This should now be a global priority where the most impactful land-based activities are prioritised for urgent action and so generating the most benefit most quickly.

We’ve got to stop looking at the problem in a fragmented way – land-based activities in one country may contribute to degradation of coastal resources in another region.

A new report has found that toxic chemicals in plastic waste exports from wealthy countries are contaminating food in developing and transition countries around the world, including Africa.

The study by the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) found that most of the plastic waste exported from wealthy countries to countries with developing economies or economies in transition is landfilled, burned, or dumped into waterways.

According to the report, all plastics virtually contain hazardous chemical additives.

The report states that these disposal methods result in highly toxic emissions that remain in the environment for decades and build up in the food chain.

Dubbed ‘Plastic Waste Poisoning Food and Threatening Communities in Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, and Latin America’, the study demonstrates how these plastic waste handling methods end up poisoning local populations.

For this study, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in fourteen countries which in many cases receive plastic waste from abroad collected free-range chicken eggs in the vicinity of various plastic waste disposal sites and facilities.

The egg collection sites included plastic and electronic waste yards; waste dumpsites with significant amounts of plastic wastes; recycling and shredder plants that deal with significant amounts of plastic waste; and waste incineration and waste-to-energy operations.

The eggs were then analyzed for dioxin contamination, a highly toxic byproduct of open burning, crude recycling, chemical production, and incineration technologies. Additionally, the eggs were analyzed for other toxic chemicals known as “persistent organic chemicals” (POPs) that have been banned or are in the process of being banned globally through the Stockholm Convention.

“Even small amounts of these plastic chemical additives and byproduct emissions can cause damage to the immune and reproductive systems, cancers, impaired intellectual functions, and/or developmental delays,” the study states.

Egg samples from fourteen countries were analyzed for Plastic Waste Poisoning Food and Threatening Communities in Africa, Asia, Central, and Eastern Europe, and Latin America including: Belarus, Cameroon, the Czech Republic, Gabon, Ghana, China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mexico, Philippines, Tanzania, Thailand, and Uruguay.

Commenting on the report’s finding, IPEN’s POPs Policy Advisor Lee Bell said the report confirms that the harm being caused by plastic waste exports is not limited to visible litter and pollution but includes the insidious damage to human health caused by contamination of the food chain in importing countries.

“Toxic chemical additives and the world’s most hazardous substances are literally bleeding into the food supply of those countries least able to prevent it,” she said.

The report found that the levels of dioxin and PCBs in eggs in some locations were so high that residents could not eat a single egg without exceeding the safe limits for these chemicals established in the European Union.

Additional Data

The analyzed eggs were also found to contain some of the most toxic chemicals ever studied, many of which are banned or regulated by international law, including dioxins, and the chemical additives PBDEs, PCBs and SCCPs.

It was also reported that in nearly every open plastic waste site where eggs were sampled, dioxin levels exceeded the European Union safe consumption maximum limit.  In some locations, eggs exceeded the safe limit by tenfold. For dioxin combined with PCBs that are just as toxic as dioxins (so are measured as a combination) all sites exceeded the EU limit with some sites up to sixfold higher.

Additionally, the maximum PBDEs levels in egg samples taken near some plastic waste disposal sites were comparable to the world’s most seriously contaminated e-waste sites in Guiyu, China.

“In one location in Indonesia, the dioxin levels in eggs were at a similar level to eggs sampled on a former US Air Force base in Vietnam which is heavily contaminated by Agent Orange,” the report states.

Very high levels of POPs were also detected at locations where plastics and electronic waste are mixed and then dumped and/or burned to recover metals. The study confirmed that burning this kind of mixture very often leads to much more severe dioxin contamination than open burning of wastes at general dumpsites.

Study co-author and Arnika – Toxics and Waste Programme Director Jindrich Petrlik said, “In the vicinity of the dumpsite in Pugu Kinyamwezi, Tanzania, eating just half an egg would exceed the European Food Safety Authority’s Tolerable Daily Intake limit by 7.5 times. It is unconscionable that people are exposed to such dangerous levels of contamination.”

“Dioxins and other POPs remain in the soil for decades or even centuries, creating a reservoir of highly toxic contaminants that poison the food chain now and will continue to do so for a long time into the future,” he added.

Griffins Ochieng, Centre for Environment Justice and Development, Kenya said, “Africa is not a major plastic or chemical producer. But plastic waste and the contamination that comes with it are growing in Africa. Why? Because wealthy countries are exporting their waste to us. This problem will only grow worse in the coming years if it is not stopped now.”

