Europe Green Week and ways to counter marine debris

A dead Laysan Albatross in Midway Atoll, its exposed stomach filled with debris it consumed around its coastal habitat (c) NOAA/ONMS

Today marks the start of Green Week in Europe – the biggest annual conference on European environment policy.

EIA welcomes the focus this year on creating a circular economy, where almost nothing is wasted and reuse of resources becomes standard practice.

Putting a price on plastic and ending consumption of single-use products is essential to tackling the problem of marine debris. This year the European Commission will be setting out new proposals to unlock the potential of a circular economy, improving waste management and reversing the increasing quantities of waste which are threatening marine wildlife across the globe.

EIA will be attending the session on marine litter and is looking forward to hearing more about the establishment of an EU-wide marine debris reduction target and EU measures to cut out single-use plastic bags.

• Find out more about this issue of marine debris and its impacts in EIA’s briefing Marine Debris: A global problem needing EU leadership here.