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Resolving plastics marine litter issue is DAUNTING

Oceans of trash pose a complex challenge that could be too onerous to resolve given modest plastics packaging recycling, the economic advantages of using virgin material, and the sheer volume of containers floating around the globe.

Oceans of trash pose a complex challenge that could be too onerous to resolve given modest plastics packaging recycling, the economic advantages of using virgin material, and the sheer volume of containers floating around the globe.
Oceans of trash pose a complex challenge that could be too onerous to resolve given modest plastics packaging recycling, the economic advantages of using virgin material, and the sheer volume of containers floating around the globe.

Nearly two years ago, a World Economic Forum headline reported, “Every minute, one garbage truck of plastic is dumped into our oceans. This has to stop.” It has not.

In fact, plastic marine litter has become such a hot-button issue that in its 4th Progress Report, the Global Plastics Alliance collaboration pointed to some 355 projects addressing marine litter that had been planned, underway, or completed as of December 2017.

A July 19, 2017 National Geographic report put numbers on the problem, noting that mass production of plastics has created 8.3 metric tons of products in six decades, with waste accounting for a whopping 6.3 billion of that total weight. The story estimates that “8 million metric tons of plastic ends up in the oceans every year.”

Of course, virtually every marine plastic litter report includes imagery depicting discarded packaging—often damaging sea life—which further portrays plastics packaging as the culprit.

Plastics recycling could bring some relief, but “solving the issue is about as large and complex as the ocean itself,” says The Mechanics of Effective Recycling, a new article from HSM UK. It lists several programs underway that aim to address plastics litter in oceans, including “The Farm Project” initiative that raises this frightening question: “If plastic is making its way into the stomachs of sea life, then who’s to say it’s not ending up in ours, too?”

UK Plastics Pact

The UK Plastics Pact initiative was developed to create a circular economy for plastics, setting the following ambitious 2025 targets:

• That 100% of plastic packaging be reusable, recyclable, or compostable

• That 70% of plastic packaging be effectively recycled or composted

• Take actions to eliminate single-use packaging items through redesign, innovation, or alternative (reuse) delivery models

• That all plastic packaging include on average 30% recycled content

Dairy Food & Beverage Innovations Report
Discover cutting-edge packaging and processing solutions in the inaugural Packaging World/ProFood World Innovations Report. From high-speed filling machines to mono-material lids, see how the latest advancements from PACK EXPO International 2024 are driving safety, sustainability, and extended shelf life—shaping the future of dairy food and beverage packaging.
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Dairy Food & Beverage Innovations Report
Liquid Foods Innovations Report
Welcome to the inaugural Packaging World/ProFood World Innovations Report on liquid food packaging, drawn from nearly 300 PACK EXPO International booth visits (Chicago, Nov. 3–6, 2024). Our editors highlight the most groundbreaking equipment and materials—supported by video demos—that promise to transform how liquid foods are processed, packaged, and delivered.
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Liquid Foods Innovations Report