TIM eMagazine Vol.3 Issue 12
Credit: imo.org
Sea-based sources of marine litter
U
nderstanding the impact of plastic litter
found at sea and how to get rid of it was at
the heart of discussions in Nairobi Kenya, (11-
15 March) at a side-event called Sea-Based
Sources of Marine Litter, in the margin of the
UN Environment Assembly.
Sea-based sources of marine litter, in
particular from the fishing and shipping
industries are a significant component of
marine litter with severe impacts on the
marine environment, food security, animal welfare and human
health, safety and livelihoods.
IMO addressed the audience, showing how it plans to further
tackle the issue through its action plan, adopted in 2018, which
aims to enhance existing regulations and introduce new supporting
measures to reduce marine plastic litter from ships.
Even though IMO pioneered the prohibition of plastics' disposal
from ships anywhere at sea almost 30 years ago, it is constantly
reviewing practices in order to improve them. More details about
its action plan was shared at the event, such as the use of adequate
reception facilities at ports and terminals for the reception of
garbage and its recommending that "all shipowners and operators
should minimize taking on board material that could become
garbage".
A minute of silence was observed, in honour of fellow UN
colleague Joanna Toole, who had planned to be in attendace at this
event, but was sadly involved in the tragic Ethiopian airline crash.
The event was co-organized by the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO), UN Environment, the
Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML) the Ocean Conservancy
and the Global Ghost Gear Initiative. www.imo.org
59