Committee: UNEP

Subject: Addressing the Role of Plastics and Microplastics in Ocean Pollution

Country: Sri Lanka
Delegate: yacoub ismail

Honorable chair and respected delegates,

The problem of plastic pollution in the ocean is a global issue,The country of Sri Lanka
has been trying to reduce the amount of plastic pollution in public spaces and oceans,
but the country is not yet at the point where the government can definitively say that Sri
Lanka has achieved this goal.
In the present day, plastic bags are a common sight in cities and towns. These plastic
bags are often used to carry groceries or other items that need to be transported quickly
and efficiently. But these plastic bags can cause considerable damage to the
environment if not disposed of properly.by polluting ocean waters and making its way
into fish and sea animals it could be in the things humans consume on a daily basis.
Some researchers found out that some micro plastics spread so much that it even made
its way into human blood.
Sri Lanka has been working to reduce the amount of plastic pollution in its oceans for
the past several years. The government has passed a lot of laws aimed at reducing this
pollution and educating people about its effects on marine life. For example, Sri Lanka
banned plastic bags in 2011, while taxes were put in place on plastic bottles and bags in
2012. In 2014, a law was passed that added a tax on plastic straws and stirrers as well.
The government is also working with businesses like supermarkets, restaurants, hotels,
and others who use enormous amounts of plastic products every day to encourage the
local businesses to find ways to reduce their use of these materials. For example: Sri
Lanka's largest supermarket chain has pledged to stop using single-use plastics by 2021;
another company has committed to reducing its use of single-use plastics by 60% by
2019; and yet another company plans to cut all single-use plastics from its product line
by 2025.
The delegate of Sri Lanka yields the floor back to the chair