The report recommends global controls on hazardous chemicals in plastic and an end to plastic waste exports. It also calls on the industry to invest in safe plastic alternatives, eliminates toxic chemical additives to plastics, and create closed-loop systems that don’t create toxic waste.

It often feels like we hear endless stories about how our oceans are under threat, and it’s easy to feel helpless, but you don’t have to be. 

There are literally hundreds of incredible ocean conservation organisations stationed worldwide that are helping to protect our oceans and marine wildlife.

Read on to discover more about the best ocean conservations to support this June, National Ocean Month! 

Sea Shepherds Conservation Society

When we spoke to Sea Shepherd they told us:

“We are an international non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organization. We provide ships, equipment, technical advice, and consultation to multiple partners, including local communities and government agencies around the world.

The people of Sea Shepherd are known to be incorruptible, passionate, persistent, professional, cooperative, and effective. Together we fearlessly defend life and diversity in the oceans. Together we ensure that existing laws designed to protect the oceans are upheld. Together we strive to build political will and capacity to ensure that the rest of the world follows our lead.

One of the biggest issues we are currently addressing is the problem of illegal and unregulated fishing. This is a global problem that threatens the health of marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of coastal fishermen. It is estimated that 15-40% of the total global catch of fish is caught illegally. Our organisation works with governments, providing the ships and crews needed to help monitor national waters and address these issues.”

To learn more about volunteering onshore or at sea, visit:https://seashepherd.org/get-involved/ 

Surfers Against Sewage

When we asked Surfers Against Sewage to tell us about their work, they told us:

“We’re on the beaches cleaning up plastic hands-on, we’re campaigning to the government and big business to make real change where it really matters, and we’re using our voices to speak up for the Ocean.”

SAS needs governments at #COP26 to acknowledge the pivotal role the ocean plays in sustaining economies and societal well-being and to ensure the protection of coastal communities against climate impacts. This is not just a climate emergency. This is an ocean and climate emergency. We must shout for our blue planet before it is too late.

People can support in so many ways. Head to theSurfers Against Sewage website to find out how to get involved and sign The Surfer’s Against Sewage petition now. 

Plastic Oceans

We asked Plastic Oceans to tell us little more about their mission, this is what they said:

“Plastic Oceans Canada’s mission is to inform, inspire and incite action to solve plastic pollution through its four pillars; activism, advocacy, education and science. 

Our mission is so important because annually over 300 million tons of plastic is produced but over 90% of that plastic is not recycled. On average, one dump truck of plastic enters our oceans every minute. Through our pillars, we aim to create a healthier ocean, for a healthier you. “

Donate to Plastic Oceans and stay up to date by following our social media for any events or initiatives near you!Discover @plasticoceanscanada on Instagram.

PADI AWARE 

When we spoke to PADI AWAREthey told us:

“We drive local action for global ocean conservation, where community and policy are the critical focus areas that define our conservation strategy.”

They have been active in tackling the issue of marine debris through their flagship programme, Dive Against Debris®️. This empowers scuba divers across the world to report on where marine debris is found and remove it. This not only improves the health of local ecosystems, but provides valuable information about underwater debris that is helping to inform policy changes.

Whether you prefer to take action with your fins on or your fins off, join theTorchbearer Community and keep up to date with how you can help tackle marine debris and other issues affecting our ocean.

Ocean Conservancy

Ocean Conservancy, a well known organisation in the conservation community responded with:

“Ocean Conservancy is working with you to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together, we create science-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it.”

The Ocean Conservancy has an extensive list of steps you can take to protect our oceans in their action centre. From protecting the oceans and their wildlife to the artistic circle and overall climate change.Get involved with Ocean Conservancy here. 

Oceana

Policy reform is super important so we asked Oceana to say a bit more about what they do, they said “Oceana is a nonprofit ocean conservation organisation focused on influencing specific policy decisions on the national level to preserve and restore the world’s oceans.”

With the support of more than 850,000 activists, Oceana has already protected over 3.5 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea turtles, sharks, dolphins, and other sea creatures – but there is still more to be done. If you’d like to support their work,donate today to protect marine life and habitats. 

Take 3 For The Sea

Take 3 For The Sea asked, “How can we stop plastic pollution from killing wildlife and suffocating our planet?” In 2009, two friends set about answering this question. 

Marine ecologist Roberta Dixon-Valk and youth educator Amanda Marechal developed Take 3 – an idea where a simple action could produce profound consequences. Joining forces with environmentalist Tim Silverwood, the trio publicly launched Take 3 as an organisation in 2010. “Take 3 pieces of rubbish with you when you leave the beach, waterway or…anywhere, and you have made a difference.” 

Learn more about what action you can take at Take 3 For The Sea. 

