{"id":570,"date":"2021-04-04T21:47:52","date_gmt":"2021-04-04T21:47:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/parliamentnews360.com\/?p=570"},"modified":"2021-04-04T21:47:55","modified_gmt":"2021-04-04T21:47:55","slug":"plastic-in-the-ocean-the-facts-effects-and-new-eu-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parliamentnews360.com\/index.php\/plastic-in-the-ocean-the-facts-effects-and-new-eu-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"Plastic in the ocean: the facts, effects and new EU rules"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Find out key facts about plastic in the ocean with our infographics, as well discover their impact and how the EU is acting to reduce plastic litter in the seas.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The results of today\u2019s single-use, throw-away plastic culture can be seen on sea shores and in oceans everywhere. Plastic waste is increasingly polluting the oceans and according to one estimation, by 2050 the oceans could contain more plastic than fish by weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plastics is one of the seven areas considered as crucial by the European Commission to achieving a circular economy in the EU by 2050<\/a>. Besides the European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy<\/a>, which would phase out the use of microplastics<\/a>, the Commission is expected to come up with more proposals to address plastic waste<\/a>, including microplastics, later this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about <\/em>what the EU does to reduce plastic pollution<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n


EU rules,\u00a0adopted by MEPs on 27 March<\/a>\u00a02019, tackle lost fishing gear and the 10 single-use plastic products most widely found on European shores. Together these two groups account for 70% of marine litter. These new rules were also\u00a0approved by the Council<\/a>\u00a0in May 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EU rules, adopted by MEPs on 27 March<\/a> 2019, tackle lost fishing gear and the 10 single-use plastic products most widely found on European shores. Together these two groups account for 70% of marine litter. These new rules were also approved by the Council<\/a> in May 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Infographic<\/a>
Infographic on key facts and issues caused by plastic waste in the ocean <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Problem<\/h2>\n\n\n\n


Plastic doesn\u2019t just make a mess on the shores, it also hurts marine animals who get entangled in larger pieces and mistake smaller pieces for food. Ingestion of plastic particles can prevent them from digesting normal food and might attract toxic chemical pollutants to their organisms<\/a>.

Humans eat plastic through the food chain. How this affects their health is unknown.

Sea litter causes economic losses for sectors and communities dependent on the sea but also for manufacturers: only about 5% of the value of plastic packaging stays in the economy \u2013 the rest is literally dumped, showing the need for a approach focussed more on recycling and reusing materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Infographic<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Infographic on plastic and non-plastic marine litter by type <\/p>\n\n\n\n

EU ban on single plastics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n


The most effective way to tackle the problem is to prevent more plastic getting in the ocean.

Single-use plastic items are the biggest single group of waste found on sea shores: products such as plastic cutlery, drink bottles, cigarette butts or cotton buds make up almost half of all sea litter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"List<\/a>
List of top 10 single use plastic items found on beaches <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To address this issue, the EU has implemented a total ban<\/a> for single-use plastic items for which alternatives in other materials are already readily available: cotton buds, cutlery, plates, straws, drink stirrers and balloon sticks. MEPs also added oxo-degradable plastic products and fast food containers made out of polystyrene to the list .

A range of other measures was approved:<\/p>\n\n\n\n