Pollution on a beach. Credit: Natasha Ewins
Several areas of the world are recording a reduction in plastic pollution on the coasts. Although the use of plastic is still increasing, the adoption of waste management policies and awareness campaigns, recycling and the use of alternative materials, is achieving results that are also starting to be visible on the environment.
The annual study conducted by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation highlighted a 39% reduction in plastic waste along the metropolitan coasts of Australia in the last ten years. Researchers also recorded a 16% increase in areas free of plastic debris.
In the United Kingdom, data also indicates that bags on the Scottish coasts have decreased by 87% in the last 10 years. Awareness campaigns and stricter regulations on single-use products have played a crucial role in this improvement. More than half of the country’s post-consumer plastic waste is burned for energy. In 2023, the recycling and recovery rate for plastic packaging waste reached 52%.
Norway has seen a significant decrease in plastic debris along its coastlines, thanks in large part to the country recycling 97% of its plastic bottles, extensive clean-ups, and strict policies to reduce plastic use.
The European Union is also making progress. Since 2015, macro-litter on EU coastlines has decreased by 29%, with significant reductions in single-use plastics and fishing-related items.
https://www.mcsuk.org/what-you-can-do/join-a-beach-clean/beachwatch-2024-what-you-found/
https://www.miljodirektoratet.no/globalassets/publikasjoner/m1360/m1360.pdf