The 5 Gyres Institute

“We are a leader in the global movement against plastic pollution with more than 10 years of expertise in scientific research and engagement on plastic pollution issues. Since we began, the team has completed 19 expeditions, bringing more than 300 citizen scientists, corporate executives, brands, and celebrities to the gyres, lakes, and rivers to conduct first-hand research on plastic pollution” 

5 Gyres is running a range of climate change fighting programmes, or you can donate to support their cause. 

Oceanic Preservation Society

We first discovered the Oceanic Preservaiton after watching a movie on Amazon Prime called Racing Extinction. When asked to give us more info about their work they replied, “OPS inspires, empowers, and connects a global community using high-impact films and visual storytelling to expose the most critical issues facing our planet. By documenting humankind’s formidable impact on the environment, we inspire a global community of change agents.” 

OPS is running advocacy campaigns to help combat the Sixth Mass Extinction, get involved today. 

Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project 

Featured in the recently launched film, Seaspiracy, we had to asked include Dolphin Project in this blog. They said “Dolphin Project is a non-profit charitable organization, dedicated to the welfare and protection of dolphins worldwide. Founded by Richard (Ric) O’Barry on Earth Day, April 22, 1970, the organization aims to educate the public about captivity and, where feasible, retire and/or release captive dolphins.” 

Dolphin Project is focused on saving dolphins, orcas, and other sea mammals both in captivity and in the wild.Join Ric and take action now. 

Bahamas Plastic Movement

“BPM’s mission is to build a community of education and activism around plastic pollution. By empowering Bahamians to contribute to hands-on citizen science and environmental leadership, we aim to evolve mindsets and spark cultural practices that will be pivotal in executing changes at the policy level.” 

Bahamas Plastic Movement is calling educators and students to get involved and share these issues with their classmates.Get involved today. 

SeaLegacy

“What lies beneath the surface of the thin blue line? This is the story that SeaLegacy tells. This is the story that sparks a global conversation, and the story that inspires people to act. We are a collective of some of the most experienced and renowned photographers, filmmakers and storytellers working on behalf of our oceans.” 

SeaLegacy has created The Tide, a passionate community invested in the health and sustainability of our oceans. You’ll get ready to go behind the scenes on our expeditions to the farthest corners of the planet, to lead the charge in our campaigns, and to witness incredible ocean projects come to life around the world!Join today. 

These non-profit organisations are working non-stop to save our oceans on behalf of all of us. Whether you volunteer your time or simply send a small donation, any involvement is a step towards protecting our blue planet. 

If you’re looking for ocean-friendly supplements that won’t harm the health of our planet, thencheck out Omvits, a clean, ethical and plant-based vitamin and mineral company.

HCWH Europe, with the input and support of Zero Waste Europe, Rethink Plastic and a total of 18 leading health and environmental organisations, has released a paper presenting a detailed insight into the complexity of health and environmental issues associated with the entire life cycle of PVC. All current evidence supports the simple proposition that PVC is problematic and that it presents significant, often avoidable health issues – the paper also includes examples of already successful phase-outs of PVC.

What a rubbish view! Drone survey of Dorset coast finds more than 1.5 TONNES of litter including glass bottles, wet wipes and cigarette butts dropped in just ONE week

• Drones found over 123,000 litter items in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
• The AI-powered tech scoured the skies over seven days during May bank holiday
• BCP Council is rolling out fun initiatives to encourage the public to bin their litter
• These include glow-in-the-dark bins, ‘ballot bins’ and the world’s first ‘disco bin’

By Jonathan Chadwick For Mailonline

Published: 10:25 EDT, 24 June 2021 | Updated: 10:28 EDT, 24 June 2021

A coastal survey using drones in Dorset has laid bare the scale of the UK’s litter problem.

The drones flew over beaches in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole across seven days in the May half term this year. 

Eighteen sites along the seafront in the region were monitored between May 27 and June 2, covering an overall area of 475,000 square metres.

The technology found more than 1.5 tonnes of rubbish left behind by visitors – a third of which were glass bottles when measured by volume. 

In all, more than 123,000 items were identified, up from 22,266 in a drone survey of the same areas during the March lockdown – marking an astonishing 454 per cent increase due to relaxing lockdown measures. 

The top three items littered in terms of number of items were cigarettes (47,467), paper including receipts and napkins (32,678) and plastic fragments (6,578). 

Scroll down for video 

DRONES IDENTIFY MORE THAN 123,000 LITTER ITEMS

More than 123,000 items were identified over the seven days of the May half term, up from 22,266 in the March survey (454% increase). 

