Belgium signs plastics anti-dumping agreement

Belgian plastics association Federplast.be, environmental NGOs and the Belgian-Dutch association of coastal communities have signed a resolution to stop the dumping of plastic waste in the North Sea and other seas and rivers, reports European Plastics News. According to the document, 20,000 tons of plastic waste finds its way into the North Sea each year, costing Belgium and the Netherlands €10 million in clean-up and other costs. Large pieces of plastic are dangerous for sea mammals and turtles, smaller pieces pose a threat to seabirds and some materials degrade into microplastics, which are eaten by fish, plankton and crustaceans. The resolution points out that banning plastics is not the solution and instead calls for more responsible use. “If we take plastics out of pacemakers, prostheses, intravenous drips or other medical applications, we are going back in time,” it says. “Plastics have their merits and are as such not a problem.” The resolution is also calling for the authorities to work towards stopping further pollution and cleaning up waste at sea. “That everybody carries responsibility is clear: 50% of the waste comes from ships, 50% of the waste is from onshore,” says the document, adding that new sources of pollution should also be prevented. The organisations that signed the resolution have asked for the following action:

• Legislation on the reuse and recycling of plastic waste
• A ban on non-degradable microplastics in consumer products
• Public campaigns to create awareness of the issue of plastic pollution
• Public and private initiatives to combat pollution on land and at sea
• A general ban on the disposal of waste at sea
• Scientific research and monitoring to map the ecological, economic and social impact of plastic pollution.