Since the start of 2018, companies, governments and individuals have been pledging their support to reduce the amount of plastic we use due to the impact of plastic pollution.

Plastic pollution is the build-up of plastic products such as bottles, packaging and plastic bags that harm the Earth’s environment, in particular its wildlife, its oceans, and us. From David Attenborough’s calls for change to Prime Minister Teresa May’s pledge to eliminate the UK’s plastic waste by 2024, plastic pollution has become a key issue in the last year.

Well-known broadcaster and naturalist David Attenborough has made speeches on the current state of our environment on Blue Planet II and the BBC’s YouTube channel. In one episode Attenborough appeals to his viewers to take action before it’s too late, saying the “future of humanity, and indeed all life on earth, now depends on us.” A video on BBC’s YouTube channel shows the impact his speech made on the public, featuring people of all ages taking action – from saying no to plastic straws to cleaning up their local beaches.

Never before have we had such an awareness of what we are doing to the planet: and never before have we had the power to do something about that.

David Attenborough

  How our use of plastic can directly harm the environment was displayed in the BBC documentary Drowning In Plastic, presented by wildlife biologist Liz Bonnin. On Lord Howe Island the population of 40,000 flesh-footed shearwater birds inhabiting the World Heritage Site were having water pumped into their stomachs by researchers, to make them regurgitate the plastic they had swallowed. The record number is 260 pieces of plastic in one chick. In Jakarta, Indonesia, Bonnin is taken to the Chitarum River, where the most shocking scene of the documentary sees the river obscured by floating plastic. Fishermen sift through it for pieces to sell, as the fish species in the river have been reduced by 60% and it is no longer safe to fish there. The local people have no way to dispose of their waste, so they burn it or pile it up on the riverbank. There are an estimated 2000 tonnes of plastic in the river every day.

So what are we doing about the situation? Prime Minister Teresa May vowed to tackle plastic pollution back in January, aiming to eliminate the UK’s plastic waste by 2024. Plastic bags, food packaging and plastic straws will be abolished and the 5p bag charge extended to all UK retailers.

In the UK alone, the amount of single-use plastic wasted every year would fill 1000 Royal Albert Halls.

Teresa May, Prime Minister

   In March, more than 40 companies including Coca Cola and Marks and Spencer signed a pledge to cut plastic pollution in the next 7 years – and those who signed are responsible for more than 80% of plastic packaging in UK supermarkets. They aim to make sure 70% is recycled or composted and 100% is made reusable, recyclable or compostable.

The Guardian featured Israel-based company Tipa’s packaging which breaks down in a home composter, and said brands such as Quality Street are returning to cellulose wrappers. Drowning In Plastic also featured the creation of a ‘sea bin’ in Sydney and David Christian’s invention in Indonesia: Evoware’s disposable and edible seaweed-based packaging for coffee, soap and fast food.

If you’re interested getting involved in your local area, you can sign up to the Beachwatch programme run by the Marine Conservation Society at https://www.mcsuk.org/beachwatch/ and become part of the clean-up operation at your nearest beach.

Frances Butler