Where does ocean plastic come from?

Overall, 80% of marine plastic debris comes

from land, and 20% is produced by ocean-
based sources such as fishing, shipping and
aquaculture. 3Much of it is comprised of
industrial and domestic waste from
metropolitan and urban areas with poorly
managed collection and disposal systems.
Rubbish finds its way into rivers and other
waterways, sometimes through storm drains
and sewage outfalls, and these take it all the
way to the sea. It’s estimated that 94% of the
plastic pollution that enters the Mediterranean
comes in the form of macroplastics, but
microplastic pollution is significant too. Land-
based sources of microplastics include
agricultural polyethylene sheets that fragment
from weathering, biosolids and sewage sludge
from wastewater treatment plants, and grey
water from washing clothes made with
synthetic fibres. 4Sewage entering municipal
treatment systems is high in microfibres from
textiles, microplastics from personal care
products, and degraded consumer products.

Between 80 and 90 percent of microplastics entering treatment systems remain in

residual sewage sludge. This sludge is often used as fertilizer in agriculture, resulting
in plastic being deposited on agricultural fields where it can remain for long periods
of time – or be washed into the rivers and out to sea. Based on a recent study,
microplastics can persist in soils for more than 100 years, due to low light and
oxygen conditions5.

The plastics life cycle

Plastic pollution is a design, production, consumption and disposal challenge that

must be tackled across plastic’s entire life cycle. Many factors contribute to the issue,
most obviously unsustainable consumption patterns, non-existent or ineffective
legislation, inefficient waste management systems, and a lack of coordination
between different sectors.
The impacts of plastic pollution on biodiversity and
human health

The impacts of plastic pollution on biodiversity and human health

Plastic pollution has adverse impacts on ocean ecosystems, the integrity of food
supplies, and people’s livelihoods.

Plastic pollution has adverse impacts on ocean ecosystems, the integrity of food
supplies, and people’s livelihoods.

Entanglement and ingestion are the most common hazards for marine
species, almost all of which – from microscopic zooplankton to the largest
marine mammals – will come into contact with plastic waste during their lives.
Entanglement in plastic ropes, lines and discarded shing gear injures and
kills all kinds of marine animals; while ingestion at every stage of the food
chain can cause fatalities or have major impacts on physiological functions
including nutrition, growth, behaviour and reproduction.
fi
Confronting the issue: a harmonised methodology and a
global agreement

Plastic leakage is a complex issue, involving multiple sources and actors, and
addressing it requires stakeholders to join forces and intervene at various levels.
Before this can happen, though, countries and cities face an initial knowledge gap:
they need to establish the magnitude of the challenge they face, and gain an
understanding of the processes involved. Resolution No. 6 on marine plastic litter
and micro-plastics adopted at the Fourth Session of the UN Environment
Assembly (UNEA-4) in 2019 highlighted the importance of a h armonised
methodology to measure plastic flows and leakage along the value chain, and
generate actionable data.

Once these facts are established, countries need practical and legislative tools to
address the root sources of the problem. With this in mind, the Fifth UN
Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) created an expert group on marine litter and
microplastics. The group is “reviewing the present situation and analysing the
effectiveness of existing and potential response options related to marine plastic litter
and microplastics”. It developed and signed “a new global agreement, to provide a
legal framework of global response and to facilitate national responses especially for
those countries with limited resources and capacities that could contain either legally
binding and/or non-binding elements”.

The Programme for the Assessment and Control of Marine Pollution in the
Mediterranean (MEDPOL) of the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) is responsible for the implementation of the Integrated Monitoring and
Assessment Programme (IMAP) for the Pollution and Litter and Noise clusters. MED
POL supports the Contracting Parties in the formulation and implementation of
pollution control and prevention policies as well as regulatory measures. MED POL
also undertakes regular activities to promote capacity-building and provides technical
assistance on monitoring and assessment, implementation and enforcement. Its
purpose is to assist Mediterranean countries in the implementation of three major
protocols of the Barcelona Convention:

• The Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against

Pollution from Land-Based Sources
• The Protocol for the Prevention of Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea by
Dumping from Ships and Aircraft
• The Protocol on the Prevention of Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by
Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal
The Mediterranean: plastic pollution hotspot
The Mediterranean Sea is a global hotspot for plastic pollution, its semi-enclosed
basin concentrating marine litter at levels comparable to those found in the five
subtropical gyres 7 ,the most notorious being the ‘Great Garbage Patch’ of the North
Pacific.

The need for knowledge:

PlastiMed project

In order to improve knowledge of the origins,

distribution and leakage of plastic waste in the
Mediterranean, a quantitative study on the
impact of microplastics in the Mediterranean
ecosystem was conducted. The research was
based on samples collected during two main
expeditions, ExpeditionMED and Tara
Méditerranée 2014 . In the latter, 75,000
microplastic particles were collected and
analysed, making it the largest study of this
kind in the Mediterranean to date. Following
the expeditions, a database of Mediterranean
plastic polymer types, including their
geographical distribution, was completed, and
a modelling study of the circulation of plastic
debris in the Mediterranean was developed.

The recent IUCN report Mare

Plasticum: The Mediterranean
provides information about the quantity of
plastics leaking into the Mediterranean
Sea every year, also highlighting the
countries and cities with the highest
plastic leakage rates. This map is a
combination of both studies, merging
information gathered through fieldwork
and desk-based analysis.
Taking action

The Beyond Plastic Med (BeMed) initiative was launched in 2019 to develop and support a
network of stakeholders committed to implementing concrete solutions for the prevention of
plastic pollution in the Mediterranean. By raising awareness of the issue, bringing together
companies and organisations who can contribute to the
project’s aims, and spreading best practices in the field, BeMed is an important
umbrella for much of the work going on in the Mediterranean today.

In 2019, IUCN-Med launched the Plastic Waste-Free Islands

Mediterranean project, as part of its global Close the Plastic Tap programme. The
initiative’s overarching goal is to drive the circular economy agenda forward and to reduce
plastic waste generation and leakage from islands. The programme of work focuses on
tackling plastic pollution at its source by engaging a wide range of stakeholders – including
governments, industries and society – and on addressing plastic pollution knowledge gaps.

Surfrisder Europe has been advocating for enhanced environmental policies to

tackle plastic pollution and raising awareness among citizens to change their
behaviour.

Tara Foundation conducted a 2019 expedition along nine major European rivers to
research the origins and flux of microplastic waste, using its scientific expertise to
raise awareness and educate the general public, as well as mobilise political
decision-makers at the highest level.

In 2017, Région Sud (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) established the Zero Plastic

Waste Pledge to enable local authorities, companies and associations to commit to
reducing plastic waste at sea and on land. Région Sud and the IUCN signed a joint
declaration at the World Conservation Congress, reflecting strong engagement and
the beginning of coordinated action against plastic pollution.

Co-developed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the

IUCN, the National Guidance on Plastic Pollution Hotspotting and Shaping
Action contributes to filling gaps in knowledge. It provides a methodological
framework and practical tools applicable at national level. Beyond the quantification
and qualification of plastic pollution, the guidance offers an effective interface
between science-based assessments and policy-making. The guidance maps plastic
leakage and its impacts across the value chain by collecting and analysing data on
plastic production, consumption, waste management and disposal, and prioritises
hotspots for action. It enables governments to collaborate with key stakeholders to
identify and implement corresponding interventions and instruments in these
hotspots, ensuring that action takes place in the areas that need it most. Once
decision-makers are equipped with reliable knowledge through use of the guidance,
they can set targets, agree and implement actions, and monitor progress
References
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