5
28 Proposals for Action
Global Ocean Commission Summary Report 2014
Proposal 5 Plastics – Keeping them out of the ocean
Plastics are a major source of pollution on the high seas and a health threat to humans and the environment. This reflects poor handling and waste management practices on land and requires a combination of political and regulatory action supported by an increase in consumer awareness. It is important to intensify efforts to address the variety of sources of marine pollution (persistent organic pollutants, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, nitrates, radioactive substances, marine debris, etc.). In particular, the Commission calls for coordinated action by governments, the private sector and civil society to eliminate plastics entering the global ocean including by: • Minimising single-use plastics by direct government intervention and consumer incentives. • Creating incentives to promote recycling, including single polymer products and extended producer responsibility. • Establishing time-bound, quantitative reduction targets. • Achieving improved waste management. • Promoting consumer awareness. • Replicating local initiatives to restrict or ban certain unsustainable uses of plastic materials (i.e. bans on disposable plastic bags, polyurethane packaging, etc.) and clean-up programmes. • Addressing lost and discarded fishing gear, in particular FADs, to avoid abandonment. • Encouraging XPRIZE-like innovation around substitution, waste avoidance, recycling and clean-ups. • Exploring taxation and other levies to establish a Global Marine Responsibility Fund to build waste management capacity, coordinate action to combat marine plastics, grow sustainability initiatives, and change the behaviour of industry and consumers.