Britain signs resolution with UN members to end dumping of plastics in the oceans

‘A rare species of whale was stranded on a beach. In its stomach they found 30 plastic bags’

BRITAIN has joined nearly 200 countries in signing up to a United Nations resolution to rid the seas of plastic.

If pollution rates continue, there will be more plastic in the sea than fish by 2050, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Eight million tons of plastic are dumped into the ocean yearly, killing marine life and entering the human food chain. The World Wildlife Fund said the pollution was a “global crisis”.

Under the resolution, signed by all 193 members of the UN, countries will monitor the plastic they put into the oceans and explore ways eventually to make such dumping illegal.

Britain has taken steps to cut plastic waste, including a plastic bag charge and a ban on microbeads. Michael Gove, the Environment Secretary, is considering introducing special banks for plastics. Theresa May hinted this week that foreign aid funding may be diverted to tackle plastic pollution.

The crisis was recently highlighted by Sir David Attenborough in his BBC series Blue Planet II, which showed horrific pictures of sea life suffering because of the dumping of plastics.

“There is very strong language in this resolution,” said Vidar Helgesen, Norway’s environment minister. “We now have an agreement to explore a legally binding instrument and that will be done at international level over the next 18 months.” Norway, which initiated the resolution, had seen first hand the damage pollution caused, he said. “We found micro plastics inside mussels. In January, a rare species of whale was stranded on a beach. In its stomach they found 30 plastic bags.”

Erik Solheim, UNEP head, said he wanted to see governments ban or redesign packaging. “Let’s abolish products we do not need. If you go to Bali, a huge amount of the plastic picked from the oceans are straws.”

Dr Lyndsey Dodds, WWF head of marine policy, said: “We are in the grips of a global crisis. What we now need is a strong and ambitious global convention to eliminate plastics entering our seas.”