The top three items littered (in terms of number of items) were: 

 -Cigarettes – 47,467 

– Paper (such as receipts and napkins) – 32,678 

– Plastic fragments (bits of plastic bottles, corners of confectionery wrapping, plastic that seagulls have pulled apart) – 6,578 

– Family-related items –  6,977. This included 370 toys, 342 wet wipes and 147 juice cartons. 

More food sachets (1,677) were identified than plastic bottles (1,530). 

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In all, 6,977 items of litter (5.7 per cent of the total) were family-related items, including 370 toys, 342 wet wipes and 147 juice cartons. 

Surprisingly, personal protective equipment (PPE) including masks and disposable gloves only made up 0.7 per cent of the total litter.  

But the volume of litter was said to have been caused by just 20 per cent of the visitors on the beach during the half-term week, as the vast majority had taken their rubbish home with them. 

All the different items were identified thanks to the drones’ artificial intelligence (AI) software, created by tech firm Ellipsis Earth. 

The software can classify types of waste while it flies over – from different plastic types, like PET and styrofoam, as well as other specific items and named brands. 

Data gathered from the drones will help inform street cleaning schedules as Dorset prepares for a busy summer. 

‘We’re using drones, fixed cameras and mobile and vehicle technology to create detailed litter maps, identify hot spots and build an understanding of how the litter is travelling,’ said Ellie Mackay, chief executive and founder of Ellipsis Earth.

‘The data we provide is not only highly accurate but also extremely detailed, allowing us to develop specific, targeted recommendations for BCP Council to be able to focus their efforts with maximum effect.’   

The drones use artificial intelligence (AI) software created by tech firm Ellipsis Earth that can classify different types of waste

Ellipsis Earth launches a drone on Bournemouth seafront. The technology previously used in the UK in March

The project is led by BCP Council and environmental charity Hubbub, and includes funding from McDonalds, as well as the fast food giant’s suppliers Britvic, Seda and Huhtamaki.

Hubbub has also rolled out a range of creative initiatives to make Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole’s bins more engaging and noticeable. 

These initiatives, launching today, include glow-in-the-dark bins and the world’s first disco bin that lights up and plays music.

There are also ‘ballot bins’ where you can place a vote using your rubbish – such as whether Jack Grealish or Raheem Sterling is more worthy of a start in England’s next Euro 2020 match against Germany on Tuesday. 

Is football coming home? Hubbub is rolling out ballot bins across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole that let you have your say on current topics, including Euro 2020

There will also be a Catch of the Day spoof fishmonger stall that will pop up at weekends to raise awareness of plastic pollution. 

And in a bid to crackdown on litter on the seafront at the resort, electronic signage will lead people to the next nearest bin if one is full. 

‘The litter survey has provided us with fascinating insight into where litter is being dropped and when across the region,’ said Trewin Restorick, Hubbub CEO and co-founder. 

‘The challenge now is to get more people noticing and engaging with the bins. 

‘We’re trialling a range of ideas, experimenting with messaging, colour and playful interaction – such as installing voting bins where users cast their vote on a changeable topic.’ 

However, BCP Council is also urging both residents and visitors to help do their part to keep the litter levels down and protect the environment. 

A spoof fishmonger’s stall in Bournemouth will help increase public awareness of the pollution problem 

Ellipsis Earth used the drone technology in the Italian town of Sorrento last summer, where it was hailed a huge success – enabling authorities to reduce litter by 45 per cent and cigarette butt waste by 69 per cent. 

Based on the data collected this was done through communication campaigns with visitors and business owners and strategically placing new litterbins and ash trays across the town.

The technology was previously used in the UK in March, but the scale of the problem was far less pronounced as the public was still in lockdown. 

A further survey in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole will take place in August to assess the effectiveness of the new anti-litter initiatives.

McDONALD’S ACCOUNTS FOR HALF OF ALL FAST-FOOD LITTER IN ENGLAND: 2020 REPORT 

By brand, McDonald’s was the most common source of waste, accounting for coffee cups and discarded food packaging

McDonald’s packaging accounts for half of England’s fast-food litter, while Coca-Cola makes up one in five discarded non-alcoholic drink containers, a 2020 study found.

The US fast food giant’s used food wrappers make up 52 per cent of all discarded inner food packaging, environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy said. 

Also contributing to England’s mass of discarded food packaging are companies like Greggs, KFC, Subway, Domino’s and various supermarket home brands. 

Meanwhile, Coca Cola accounted for 22 per cent of non-alcoholic drinks waste, followed by Red Bull, Pepsi and the discount caffeine drink Euro Shopper Energy.  

