations on single-use plastics. The public can do this by refusing to purchase single-use plastic items and suggesting sustainable alternatives that should be offered.
Forbes says, "The fundamental reality is that there’s no way for us to recycle our way out of this problem, and we just need less plastic. Pushing companies to produce less plastic and governments to incentivize away from endless single-use plastic is really what it’s going to take to get us to healthy, clean oceans where marine life can thrive, people can enjoy it, and protect our food systems, as well." A number of countries have already taken remarkable steps to achieve this. Italy banned plastic bags in 2011, the United States have started bans on plastic straws and Australia on plastic bags. Costa Rica and India have aimed at banning all single-use plastics by 2021 and 2022 respectively. Likewise, the United Kingdom, Chile, Taiwan among others have announced plans to bring a definite end to the use of single-use plastics in the near future. The European Union have also taken a major step by demanding all plastic packaging to be reusable or recyclable by 2030.
Furthermore, the use of plastic particles called microbeads must be brought to a complete end worldwide. Microbeads are found in face scrub, body wash and toothpaste and since they are too small to be filtered by water-treatment plants, flow straight into the ocean through sewer systems. To check for products containing microbeads, a simple method is to go through their ingredient labels for polythelene and polypropylene.
Fortunately, microbeads have already been banned by the governments of most countries with one of the most significant actions being taken by the United States in 2015 when President Obama signed the Microbead-Free Waters Act. And as individuals ready to impact change, we must take the decision to boycott products containing microbeads by avoiding them entirely and opting for those products making use of natural exfoliants instead.
Plastic recycling is the process by which plastic is melted down and transformed into pellets which are sold and re-used for other purposes and it is another major method by which we can stop plastic from entering the ocean. All plastic ever produced never ceases from existence and there are tons of more plastic produced each day. Unfortunately, only 9% of plastic ever produced has actually been recycled and since it is non-biodegradable, whatever is not recycled ends up incinerated or in landfills and inadvertently the ocean.
Recycling helps keep plastic from the ocean and minimizes the amount of new plastic produced and used by companies. So what do we have to do? We all need to make more persistent efforts towards recycling, ensuring that the only items that go into our trash are the ones which are a hundred percent non-recyclable. And also, we must stop our negative attitude of discriminating products made with recycled plastic, always opting for the ones made entirely with new plastic over them. After all, there is no point of recycling if we don’t make use of the recycled product in the end.
However, recent studies have indicated the fact that recycling is not the most efficient method of managing plastic waste. Due to their non-biodegradable attribute, recycling plastic over and over is just like placing a cushion on the plastic on their way to the ocean since it only delays the unavertable result. Of the three R’s (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle), it is widely accepted that recycling should always be the last choice because not only does it have zero influence on the amount of plastic already in existence but it is also not particularly economical. It requires a huge amount of fuel and energy, lots of time and other resources in the recycling of plastic. Another problem is the fact that most of the plastic recycled ends up in developing countries where there are inadequate waste management infrastructure and so eventually make their way into the ocean easily.
We need to first reduce the amount of plastic we use as individuals and governments of different countries need to make more policies regulating the extent to which plastic is allowed for use by all corporations within their jurisdiction. Companies reducing the amount of plastic they introduce to the environment is definitely better for the ocean than the release of more plastic relying on recycling to keep them in check. Upon the reduction of plastic, we need to take the further step of reusing them as many times as we possibly can. Only after all these do we recycle.
Having read all that on recycling, you might be confused now on the need to recycle and whether it is beneficial or not. But no worries, we got you. The concept is this – Recycling is great, technically it is the only way of managing plastic after it reaches its maximum possible use and it’s something we must all partake in. It is such an important task for everyone since it helps in keeping plastic out of the ocean, at least for some time. But the problem is the fact that we cannot keep relying on recycling to save us. It may work out for paper, glass and some other materials but it will never be the same for plastic. So instead of just teaching more and more on recycling, we must also be made to realize that it is not the solution to our plastic waste rather just something we have to fall back on when it is to be discarded upon exceeding the ability of its usage. So basically, we all have to keep recycling but need to have the right idea behind it, not ignorantly thinking our recycling is the solution to ocean plastic pollution.
Likewise, we must find sustainable alternatives to other plastic we use (not just single-use plastics as discussed earlier) so we can cause a large-scale reduction in their production.
Due to the cheap price rates of fossil fuels (the raw material for plastic), businesses prefer to make use of plastic in manufacturing materials over sustainable alternatives which are actually more expensive and consequently would bring less profit. But really, how much profit can make up for the present generation making the planet’s ocean unbearable for themselves and the next ones coming up after them? Our future really rests upon us switching from plastic to these alternatives regardless of the cost.
The government of each nation should increase fees and taxes on fossil fuels to help reduce the production of plastic. Import and export fees as well as excise duties for plastic commodities should also be raised with those on sustainable alternatives reduced. When the regular raw material for plastic and its production process becomes much more expensive than it was before, plastic producing companies will begin looking for alternatives.
