Plastic in the sea will triple in 10 years as we treat our oceans as sewers, MPs have warned

Britain and other countries are treating the oceans ‘like a sewer’ as the amount of plastic in the world’s seas is expected to treble by 2025, MPs warn.

The Government was accused of an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ attitude to the seas and was urged to instead take the lead on plastic, pollution and ocean protection.

Plastic litter, untreated sewage, fertilisers and heavy metals, is pouring into the oceans, Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee warned.

It said Britain can do a lot more to stop plastic ending up in the ocean via rivers sewers and drains.

Around 80 per cent of waste dumped in the sea worldwide comes from the land. 

The UK needs to stop exporting waste to countries with poor recycling infrastructure – with the risk it ends up in the sea.

It must also improve recycling in the UK to stop rubbish ending up in the sea from rivers in this country.

 

Britain and other countries are treating the oceans ‘like a sewer’ as the amount of plastic in the world’s seas is expected to treble by 2025, MPs warn. The Government was accused of an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ attitude to the seas and was urged to instead take the lead on plastic, pollution and ocean protection (stock image)

The Daily Mail has led the way by campaigning for bans on plastic microbeads in cosmetics and for a levy on plastic bags to reduce plastic pollution.

This paper is also calling for a deposit return scheme to stop plastic bottles ending up being burnt or in landfill, or polluting the environment.

Target dates for the UK to improve its performance at recycling plastic need to be brought forward.

At present, the country has a target to produce zero avoidable plastic waste by 2042, and to introduce a bottle return scheme by 2023. The panel urges that both dates should be brought forward.

The EAC also restated its calls for the introduction of a 25p ‘latte levy’ on disposable coffee cups, which contain plastic, and for all coffee cups to be recycled by 2023.

The Chancellor Philip Hammond ruled out a latte levy in the Autumn budget statement – although he said the Treasury would consult on taxing the manufacture and import of plastic packaging which contains less than 30 per cent recycled plastic.

In further comments the report said Britain also needs ‘clear milestones’ to reduce chemical pollution from land based sources such as fertiliser from farms.

A ‘Paris Agreement’ for the seas – a worldwide initiative to clean up the Oceans – similar to the world’s commitment in 2015 to reduce global warming – is vital, the report said.

The report said: ‘The Government must show leadership on plastic and make progress to ban those plastics that are difficult or impossible to recycle.’ Oceans are also threatened by climate change, with temperature rises of 2C above pre-industrial levels set to destroy almost all the world’s coral reefs and significantly harm fish stocks and other wildlife.

Overfishing and other exploitation of marine resources such as deep sea mining also threaten the seas.

The report noted that because of pollution, 86 per cent of English rivers did not reach good ecological status in 2016, lower than the EU average, and that UK bathing waters are seventh from the bottom in the EU.

Plastic litter, untreated sewage, fertilisers and heavy metals, is pouring into the oceans, Parliament¿s Environmental Audit Committee warned. It said Britain can do a lot more top stop plastic ending up in the ocean via rivers sewers and drains (stock image)

Plastic litter, untreated sewage, fertilisers and heavy metals, is pouring into the oceans, Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee warned. It said Britain can do a lot more top stop plastic ending up in the ocean via rivers sewers and drains (stock image)

Chair Mary Creagh MP said: ‘Our children deserve to experience the wonders of the ocean but climate change poses a triple whammy of threats from ocean warming, deoxygenation and acidification, which are decimating marine life.

‘We have to stop treating our seas as a sewer. Plastics, chemicals, and sewage are choking our oceans, polluting our water and harming every ocean species from plankton to polar bears.’

And she warned: ‘The Government’s ‘out of sight, out of mind’ attitude on the seas must change.

‘We are calling on the Government to push for the creation of a legally-binding ‘Paris Agreement for the Sea’ to protect the world’s oceans.”

Including its overseas territories, the UK has jurisdiction more than 2.6 million square mile of ocean, and the Government should take a lead on protecting marine resources, the MPs said.

Will McCallum, of Greenpeace UK, said: ‘Our government has repeatedly stated its desire to lead the world in ocean protection, and this report outlines exactly how to do that.

‘Reducing how much plastic we use in the first place will be vital, as well as banning problem plastics and introducing a plastic bottle return scheme as soon as possible.’ 

BREAK THE PLASTIC HABIT! JOIN THE DAILY MAIL’S CAMPAIGN

Ten years ago, the Mail launched a trailblazing campaign to rid Britain of the scourge of plastic supermarket bags — prompted by a heartrending, shaming picture of an endangered turtle entangled in one, which was used on the front page.

The success of our Banish The Bags initiative has been nothing short of phenomenal.

Now, in a landmark series that could have just as big an impact as that front page a decade ago, we’re here to assure you that you really can make a difference — and your actions can help save our beautiful world and its animals.

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