Around the Pacific
Leaders from 13 Small Island Developing States met in Bangkok in October to work out the details of a major Global Plastics Treaty that could help save their shores from the growing tide of plastic waste .
As small island states such as Fiji , Maldives and Palau face a future where ocean plastics could quadruple , their leaders are urgently discussing solutions at the Economist Impact ’ s Global Plastics Summit .
With the support of the social enterprise Common Seas , they ’ re focusing on practical steps , such as making companies more responsible for their plastic waste and encouraging the use of reusable containers .
This gathering is crucial as it sets the stage for even bigger talks in Nairobi this month , where the world ’ s nations will try to finalize a plan to tackle the plastic pollution that ’ s threatening the oceans . In September , the United Nations introduced an initial version , referred to as the Zero Draft , of the Plastics Treaty .
According to UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji , Pacific island countries contribute less than 1.3 percent of the world ’ s mismanaged plastics yet are one of the main recipients of plastic pollution , especially through ocean currents . Local marine scientists have already discovered microplastics in common Fijian food staples such as kai ( freshwater mussels ), with an average of approximately six microplastics per kai .
Common Seas is actively involved in addressing the single-use plastic issue in small island states .
“ Across the island nations where Common Seas work , we are often told that small island states have difficulty with managing the safe disposal of plastic waste through existing waste management systems ,” said Jo Royle who is the CEO and founder of Common Seas . “ Due to island nations being remote locations , recycling is often unviable and many existing landfill sites are approaching capacity .
“ To overcome these challenges , we look toward upstream policies that reduce plastic production and consumption and turn off pollution at the
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Turning the tide against plastic
Some Pacific island states begin a long goodbye to plastic bottles
sources ,” he added . “ The strategies we propose are based on policies that have been successfully deployed and developed ‘ on the ground .’”
For example , Common Seas supported NGO “ Zero Waste Maldives ” to install water refill stations , targeting areas of high consumption like the sporting complex in the capital of Male and promoting behavior change through public communications . Each water station is metered to allow the use and number of avoided plastic bottles to be calculated .
To ensure Common Seas is developing the right plastic reduction and waste management tools in any country , they always begin by implementing their bespoke tool , Plastic Drawdown . This is a unique rapid-assessment tool they developed in consultation with 24 governments , more than half of which are small island states . The Plastic Drawdown methodology is endorsed by the United Nations and was published in the Global Environmental Change Journal . This tool helps people understand a
By Ron Rocky Coloma
country ’ s plastic problem , the potential solutions and establish national baseline data quickly , even in a low-data environment .
Common Seas then uses this data to measure the success of the policies , while equipping governments with the knowledge of the policies needed to create robust national action plans .
The role of refill and reuse schemes in the efforts to reduce plastic consumption and waste in the Pacific islands is important . Water refill schemes work by promoting the use of reusable water bottles to reduce plastic pollution generated by single-use plastic bottles of water . Refill stations can be installed in public areas , such as schools , parks and public transportation hubs – or alternatively in public sector buildings such as town halls , libraries , and local businesses , where the public can access free or low-cost drinking water to fill up their reusable bottles .
“ This policy is a win-win for the consumer and the environment ,” Royle said .
“ Reports have estimated that drinking the recommended eight glasses of water per day equals about 49 cents per year with tap water but costs approximately $ 1,400 with bottled water . Studies have also shown that water refill schemes can reduce plastic beverage bottle waste by anywhere between 5 and 35 percent ,” he added .
Pacific islanders share a great determination to eliminate plastic pollution and Common Seas saw this commitment from both leaders and local communities . For example , Majuro , the capital of the Marshall Islands , has battled with a waste disposal epidemic . It is estimated that Majuro generates about 7.2 tons of residential waste per day and 13.2 tons of commercial waste per day . The main dumpsite at Jable Batkan has exceeded its design capacity , and some 56,600 cubic meters of waste is stored at the dumpsite , which is prone to flooding , resulting in pollution of the surrounding
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