BPF Press Release: Used Plastics In The Pacific Ocean

The British Plastics Federation (BPF), representing the UKs plastics industry, has condemned the poor waste management practices, including illegal dumping from ships, which have led to the presence of used plastics products in the oceans. This follows the screening of feature articles on BBCs Ten O Clock News which have focused on used plastics products washed up on the shores of islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Peter Davis, Director General of the Federation, said The key issue, is not the material, which brings many essential benefits to society such as lightweighting, energy efficiency and the prevention of waste. It is the lack of efficient waste management systems in operation in states bordering the oceans and the poor degree of responsibility exercised by corporations and individuals.

He continued: Used plastics have a value to society and can be recycled or re-used. If this is not possible then their energy content can be recovered in energy from waste plants to produce heating, lighting and power.

More needs to be done worldwide in terms of education and the sharing, through intergovernmental structures, of good waste management practices. Sterner punishments for dumping should also be introduced.

Unfortunately, said Davis, the BBC articles lacked balance as used plastics are not the only materials to be washed or dumped into the oceans. Because of their light weight, a major benefit in use, they float and are more visible. In the European Union legislation is in place to encourage the recovery and recycling of packaging and electrical and electronic equipment made from all materials, not just plastics.

The Ten OClock News made much of the alleged effects of used plastics on seabirds. This is an area which requires greater study as the true extent to which seabirds are being impaired by used plastics is uncertain. Equally the claim that toxins are attracted to used plastics fragments in the oceans requires more exploration as the early research on this related to granules of two plastics types in heavily polluted Japanese coastal waters and, at this stage, it is premature to suggest the general case as advanced by the Ten O Clock News. Again there was a lack of balance as no reference was made to all the other articles in the sea which could potentially attract toxins.

The blame, stressed Davis, lies with behavioural problems in society not with a material which is providing so many tactical solutions to issues raised by climate change.

ENDS

For further information on this press release, please contact Philip Batten, British Plastics Federation, 6 Bath Place, Rivington Street, London, EC2A 3JE, tel 020 7457 5000, fax 020 7457 5045, email: [email protected]

Notes for editors

1) British Plastics Federation (BPF) is the UK trade association for the plastics industry – representing the whole supply chain including polymer producers, distributors, additives suppliers, machinery manufacturers, processors and recyclers.