Middle School Model United Nations 2017 | 5th - 6th of May 2017
Forum:
Environmental Committee
Issue:
Combatting plastic pollution in oceans and waterways
Student Officer: Eyad Ali
Position:
Deputy Chair
Introduction
“Humanity’s plastic footprint is probably more dangerous than its carbon footprint,” said Captain
Charles Moore. By 2050, there will be more plastic in the oceans than there will be fish, and with the rise
in population, it is only rational that plastic will continue to fill our oceans. At one time it was thought that
the oceans, covering two thirds of the earth’s surface, were vast enough to dilute safely anything that
was put into them.This idea is now known to be untrue. The oceans are becoming dangerously polluted,
and marine life is threatened with illness and death. Fish and other sea creatures have perished along
many sections of the eastern coast of the United States, where New York, Philadelphia, and other cities
have dumped their wastes offshore. Some fish caught in the Atlantic Ocean are now unsafe to eat. Many
once beautiful bays and harbors—where fish, shrimp, lobsters, and other aquatic life used to thrive—are
now dirty and uninhabitable. But the main culprit in this evolving problem is plastic.
Unlike other substances, plastic is not biodegradable, but instead photodegradable. And in
reality, most plastic does not ever disappear, but becomes long-lasting "plastic dust". When items like
plastic bags break down, they soak up and release toxins that then contaminate soil and water, as well
as harming animals that ingest plastic fragments. And there's no winning: producing recycled materials
uses copious amounts of energy.
Plastic not only poses a menacing danger to the oceans but also to aquatic life. Every square
mile of ocean has 46,000 pieces of plastic floating in it. Hence, a million sea birds, whales, seals,
dolphins, sea turtles, and so on die from plastic debris that ends up in our oceans and seas. 100,000
sharks are also part of the death toll. But plastic pollution doesn’t just hurt marine species. It is
detrimental to human beings. As plastic debris floats in the ocean water, it absorbs dangerous pollutants
like PCBs, DDT and PAH. These chemicals are extremely dangerous and toxic and pose a serious
threat to our health with symptoms including endocrine disruption and cancer-causing mutations.
Organisms then ingest these harmful chemicals, which pass through the food chain, eventually onto our
meals through the process of biological magnification. It is of no doubt that plastic pollution in the oceans
and waterways is an issue that needs to take centre stage immediately.
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Definition of Key Terms
Plastic Pollution
The presence of a plastic debris or waste which can be harmful to the respective environment it is
present in. Most commonly found plastic materials in oceans are plastic bottles, packaging, bags, and
containers.
Marine Debris
According to the United Nations, marine debris is usually defined as “any persistent, manufactured or
processed solid material discarded, disposed of, or abandoned in the marine and coastal environment.”
Three-quarters of all marine debris is plastic, which fragments into microplastics that can be taken up by
a wide range of marine organisms.
Microplastics
Microscopic fragments of plastic derived from the breakdown of larger plastic debris.
Gyres
Vast circular swirls of water or ocean current systems which leads to the accumulation or concentration
of marine debris in particular areas on the ocean beds.
Biodegradable
If waste materials can be decomposed into simpler and non-poisonous substances in due course of time
by the action of microorganisms like certain bacteria, then the waste materials are said to be
biodegradable.
Photodegradable
If waste materials can be decomposed into simpler substances by the combined action of the ultraviolet
rays present in sunlight and air, then the waste materials are said to be photodegradable.
Pollutants
Unwanted or undesirable substances in the forms of chemicals that negatively impact the environment it
is released in by reducing its functionality.
Biological Magnification
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Increase in the concentration of harmful chemical substances like pesticides or hard metals in the bodies
of living organisms at each trophic level of a food chain.
Background Information
History of Plastic Pollution
One of the greatest inventions ever introduced to mankind is the invention of plastic. Plastic has
revolutionized every aspect of our world. It’s inception began during the mid-1800’s when chemists all
over the world began experimenting with a substance known as rubber. The first man to produce plastic
in a laboratory was Alexander Parkes (1813 - 1890), who was a metallurgist and inventor from England.
