‘CLEANING THE OCEAN WON’T SOLVE THE PLASTIC PROBLEM. SO WHAT WILL?’

Ask any leader of an organisation working on the issue of plastic pollution if they think clean ups alone will solve the problem, and the answer will be a resounding, “No!”

“If all we ever do is clean up, that’s all we’re ever going to do” is a clear message you’ll receive from Heidi Tait, Founder and CEO of Australia’s  Tangaroa Blue Foundation that has been cleaning coastlines for over 15 years. 

Clean ups, whether human or mechanical, are certainly able to remove mountains of harmful pollution that would otherwise damage ocean systems for eons, but cannot be the solution to the problem in isolation. With over 8 million tonnes of new plastic entering the ocean every year (that’s the equivalent of one full sized garbage truck every minute) from all corners of Planet Ocean, it will be impossible to clean up the leaking mess, let alone stem the cloud of micro and nano plastics bellowing from our industrialised lives.

With the growth of projects like Plastic Free July, it’s clear that many of us are willing and capable of reducing our individual dependence on single use plastics. The highly successful campaign which originated in Fremantle, Western Australia, has developed into a movement of over 250 million participants in 177 countries around the world. Alongside initiatives like Plastic Free July, bloggers and eco-influencers are showing us simple ways to DIY and make your own plastic free solutions to toothpaste, deodorant and other household essentials. Our recent podcast guest Kate Nelson (aka Plastic Free Mermaid) is a pioneer in this space, having altered her lifestyle to live single use plastic free for 10 years. Her new book, I Quit Plastics, And You Can Too is full of hints and tips on how to avoid single use plastic. 

This swell in grassroots action is being matched by a significant growth in businesses offering plastic free alternatives to conventional products and services. Loop store aims to take the waste out of purchasing popular products whilst supermarkets in Europe have begun offering plastic free shopping aisles.E-commerce businesses such as Flora and Fauna have created an online shopping experience and delivery service that is completely plastic free. 

Whilst all these initiatives are brilliant we cannot hide from the fact that this level of ‘plastic free living’ is a luxury that is out of reach for many people, particularly those living in poverty and in disadvantaged communities. Global trade and economic structures place the brunt of waste disposal on the Global South, where recycling systems are often absent resulting in the inevitable contamination of the natural environment. The United Nations has recently pushed for regulations that would encourage rich countries to reduce their waste production and manage their own disposal. 

In the age of greenwashing and bluewashing it’s imperative that large  corporations make genuine efforts to reduce the impacts of their products and services in the fight against plastic pollution. Parley for the Oceans has led the charge in showing big corporates such as Adidas, Corona, Amex, and Stella McCartney that there is a commercial gain to be made from tackling plastic pollution head on. Adidas, for example has committed to removing virgin plastic from their supply chain by 2025 as a sign of genuine intent to lead the corporate pack tackling the plastic tide.

Another example where large corporations are investing significant capital to pioneer solutions is Circulate Capital who have raised a US$100m fund from businesses including PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble to identify and invest in innovative solutions to stop plastic leakage and adopt circular economy supply chains in South and Southeast Asia. 

But with the price of oil recently dipping into negative territory, and vast reserves of petroleum being extracted from the Earth’s crust on a daily basis, there is as strong a push as ever from plastic producers to flood the market with more virgin material. The recent Covid 19 crisis has led to a major spike in single use plastics as hygiene needs and fears are overtaking gains in reusables. A reported 200 billion single use gloves and face masks are now being disposed of every month.

Challenges and Opportunities

In the circular economy model, pioneered by Ellen Macarthur among others, there is a major focus on developing new packaging materials that are compostable by nature, with the rationale that if material leaks into nature it is inert. But even further, this concept serves as a precursor to a revolution in the way we treat biological waste - where large scale composting, be it at home or in massive facilities, has the capacity to turn waste into valuable nutrients for agriculture and regenerative restoration of land. 

Innovative alternatives for plastic do not always come without their own complications and life-cycle limitations. Anyone encountering the diversity of bio-based and ‘degradable’ polymers flooding the market will likely be puzzled as to the level of solutionism they offer. Many are masked in greenwash, and leave the public and authorities with immense confusion as to whether they are better or worse than their petroleum brethren. In an attempt to unmask the confusion on biodegradable vs degradable vs compostable, the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) recently produced this thorough guide to help packaging producers, packaging users, businesses, authorities and the public navigate the minefield to make sensible, future-focussed decisions. 

Of course, every attempt to develop truly scalable compostable alternatives to petroleum plastic must take into consideration the life cycle impacts of the feedstock being used and its end of life impacts. It’s all well and good to identify a natural polymer to create a novel plastic alternative - but if it can’t be produced at scale (to rival the 300m+ tonnes of virgin petroleum plastic being used annually) and at a competitive price, then it will have a challenging future. 

A Holistic Approach

At Ocean Impact Organisation, we believe that the plastic crisis demands multifaceted solutions, and that means commitment from big business, plastic  producers, governments, civil society, grassroots movements, and the startup sector. 

This collaborative ethos is deeply intertwined with our commitment to championing bold initiatives to stem the tide of global plastic pollution and to pioneer new solutions. While cleaning up the mess is undoubtedly part of the solution, and grassroots initiatives are instrumental players, it is crucial that we harness the power of innovation to tackle the problem head on. 

Leadership in the business and entrepreneurial community is essential to facilitate the transformation to an abundant and sustainable ocean economy that will deliver long term economic, environmental and social benefits, and meet our multifaceted challenges with creative and diverse solutions. This ethos is what has similarly defined the journey of our latest podcast guest, Kahi Pacarro.

The Ocean Impact Podcast Episode 16: ‘Tackling plastic pollution from all angles with Kahi Pacarro’ 

In this episode of the Ocean Impact Podcast, Tim speaks with Kahi Pacarro, Hawai’i Director for Parley for the Oceans and co-founder of Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii (SCH). Kahi has been at the forefront of action on plastic pollution for over a decade through his work leading Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii. 

Kahi shares some great advice and insights into the challenges and rewards in setting up a nonprofit organisation and why, in 2018, he made the decision to transition from the nonprofit sector into a ‘profit for purpose’ role with Parley for the Oceans, who argue that tackling the ocean plastic problem requires an immediate transition away from plastic production combined with innovative repurposing of existing plastic material.

It’s clear to Kahi that if we are going to solve plastic pollution and ‘end virgin plastic’, there is an immense need to tackle the problem from multiple angles. Parley for the Ocean’s conceptualisation of plastic as a ‘design failure’ informs their approach, which is summarised as ‘avoid - intercept - redesign’. To learn more about Kahi’s work, and how Parley for the Ocean’s is using innovation to intercept the plastic problem from the top, head to the podcast links below.

For more information and to follow Kahi’s work please visit: 

Parley.TV

Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii

Instagram

Listen to the podcast episode by following these links:

Apple

Spotify

Soundcloud