Which Laws/Initiatives are Successfully Reducing Plastic Pollution of Water?

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Plastic pollution has reached an epidemic level that is quickly destroying river, lake and ocean ecosystems globally.

Please answer with your suggestions or share/link/attach news/government projects/laws/NGO efforts/technologies that have successfully reduced/prevented plastic pollution in natural water bodies around the world.

Is there an alternative solution to making single use plastics for consumer goods illegal?

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13 Answers

  1. I am afraid that there are more initiatives that failed than succeeded.  When you visit Japan, you will understand how plastic runs our life.  I would like to also know any successful initiative. 

  3. Dear madam, Good question

    Only the public awareness can reduce the plastic pollution. First of all, control the source means plastic producing industries. Some rules & regulation to be implemented on that industries. But reality is Plastic is found in virtually everything these days. Your food and hygiene products are packaged in it. Your car, phone and computer are made from it. And you might even chew on it daily in the form of gum. While most plastics are touted as recyclable, the reality is that they're “down cycled.” A plastic milk carton can never be recycled into another carton — it can be made into a lower-quality item like plastic lumber, which can’t be recycled could ​comprise ​education, ​policies, fines ​for littering, ​TV advertisements.

    Plastics pollution has a direct and deadly effect on wildlife. Curious marine mammals get entangled and drown in plastic garbage, seabirds feed the bright, colourful pieces to their young instead of food, and sea turtles eat plastic bags mistaking them for jellyfish.
    Thousands of seabirds and sea turtles, seals and other marine mammals are killed each year after ingesting plastic or becoming entangled in it; many more suffer after ingesting plastic particles that contain toxic substances, which can cause death, injury or reproductive failure.

    “We’re happy to see the EPA taking plastics pollution seriously,” an oceans attorney at the Center. “Every year bits of discarded plastic kill thousands of seabirds, sea turtles, seals and other marine mammals. Some choke on plastic, and others are poisoned by it. Still more find themselves swimming through vast patches of toxic litter. It’s an international tragedy that needs to be addressed.

    the Center petitioned the EPA to use its authority under the Clean Water Act to develop water-quality standards for plastic pollution and publish information to guide states in monitoring and preventing harm to waters from plastic pollution. Although the EPA declined to develop plastic-specific water-quality criteria, the agency agreed to expand other efforts to protect people and wildlife from litter in oceans and other aquatic environments.

    1. Buy boxes, not bottles.
    2. Buy from bulk bins.
    3. Reuse glass containers.
    4. Use reusable bottles and cups.
    5. Bring your own container.
    6. Use matches.
    7. Skip the frozen foods section.
    8. Don't use plastic ware.
    9. Return reusable containers.
    10. Use cloth diapers.
    11. Don't buy juice.
    12. Pack a lunch the right way
    13.   Wean yourself off disposable plastics. ...
    14. Stop buying water. ...
    15. Boycott microbeads. ...
    16. Cook more. ...
    17. Purchase items second-hand. ...
    18. Recycle (duh). ...
    19. Support a bag tax or ban. ...
    20. Buy in bulk

     

    21 . Making Bricks from Plastic( polythene )

    Withstanding six tons of pressur

    Now developed a series of plastic brick prototypes. Subsequent testing at DTU has revealed that the bricks can withstand up to six tonnes of pressure.

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGBpHYLNtRA

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQTUWK7CM-Y

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02WjKxk1veQ

     

  4. Here is a copy of the paper by Md Zahanggir Alam et. al that I mentioned in my earlier post on this topic. It quantifies the particle trapping efficiencies of Urban Stormwater Technologies' 'at source' Catch Basin Insert capture system for particulate pollutants in stormwater. For more information on this product please see www.urbanstormwater.com.au

  5. There are small efforts made by many companies to help find alternative solutions for plastic. Thick, paper straws are a great example. Areas along the coast bans plastic straws. Reusable grocery bags in other areas, help reduce the impact. 

    I believe it'll take viable alternatives to the "disposable" societal norm. I read an article that said Addidas is now making shoes from recycled plastics and India was using recycled plastics in their roads. Whether companies start fueling their energy needs from recycled plastic material or incorporating them into products, it will require a global effort to reduce and reuse existing plastic waste, while introducing innovative alternatives into the hands of consumers. 

    Wouldn't it be nice if a milk jug was designed to be easily converted into the shape of a bag for reuse? Recyclable orgamy.

    1 Comment

    1. I guess i am too old, remembering the days when our milkman brought fresh milk and butter and eggs (unpasteurized) in glass bottles and in jars in our kitchen. What if the home delivery trend evolves back to this? Would solve a lot of packaging problems, add jobs, reduce transport costs, and be healthier in mind and body?

  6. La nature à mit des pucerons qui dégradent rapidement ces plastiques et en se  multipliant donne des protéines et c'est la seule solution moins cher en serre d'élevage en terre périphériques des plages ou en mer sur radeaux pour nourrir les poissons et autres naturellement 

  7. In EU we have quiet well success with refundable deposit bottles and separate collection of solid waste with the majority of plastic wastes incinerated (except the amount that was send to China of course). It doesn´solve the problem but it helps a lot.

  8. Hi Trudi - I am assisting my colleague Craig Rothleitner of Urban Stormwater Technologies with the science and marketing of his 'drop in' drain entry pit device called a Catch Basin Insert.  CBis successfully remove virtually all particles (including micro plastics) from stormwater as well as reducing concentrations of some dissolved components. CBIs have been thoroughly tested by Md. Zahanggir Alam, a graduate student at Curtin University in Perth - see

    Science of the Total Environment 586 (2017) 76–86

    For more information please see Urban Stormwater Technologies' website: www.urbanstormwater.com.au, or contact me for more information.

