Marine Plastic Litter - Its Dangers

1. Marine Plastic Litter & Its Dangers Marine plastic litter refers to any plastic waste that enters the sea and persists for decades or centuries. It spans multiple categories: • Macroplastics: Large items like bags, bottles, wrappers, and containers. • Fishing Gear: Ropes, floats, lines, and nets—collectively known as "ghost gear". • Microplastics & Nanoplastics: Microplastics are particles smaller than 5mm resulting from the breakdown of larger plastics, while nanoplastics are invisible particles smaller than 1 micrometer, representing the most dangerous form. • Plastic Pellets (Nurdles): Raw materials lost during transport, acting as the second-largest source of microplastics. Environmental & Health Impacts Every year, 8 million tons of plastic enter the oceans. While 80% originates from land-based sources (such as cities, rivers, and coastal tourism), the remaining 20% comes from sea-based sources, which are critical to address. Over 640,000 tons of fishing gear are lost annually, and an estimated 5 trillion microplastic pieces are currently afloat. This pollution has devastating consequences: • Wildlife: 100% of sea turtles and 60% of seabirds have ingested plastic. Ghost nets entangle and kill roughly 136,000 seals, dolphins, and whales every year. • Ecosystems: Litter smothers coral reefs and the seabed. • Human Health: Microplastics have been found in 114 marine species, entering the food chain and bioaccumulating toxins like PCB and DDT. They have ultimately been detected in human blood, placentas, and lungs. • Economy: Plastic pollution causes $13 billion in annual damage to tourism, fishing, and shipping. Plastics take between 20 to 500 years to decompose, and historically, only 9% of all plastic ever made has been recycled. In areas like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch—which spans 1.6 million square kilometers—fishing gear makes up 46% of the total waste weight. 2. Shipping Sector Contributions & Existing Frameworks Ships generate approximately 5.9 million tons of garbage per year. Operational waste (galley plastic and packaging), cargo-related waste (resin pellets and plastic containers), and maintenance waste (paint cans and chemical drums) all contribute to this total. Furthermore, cruise ships generate about 1 kg of plastic waste per person every day, and an average of 1,500 shipping containers are lost at sea annually. Most critically, Abandoned, Lost, or Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG), such as gillnets and trawl nets, can continue "ghost-fishing" and killing marine life for over 600 years. The Existing Legal Framework The International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulates 90% of the world's trade fleet. Under MARPOL 73/78 Annex V (in force since 1988 and strengthened in 2013 and 2018), there is a complete ban on plastic discharge at sea with zero exceptions, regardless of distance from shore. Ships over 100 GT or carrying more than 15 persons must maintain a Garbage Management Plan and a Garbage Record Book (Parts I & II), alongside displaying placards and utilizing waste segregation bins. Violations are major grounds for Port State Control (PSC) detentions and can carry penalties up to a $50,000 fine, imprisonment, and company bans. However, enforcement gaps at sea have necessitated a more robust strategic plan. 3. The 2025 IMO Action Plan & The 5 Interlinked Objectives Adopted by MEPC 83 in April 2025, the 2025 IMO Action Plan is a revised roadmap extending to 2030. It aligns with UN SDG 14, the G7 Action Plan, and UNEA Resolutions to achieve zero plastic discharge from ships, targeting a 50% reduction in ship-sourced plastic litter by 2030. The plan operates on core principles: Prevention first (reducing at the source), Polluter pays (responsibility for lost cargo/gear), establishing a Circular economy via port reception, and relying on Evidence-based research. The implementation timeline spans from amending MARPOL and developing pellet transport guidelines (2025–2026), to introducing mandatory gear marking (2026–2028), and finalizing global monitoring and enforcement reviews (2028–2030). The strategy is built upon 5 Interlinked Objectives: Objective 1: Reduce Plastic Litter from Fishing Vessels To combat the reality that fishing nets comprise 46% of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the IMO is introducing: • Mandatory IMO identification and marking for all fishing gear (aligned with FAO guidelines) using AIS/IoT trackers and QR codes. • Mandatory reporting of lost gear to Flag States and the IMO GISIS database, including type and position. • Port incentives, gear buy-back schemes, and the promotion of biodegradable or reduced-plastic net designs. • PSC inspections of fishing vessels (2026), where non-compliance results in vessel detention.