Three articles highlighting the growing range of solutions being applied to issues surrounding marine litter and pollution from plastics. Twin tracks, more effective prevention of the pollution in the first place and the variations on the boom-hoover idea. The ecological impact assessment of the sea-based booms and hoovers would be interesting to see.
1. Results from the Marine Conservation Society 2015 Great British Beach Clean: Call for a national Single Use Drinks Container Deposit Return System.
On 23rd March 2016 the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) launches the results of our Great British Beach Clean, which took place from 18th – 21st September 2015. A record number of more than 6,000 volunteers took part, in 340 events nationally. Attached is a copy of the summary report and associated press release for your information. 2014 saw a 21 year record when our volunteers found 2,457 items of litter on every kilometre of beach cleaned. Well, the 2015 figure is even higher: a staggering 3,298 items of litter were collected per kilometre, which is a 34% increase from 2014. An item of litter that was found frequently across this distance was plastic drinks bottles. There was a 43% increase compared to 2014 figures, with an average of 99 bottles found per km surveyed. This is not a trend we want to see continue and MCS believes there is a solution which has been tried and tested in other countries around the world and has been very successful in reducing single use drink containers. To read more click here
2. Ecofor life degradable bottles
Digging deeper, they learned that the bottle produces 60% less greenhouse gases and uses 50% less fossil fuels in its production, which is good for the environment. But even more fundamental, 100% of the bottle’s material comes from plants like corn, cassava and sugar beet. So, not only are these Eco for Life bottles fully biodegradable, but they won’t leach any pollutants into the contents they carry, because they do not contain any harmful chemicals. To read more click here.
3. SeaVax – Solar powered robotic vacuum ship – two articles
Solar-powered vacuum could suck up 24,000 tons of ocean plastic every year (Eco Watch)
See other collections in this series: EAC to start review into Micro-plastics
February compilation of articles: http://cmscoms.com/?p=6217
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