Brands making up the greatest proportion of litter overall are large household names, with McDonald’s emerging most frequently, followed by Coca-Cola and Wrigley’s gum. 

But of the 75,551 items of rubbish picked up by the charity, cigarette butts made up a third in terms of number of items dropped. 

Plastic bottles, meanwhile, make up the biggest proportion of the country’s rubbish by volume, accounting for a quarter of all rubbish discarded on streets, parks and beaches.

Small plastic bottles commonly used to contain non-alcoholic fizzy drinks accounted for just under 25 per cent of discarded waste by volume in 2019, Keep Britain Tidy said.

But in total, 75 per cent of all litter by volume was drinks containers – not just plastic bottles but also cans, glass bottles, coffee cups and cartons.  

 

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Groups are renewing a call for the National Park Service to ban disposable plastic bottles in the park system/Kurt Repanshek file

The change of administrations in Washington, D.C., has led to a renewed call for a ban on disposable plastic bottles in the National Park System, along with a commitment from the agency that plastic wastes in the parks be reduced by 75 percent over the next five years.

While the Obama administration allowed individual parks to ban sales of the disposable bottles, the Trump administration reversed that move, with then-acting National Park Service Director Michael Reynolds saying “it should be up to our visitors to decide how best to keep themselves and their families hydrated during a visit to a national park, particularly during hot summer visitation periods.”

This week Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, GreenLatinos, and Beyond Plastics launched a campaign to prompt the Park Service to renew the ban and work toward a larger effort to reduce plastic wastes in parks. The campaign also includes a petition for the general public to sign on in support of the ban.

According to the groups, plastic bottles are the single biggest component of park waste streams. Yellowstone National Park staff and others “estimate that plastic bottles constitute fully half of its entire trash load,” the groups said.

“Besides the cost of hauling that trash away, the volume of plastic bottles sold in parks consumes large amounts of energy and adds to the carbon footprint of park operations,” they added. “In addition, parks are contributors to the growing plague of plastic pollution afflicting the planet.”

More than 2 million pounds of microplastics, the equivalent of 123 million plastic bottles, settle on national parks and other public lands in the West each year, adding to the growing pollution loads these protected areas carry, according to a 2020 study released by Utah State University researchers.

During the fall of 2019, a U.S. Geological Survey report cited microscopic plastic particles found in high-country lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. While Gregory Wetherbee was studying nitrogen pollution in the park, he found that more than 90 percent of his samples contained colorful plastic particles. Some turned up in a lake above 10,300 feet in elevation.

During the Obama administration, nearly two dozen parks, including Grand Canyon and Zion, barred sales of plastic water bottles. A Park Service study released in 2017 claimed the ban prevented upwards of 2 million 16-ounce bottles from entering the waste stream on an annual basis.

Using an environmental benefits tool crafted in part from peer-reviewed calculations used by the Environmental Protection Agency and data from the National Association for PET Container Resources used to “promote the use of PET and facilitate its recycling,” the Park Service concluded that the 23 parks were responsible for removing 1.32 million-2.01 million 16-ounce bottles from the waste stream. That, in turn, cut between 73,624-111,743 pounds of PET from landfills, resulted in energy savings of 2,209-3,353 million British thermal units per year, and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 93-141 metric tons, the report stated.

“As parks continue to implement their (bottle bans), these numbers and the resulting environmental benefits are expected to grow,” the report said.

According to PEER officials, the bans were opposed by the International Bottled Water Association, led by Coca Cola, the maker of Dasani bottled water.  

“The plastics industry has been dictating park policies for too long,” said PEER Executive Director Tim Whitehouse. “The conservation mandate for national parks should extend through all their operations, including their concessions.”

Besides implementing a system-wide ban on single-use plastic water bottles, the rule would reinstitute a goal of reducing plastic usage throughout the park system by 75 percent in the next five years. A similar goal had been draft policy for the National Park Service but had been dropped after hefty charitable donations by Coca Cola, the groups maintained. The proposed rule also requires parks to post their annual assessment of the size, composition, and costs of their waste streams. 

“President Biden has declared that combatting climate change and addressing environmental justice should be a government-wide priority,” said Mark Magaña, the founding president & CEO of GreenLatinos, an active comunidad of Latino/a/x environmental and conservation champions. “If the federal government hopes to go ‘green,’ a realistic first step and one of the most important places to start is with our national parks.”

“I urge the Biden Administration to review the petition and direct the National Park Service to prevent the sale of single-use plastic bottles at their facilities,” said Judith Enck, former EPA Regional Administrator and President of Beyond Plastics. “Single-use plastic bottles pose an unnecessary threat to our National Parks, our environment, and our health.”