International Marine Debris Conference: Stop plastic production to prevent pollution, say NGOs

21 Sep 2022 --- As governments, industry, academics, civil society and other stakeholders gather for the 7th International Marine Debris Conference (7IMDC) in Busan, South Korea, the global #breakfreefromplastic movement highlights the urgency of reducing plastic production to stop plastic pollution.

The 7IMDC, taking place September 18-23, is building on the momentum of past IMDCs by discussing the latest science, strengthening collaborations, finding solutions and catalyzing action to address the global problem of marine litter and plastic pollution. 

PackagingInsights speaks with different NGOs who are active members of the #breakfreefromplastic movement about stakeholders’ responsibilities and redesigning packaging waste. 

#breakfreefromplastic is a global movement envisioning a future free from plastic pollution. Since its launch in 2016, more than 2,000 organizations and 11,000 individual supporters from worldwide have joined the movement to demand massive reductions in single-use plastics and push for lasting solutions to the plastic pollution crisis. 

“To stop plastic pollution, we must stop plastic production. It’s beyond time to call out the intersections between plastic pollution, human health, climate change, and environmental injustice. Polluters must be held accountable, without excuse,” says Melissa Gates, Northeast regional manager at Surfrider Foundation USA. 

To stop plastic pollution, plastic production must be stopped, say the environmental activists. “Lawmakers must understand that comprehensive solutions are necessary to abate the toxicity of plastic and its inherent inequities, from cradle to grave.”

Root of the problem
In a demonstration following a plenary session, #breakfreefromplastic members held banners and placards calling for plastic reduction and genuine solutions to addressing plastic pollution. 

“To stop plastic pollution, the global plastics treaty must address how to stop plastic production including its harmful toxic additives,” says Griffins Ochieng, executive director of the Centre for Environmental Justice And Development in Kenya. “This addresses the problem at the root cause, not the symptoms.” 

At 7IMDC, the movement is attacking FMCGs, such as Unilever, Nestle, Coca Cola and Pepsi, who are accused of prioritizing investments in false solutions that allow them to rely on single-use plastics. 

“Waste is a design flaw. So we need to reform the way in which materials are produced, used, and disposed of to tackle the waste issues at the source. And the primary responsibility for this falls on industrial actors who have been profiting off pouring plastic products and packaging into the world,” says Doun Moon, policy researcher, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives. 

“As 40% of plastic use is for single-use items and packaging, redesigning single-use plastic is critical in reducing plastic waste. Political actors can support approaches against single-use plastic, such as reusable and refillable systems, by imposing bans and regulations, and providing incentives for reuse/refill.”

“As plastic recycling can only play a limited role in breaking out of the throw-away economy, the political entities must prioritize upstream solutions including source reduction and reuse/refill systems,” adds Moon.The environmental activists call on industrial actors to redesign their packaging material. 

A waste hierarchy?
Mageswari Sangaralimgam, research officer and honorary secretary, Sahabat Alam, Malaysia, says that the solutions to waste reduction are already here – the waste hierarchy. 

“We need to prevent wastage, reduce the production and consumption of single-use plastic, redesign materials to be long-lasting and recyclable, and most importantly, create systems that encourage reuse, not single-use. False solutions such as incineration and pyrolysis are not the answer as those will only shift pollution from land to the sky – and to our lungs,” highlights Sangaralimgam.

Last week, US-based environmental advocacy group Ocean Conservancy issued a retraction and apology for a report promoting incineration and blaming Asian countries for the world’s plastic pollution crisis. Titled “Stemming the Tide,” the report was branded an example of “waste colonialism” by numerous NGOs. 

Relatedly, Greenpeace accused global North nations of “colonialism” for exporting toxic and hazardous waste pollutants to global South nations unable to sustainably manage the imported waste. 

By Natalie Schwertheim