BPF Event Examines Latest Initiatives Preventing Plastic from Entering Oceans

The British Plastics Federation (BPF), in collaboration with PlasticsEurope, is hosting a free, half-day online event called Marine Litter: Prevention, Progress and Monitoring’ on 15 June. The event will explore a range of initiatives intended to prevent plastic from entering rivers and seas, as well as projects that increase our understanding of how plastic can end up there.

The UK government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) Head of Marine Litter Policy Dr Julius Piercy will begin the event by providing insight into government policy on marine litter. He will explain how the government plans to engage the plastics industry and the government’s future plans. He will be followed by a presentation from Stefania Di Vito from Legambiente, a major Italian environmental NGO, who will speak about the LIFE Blue Lakes Project, an integrated approach to tackling marine litter in five lakes in Germany and Italy.

Next there will be two presentations looking at Operation Clean Sweep®, the industry-led initiative to prevent plastic pellet loss. The talks will be from the BPF’s Senior Sustainability Issues Executive Adela Putinelu, and PlasticsEurope’sEnvironmental Affairs Manager Jérémy Fouriau. Quantis’ Sustainability Consultant Laura Peano will then explain the Plastic Leak Project and how it is possible to quantify plastic leakage.

The event will then look at the issue of microplastics. Mersey Rivers Trust’s Senior Projects Manager Mike Duddy will provide an overview of how he and his colleagues have monitored microplastics in the River Mersey. He will be followed by Dr Katrin Schuhen, founder and CEO of Wasser 3.0, who will explain their pioneering work in filtering microplastics from rivers.

The Alliance to End Plastics Waste’s Vice President of Strategic Partnerships Justin Wood will explain what the organisation has been working on and provide an overview of its key projects. David Katz, founder and CEO of the Plastic Bank, will then ask the question: ‘Can Our Oceans Greatest Threat Be Humanity's Richest Opportunity?’, looking at the work of the Plastic Bank and its progress.

The final session of the day will be from Waste Aid’s Senior Technical Advisor and Head of Communications Zoe Lenkiewicz, who will explain the work her organisation is doing in tackling plastics waste at source in developing countries.

PlasticsEurope’s Resource Efficiency Senior Manager Adrian Whyle comments:

PlasticsEurope is at the forefront of the fight against marine litter and is fully committed to helping put an end to the leakage of plastics into the environment.

BPF Membership Services Director Stephen Hunt comments:

This event provides a great opportunity for plastics companies to learn about important key projects that stop plastic waste wrongly ending up in our rivers and seas, as well as positive progress in monitoring how plastic can escape into the environment. Tackling the issue of mismanaged plastic waste is one of the most pressing issues the industry faces, and we hope that this event provides useful insights into the many solutions being explored across the globe.

Marine Litter: Prevention, Progress and Monitoring will run from 13.30 to 16.35 (UK time) on 15 June. The event is aimed at industry professionals and is free to attend.

Full details can be found at bpf.co.uk.