Key to Tackling Marine Plastic Pollution

Marine Debris

BALI, KalderaNews.com – Over our lifetimes, marine debris has become a global environmental problem of significant proportions. Plastic makes up almost 75% of all marine debris, contaminating oceans from pole to pole, and from shorelines to the deep-sea. This waste comes primarily from solid waste that is inadequately collected and disposed of in cities on the coast, or connected by rivers draining into the ocean (also known as land-based leakage). In a study looking at several Southeast Asian countries, the economic cost of uncollected household waste was estimated at $375 a ton[1]. In comparison, the World Bank estimates that costs for integrated waste management, including collection and safe disposal in low, middle, and high-income countries were $30-80/ton; $50-100/ ton, and $150-350/ton respectively[2].

During the 2018 Our Ocean Conference side event entitled “Tackling Marine Plastic Pollution: Catalyzing Global Action, Innovation and Solutions,” the World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development, Laura Tuck said, “When it comes to tackling marine plastic pollution, the cost of inaction is significant, and far outweigh the cost of action. Solutions can be found by thinking and acting outside the box – by looking to new partnerships, technologies, and new ways of doing business, to catalyze innovation and investments to address this emerging global crisis.”