6.29.2009

Simple solution to ocean pollution is in the (non-plastic) bag


AS ENVIRONMENTAL challenges go, climate change is the most significant issue facing our generation. But what chance do we have of getting in place the complex solutions for climate change when it appears we can't even tackle a simple solution for the problem of plastic bags: banning them.

Just like climate sceptics, our political leaders continue to listen to the self-interests of industry that claim plastic bags are not a problem. Those who make them and rely on their cheap supply deny there's much of an environmental impact, an attitude shared by greenhouse-polluting industries. And just like the industries that are responsible for human-induced climate change, manufacturers of plastic bags and the retailers that keep handing them out blame you and me — families and individuals — for the pollution they cause.

Are plastic bags a problem? The United Nations Environment Program this month released the first study of the impact of marine debris throughout the world's oceans. The report — Marine Litter: a Global Challenge — found that plastic, especially bags and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, is the most pervasive type of marine litter on the planet and that plastic makes up more than 80 per cent of all rubbish found in the oceans. Plastic bags alone make up almost 10 per cent.

UN environment program executive director Achim Steiner said that "some of the litter, like thin-film, single-use plastic bags, which choke marine life, should be banned or phased out rapidly everywhere because there is simply zero justification for manufacturing them any more, anywhere".

In a shocking illustration of the extent of damage that can be caused by rubbish dumped at sea, the report highlighted that much of the litter off Western Australia ends up on the east coast of South Africa. Along the way, animals including birds, fish and turtles lethally mistake the dumped plastic for food.

In Australia, the Federal Government's Threatened Species Scientific Committee has found plastic bags and other marine debris are a direct threat to 20 marine species, including the loggerhead turtle, southern right whale, blue whale and tristan albatross. The committee has listed plastic bags as a "key threatening process" under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Plastic is just like radioactive waste — it doesn't go away. Plastic bags do break up but they simply become smaller and smaller pieces of plastic. Those microscopic pieces of plastic are now entering the food chain earlier as they are ingested by marine life.

Plastic bags are convenient but so, too, are the alternatives. The key issue is the habit we've formed. Just as taking groceries home in a plastic bag has become habit, so, too, would using the cheap, practical alternatives, such as reusable bags made out of washable non plastics, which we already have.

The stubborn refusal to embrace change does not come from the community; it comes from those advising our politicians. Time and time again, the community has raised its communal hands in support of a ban. South Australia and a growing number of communities throughout the country become so fed up with the lack of action that they've moved to introduce their own plastic bag ban.

Not long after stepping into the role of Federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett publicly announced that our environment had suffered through too many years of inaction and that he would take swift action to ban the dreaded plastic bag.

Just weeks ago, our state and federal environment ministers met in Hobart to discuss waste issues. Credit must be given to them for taking the long-overdue steps towards the serious consideration of a container refund or similar scheme, and tackling electronic waste. But on the topic of plastic bags, they were quiet.

More than 4 million plastic bags are pushed out through supermarket checkouts each year. Of that, just 3 per cent are recycled and the rest end up in our environment or in landfill.

The solution is simple and it has community support. It's about time the Government broke the habit and banned plastic bags nationwide.

Ian Kiernan AO is chairman of Clean Up Australia.

Source: http://www.watoday.com.au/opinion/simple-solution-to-ocean-pollution-is-in-the-nonplastic-bag-20090622-ctyd.html?page=-1

2 comments:

  1. Interestingly, the plastics industry in South Africa has embarked on a huge campaign aligning itself to International Cleanup Day.

    In their campaign they include the slogan "plastics don't litter...people do".

    Educational focus needs to be placed on schools, workplaces, tertiary education facilities and on every available platform to curb human negative impact factors such as littering. If each person puts a little effort into conservation, however small, a huge difference could be made.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This probably could be a great option, however yesterday while I was promoting viagra online products in Palm Beach, and I sow an elderly man throwing garbage at the ocean, in that precise moment I though that until the humanity don't take conscience for the animal's conservation this will continues happening.

    ReplyDelete