by Thea Pieridou
Press Officer of the European Parliament Office in Cyprus

The effects of today's culture of discarding plastics after their first use are evident in the seas and oceans. Plastic waste is increasingly polluting our oceans and it is estimated that by 2050 the seas will contain more plastic waste than fish. EU rules, adopted on 27 March 2019 by the European Parliament, concern the 10 most common disposable plastic products found on European beaches as well as plastic waste from fishing gear. These products together make up 70% of waste on the beaches.

The problem

Only 1% of plastics in the oceans float to the surface, while most end up in deep water. Every day, 730 tonnes of waste are dumped directly in the Mediterranean and every year 11,200 tonnes of plastics thrown into the environment end up in the Mediterranean.

Due to the slow rate of decomposition, plastic accumulates in seas, oceans and beaches in the EU. Plastics can injure marine animals and pose a significant risk to marine biodiversity. Plastic waste is also found in marine species, such as sea turtles, seals, whales and birds, but also in fish and shellfish and therefore in the human food chain.

The estimated cost of marine litter ranges between € 259 million and € 695 million and mainly concerns the tourism and fisheries sector. Only 5% of the value of plastic packaging remains in the economy - the rest is discarded, which demonstrates the need for a more global approach, what is known as circular economy.

What needs to be done

Marine litter is a cross-sectoral issue that needs to be tackled holistically. The reduction of marine litter cannot be limited to activities at sea. That is, any garbage that ends up in the sea is a product that has escaped the framework of the circular economy. To fight the problem, we, as active citizens, must stop throwing away plastics and reduce the use of disposable plastics.

Disposable plastics are the largest group of waste on the shores. Products such as plastic cutlery, straws, plastic bottles, cigarette butts and cotton swabs make up almost 50% of marine litter.

To address this, the EU has imposed a ban on disposable plastics for which there are easy alternatives: cutlery (forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks), plates, straws, swabs, stirrers. MEPs included food packaging made of expanded polystyrene and products from oxidizable plastics in the list.

This should become law in EU countries by 3 July 2021.

European Parliament call for urgent measures

In a resolution adopted on 25 March 2021, the European Parliament called for measures to reduce marine litter immediately, including imposing more restrictions on disposable plastics and increasing the use of fishery equipment made from sustainable materials.

MEPs have repeatedly called attention to the impact of marine litter on ecosystems, consumers, fishing activities and humans.