    Kind regards

    Dr Robert Humphries

     

  9. Plastic ban fact report Himachal Pradesh, India

  10. Adding one item to Louri's construct might be the importance of proper disposal of plastics as well as bottles, cans, tires and batteries.  When plastics are floating they are not participating in the soil food web concept. When plastics are cut into small pieces and added to a compost pile or directly into your home garden they will easily be broken down into a valuable nutrient.  Have been using multiple types of plastics and all are gone in about 6 weeks. Milk jugs straws, bags and so on.  Pure basic science. All organic compounds can be reduced into elemental form by various microbial groups.  Old technology I grant you. But hard to argue with a few billion years of success.

    2 Comments

    2. Based on my education and review of the literature, plastics will not break down into their basic elements in the environment. Incineration is the only mechanism and that has the potential to contaminate the air.

      They will break down into tiny particles, but they are still present, usually at the bottom of the ocean.

      If you will send me your email address, I will send a lengthy white paper on the subject of particulate pollution. 

      1 Comment reply

      1. Thank you for your comment Peter. I would be happy to share hard core science with you and some cutting edge technology. As I have stated many times all plastics are organic material. By this definition they are all subject to degradation. The missed informed tend to think of a silver bullet does it all. Here is 40 years of research in 2 minutes. There are hydrocarbons which can be broken all the way down over time. These are part of the DNA microbes realm. The chlorinated hydrocarbons will only be broken down by an RNA microbes. If you reread my last posting you can see how I explained this.  This is not something new. It has been  a normal function of nature for billions of years. You can do the home test yourself.  Plastic milk jug, cut into tiny pieces spread over garden, till it in, apply RNA microbes.  Water activates them. Grow your crops. six weeks later not a single molecule remains.  If you have not been using a refractometer to test your crops for nutrient density, do so.  You will see that with the plastics they are much higher, larger, yield is more also. Happy to share. just ask. take care.  

  11. There is a clear need to move towards a more circular economic model for the plastic production cycle, this can be simplified as the 6Rs concept:

    • Reduce – Redesign – Refuse - Re-use – Recycle –Recover

    I personally believe microplastics are an underestimated threat, as their effect on humans is not fully known. And in some cases now ocean fish have been found to prefer microplastics to plankton (source).

    Ideally, public interest would phase out single-use plastics before  any legislation had the chance to mandate it. There have already been many examples of proactive policy:

    • Scotland bans single-use plastic straws by 2019 (source)
    • Kenya outlaws plastic bags (source)
    • Over 200 Seattle businesses voluntarily forgo plastic cutlery (source)
    • Coca-cola to recycle all packaging by 2030 (source)


    Screen Shot 2018-03-14 at 6.04.31 PM.png

    (source)

    1 Comment

    1. Microplastics are only a problem when not properly disposed of. Even in the oceans when the gyres of plastic islands are skimmed off the surface and composted with other organic matter the microplastics will soon become non existent. Takes years to be reduced to this size. Catch the large pieces before they become small will reduce overall volume and danger to the aquatic life.  ( for those not familiar with microbiology the reason you have micro plastics is the ocean is breaking down the plastics with natural enzymes. The closer they get to an area with an active volcano the faster they breakdown.)   

  12. Good question, Trudi.

    The plastic pollution has become a big PROBLEM  It is also the most VISIBLE problem - as you can often see it floating in the waterways and bays. There are also other pollutants that cause problems like sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus - but those are less VISIBLE even though they also create BIG problems with our waterways.  Anyway, here are my thoughts on the plastic pollution control measures:

    - Both structural and non structural measures should be employed

    - Structural measures could be Gross Pollutant Traps (GPT) on stormwater outlets to the waterways (these devices capture the rubbish flowing with stormwater)

    - Non structural measures could comprise education, policies, fines for littering, TV advertisements

    - Combine Structural with Non Structural - Those GPT's are cleaned typically three - four times a year - invite general public (especially schools) to those clean outs - let them see what the GPT has captured/prevented from polluting the environment

    As this could be a big program - implement it in stages - start with the most polluted / known problem sites - once it works at a local level - other stakeholders are more likely to commit

    If you need more information on various types of GPT's or other aspects  - happy to assist.

    Regards,

     

    Iouri

     

    2 Comments

    1. Excellent presentation of pro action construct. Most communities do have storm drain inlet guards. But their budgets call for twice a year collection and cleaning. Education and community composting efforts would be an economical and very pro environmental way of teaching people the natural flow of nature beats anything man can come up with.

       The out flow may be a similar cost consideration. Still needs to be done. But if inflow is done well the twice a year out flow cleaning would be much less and possibly not needed if inflow is successful.  Helping people understand the science of organic matter and inorganic matter in the composting process would eliminate some of the fear factor doom and gloom.  Having people working on a pro action instead of their poor habits will accomplish much more in a shorter amount of time.  The more we pull in the same direction the more they will follow.   

    2. any case studies you see in Australia that are working? Yes, if you have info on effective GPTs please post !

      1 Comment reply

      1. Hi Trudi,

         

        The GPT's models will vary depending on geographical location. Plastic typically floats on surface so no need to use the BEST technology but one that is "fits for purpose". A few links to AUS GPT suppliers:

        http://www.rocla.com.au/CDS-Units.php

        https://www.holcim.com.au/humes/precast-concrete-solutions/stormwater-solutions/stormwater-treatment/primary

        http://www.stormwater360.com.au/products/stormwater-management/gross-pollutant-traps/prod/vortsentry-hs

        Will try to find a few case studies and post.

         

        Regards,

         

        Iouri

         

  13. None.  It will take a concerted effort by those in those areas to clean it up and the market to refuse using plastics in their lives.  Any regulations and laws banning plastics will produce an immediate vacuum in the market that will be filled statistically with something worse.