ESG Radio Newsletter 23rd February 2017 –
Keyword – Primary Microplastics IUCN
Hi- in today’s newsletter we look at the health of our seas, at 2017 Clean up the World and more.
To begin with there has welcome global media focus on the impact plastics are having on our oceans and consequently on marine life and the food chain.
The issue of poorly managed plastic waste is a universally accepted environmental problem now entering crisis stage. The ESG is most concerned about this issue and established CUTW in 2005 to bring these matters closer to the local community, especially as we are essentially an island nation and must therefore effectively manage our own waste to the highest standards. This continues with plans for CUTW 2017 now getting underway.
Microbeads in cosmetics and other ordinary products are also being looked at more widely as their impact is believed to be considerable. However, in a report published only yesterday by the IUCN, that’s the International Union for Conservation of Nature, it states that tiny plastic particles washed off products such as synthetic clothes and car tyres could be contributing up to 30% of the “plastic soup” polluting the world’s oceans – and, in many developed countries- are a bigger source of marine pollution than plastic waste.
The report is evidence-based research carried out by the Global Marine Programme in 7 geographical regions looking into the main source of primary microplastics in the world’s oceans. Primary microplastics are plastics that enter the oceans in the form of small particles, as opposed to plastic waste that degrades in the water and come from car tyres, synthetic textiles, marine coatings, road markings, personal care products, plastic pellets and city dust.
This report presents worrying findings but clearly very useful in directing urgent and necessary changes in how we live our day-to-day lives, the products we use and how these are made.
For the full report google IUCN Primary Microplastics Report and you will see it there.
What we can do is drive less, buy natural fabrics over synthetic and use environmentally friendly detergents and cosmetics. We must also take care of our own plastic rubbish and the ESG continues to lobby for CUTW aims and objectives that form part of the campaign -with a dedicated press release going out on this shortly. CUTW 2017 invites teams to now register for the main September clean up. There are plans for workshops and the familiar awareness raising parade so please get in touch at esg@gibtelecom.net to sign up.
Well done to the Nautilus Project for their recent beach clean up. It’s a familiar sight to us as we regularly remove marine debris from our shores and welcome every effort to help clean up the seas.
Please visit our website for more information on other issues at www.esg-gib.net – there’s dockyard noise pollution, the upcoming Spanish protest on 28th February against Refinery pollution and much more. Thanks for listening.
