Pressure needed on plastics
Pressure needs to be applied at the highest level of industry and government to fix the global plastic pollution problem, a plasticfree campaigner believes.
Massey University environmental anthropologist and political ecologist Trisia Farrelly is part of a taskforce advising the United Nations on marine plastic pollution.
Experts are working on how to stem the flow of plastic waste into the ocean and create a treaty on marine plastic pollution.
Farrelly believes campaigns encouraging people to reduce, reuse and recycle plastics, and to take part in beach cleanups, are worthy in developing positive habits.
But more focus on plastics producers and their relationships to the oil, gas and chemical industries is needed to have a real impact.
‘‘The most effective mechanism for addressing the global plastic crisis is political will and culture change.
‘‘There’s a lot of pressure on individuals and groups to do the right thing and recycle. While it’s incredibly important, it’s a little bit of a red herring because we can’t recycle ourselves out of the situation we’re in.
‘‘Now the onus is on the industry and states to work together and meet resolutions.’’
She said industries could not be allowed to produce and profit from products that could never be taken out of the environment.
As well as campaigning to phase out single-use plastic bags, Farrelly is also a leading voice in calling for a ban on plastic glitter – a form of microplastic that does not break down in the environment and can have a toxic effect on marine life, including in fish consumed by humans.
Large plastic items could be gathered up, but microplastics and even smaller nanoplastics were making their way into fish and soil.
Some plastics were being recycled into roads, but even that could be a problem because the microplastics could be washed into stormwater.
One idea she had was categorising plastic products into what was the most harmful to the environment.
Farrelly was appointed to the taskforce in August.