We can advocate for more natural-based fibre clothing and less synthetic ones. This will go a long way in contributing to ocean conservation. Fact is, synthetic clothing such as polyester, acrylic, and fleece when washed in the washing machine shed off microfibres which are too small to be filtered and make way straight into the ocean, wreaking havoc on it. So next time out at the shopping mall, opt for clothes made from natural fibres like cotton, linen, silk, wool and rayon.
In addition, the United Nations and other international organizations need to change their manner of approach in some ways to ocean conservation. “Beat Plastic Pollution” was made the theme for World Environment Day on the 5th of June 2018 by the UN but only suggestions were given on actions to be taken in order to reduce plastic pollution which individual countries can choose to follow if they want to. Four days later, an Ocean Plastics Charter was adopted by the G7 countries (excluding the United States and Japan) emphasizing their commitment to bring about a significant reduction in plastic pollution by 2030. The charter is a resource-efficient lifecycle management approach to plastics in the economy but unfortunately is not made up of any legislative actions or measures to be undertaken.
The Greenpeace International Executive Director Jennifer Morgan called the Ocean Plastics Charter plans tepid as they were mostly voluntary and were lacking in significant legislative actions. Everyone wants to see an end of plastic pollution but at the present rate we are going, intentions would keep remaining just intentions as long as no laws are put in place with penalties for anyone guilty of breaking them. Fishing gear which is a major source of plastic pollution in the ocean has no regulations over it. And even the law that has existed since 1988 stating that ships must not dump plastics into the ocean is difficult to enforce as no one can be held accountable for the large plastic materials obviously used for fishing discarded therein.
Ocean plastic pollution is not a problem affecting just a number of individual countries, rather its effects span through the entire world and so regulations are needed at international levels. We cannot simply keep waiting and hoping that each nation takes appropriate actions on its own rather laws and policies must be put in place and enforced since plastic waste in one city affects the rest of the globe. The governments of different nations in cooperation with the United Nations should also create more Marine Protected Areas to sustain ocean life and its resources.
Furthermore, non-profit organizations dealing with ocean conservation, particularly the ones working on plastic pollution should be supported by world organizations, governments and the general public through donations, sponsorships and volunteering. The small hours you give in to work for the non-profits and the little donations you make would go a long way in making a difference.
Finally, in a bid to stop the flow of plastic waste into the ocean, there must be a remarkable rise in education and sensitization of the masses on the need to free the ocean of plastic. The benefits and importance of the ocean along with the dangers posed by plastic pollution should be taught in schools, discussed in conferences and made known in public awareness activities. For instance, people need to know the reason behind them stopping the use of single-use plastics and not just the fact that they should stop using them. This would lead to a positive change in attitude towards the ocean all over the world and a renewed commitment towards its conservation.
Having known all that, how do we solve the second problem dealing with plastic already in the ocean?
First and foremost, we must help remove the plastic there through cleanups. This is one of the best ways to help achieve ocean conservation as it is a direct method of fighting ocean plastic pollution. The UN World Environmental Day themed in 2018 inspired hundreds of beach cleanup activities worldwide and the annual International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) which was started by the Ocean Conservancy in 1986 create a pattern of events encouraging volunteers all over the world to remove debris from beaches, rivers, coasts and waterways on the third Saturday of September.
However, the efficiency of these cleanup activities are usually hampered by the lack of significant and sustained funding. Therefore, more financial resources need to be allocated to such events. And also, the greater the number of volunteers, the more effective the cleanup events are hence we need many more people all over the world to participate. Kindly find and join a cleanup near you so you can begin to make more significant steps towards beating plastic pollution in our ocean.
Likewise, other than recycling plastic we use immediately, the plastic waste retrieved from the ocean should also be recycled and if it has superseded its recycling ability it should be transformed back into the crude oil it originated from. Doing this will prevent it from returning to the ocean it just got out from.
Research and funding must also be provided for newly discovered techniques such as Microplastic Extraction from the oceans, Boyan Slat’s Ocean Cleanup Strategy and the Plastic-eating Fungus. If a suitable means could be discovered for the fungus, Aspergillus Tubingensis to survive in the ocean without causing any threat to marine life and having an ability to feed on the plastic already in the ocean, it can become a biological method of removing the plastic including even the microplastics and microbeads. If possible as well for the fungus to form a sort of symbiosis with the fish and other marine creatures whereby it feeds on and consequently destroys the plastic within them, it would be a major breakthrough.
In conclusion, the ocean is an invaluable creation for all living organisms and there is need for international cooperation and a common desire to ensure that it is entirely free of plastic. We all need to work together, hand in hand with the view of a brighter future whereby we can maximally enjoy the benefits of an ocean free of plastic. We must take up active roles in protecting the ocean because it is one of the collective responsibilities each of us humans have. You hold the power to protect the ocean, so what are you going to do about it?
Image Credits: https://www.ecolife.zone/reducing-single-use-plastics/