He spent almost all of his life working on rubberizing items using various methods, and in 1950 he finally
managed to produce a man-made plastic called Parkesine which was made by combination of organic
materials found in cellulose and other substances. He immediately saw that plastic had much better
abilities than rubber– it could be produced in large quantities through industrialization, easily molded
when hot, and sturdy and durable when cooled. Eventually plastic evolved to the substance we know
today, and it is used vastly in our everyday lives.
Importance of Plastic
Plastic has moulded the modern world and transformed the quality of life. Plastic is used in many
items like plastic bags, cups, bottles, toys, etc. but it’s because of the use of plastic in such an array of
items that plastic has achieved its cult status. There is no human activity where plastics do not play a key
role from clothing to shelter, transportation to communications and, entertainment to health care. Due to
its many desirable properties such as being lightweight, having high strength and, its ease of processing,
plastic meets a large share of the material needs of man at a comparatively lesser cost. From practically
zero during the beginning of the 20th century, humankind today consumes more than 150 million tons of
plastics per year. Growing population, changing consumer habits, and increased material consumption
has put severe pressure on our natural resources and fragile eco-systems. The material needs of our
population are growing and plastics offer a cost effective alternative.
Impact of Plastic Pollution
What would modern life be like without plastic? According to the United Nations Environmental
Programme, global plastic consumption has gone from 5.5 million tons in the 1950s to 110 million tons in
2009. That number is only expected to increase in the next coming years. Plastic pollution is indeed a
pressing issue which plagues every facet of an ecosystem. Marine debris, 70% of which is plastic, is
negatively affecting more than 800 marine species and causing serious losses to many countries’
economies, according to a United Nations report released on the sidelines of the UN Biodiversity
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Conference. Marine and coastal species - fish, seabirds, marine mammals, and reptiles - are affected by
marine debris mostly through ingestion or entanglement. According to the report, 40% of cetaceans, and
44%of seabird species are affected by marine debris ingestion. The effect of ingestion is not always
understood, as many ingest microplastics - little pieces of fragments that are less than five millimetres in
diameter. Marine debris has an adverse effect in the commercial fishing, shipping, and tourism
industries. The report also notes that previous research places the cost of plastic pollution caused by
marine debris at $13 billion. Some of the cost includes repairing vessel damage, clean-up, and decrease
in tourism revenues due to polluted beaches. There are also social impacts such as direct, short-term
human health issues (injuries, entanglement, and navigational hazards), and long-term impacts on
quality of life.
Major Countries and Organizations Involved
China
China is the world’s largest consumer and producer of plastic, making it one the largest
perpetrators of the problem. China is single handedly responsible for over 30% of the plastic clogging the
world’s oceans. Throughout its rise to economic prominence, China has manufactured and exported a
huge amount of plastic products, eventually becoming the world’s largest plastic producer in 2013. More
recently, China’s domestic consumption of plastics has skyrocketed as well. Reasons for this can be
outlined to a certain extent. An exploding population, changing consumer habits, poor waste collection
and management, and general attitudes towards proper waste disposal have caused China’s plastic
footprint to be blown to such proportions. Despite a ban on plastic bags which was implemented in 2008,
plastic production wasn’t curbed to a great extent leading to the lifting of the ban, which sparked uproar
from environmentalists across the globe.
Indonesia
Indonesia comes a close second to being the largest contributor to plastic wastes in oceans. Indonesia
dumps a whopping 3.2 million tonnes (and increasing) of plastic waste into the oceans every year,
making it one of the biggest offenders. With its rapid industrialization, rampant urbanization, and
booming population, Indonesia presents all the strong factors leading to plastic creation. Indonesia’s
90,000 modern retailers—mini markets, convenience stores and hypermarkets distribute nearly 10 billion
plastic bags annually in a country of about 250 million people, according to the Ministry of Environment
and Forestry. Those bags often end up littering roadsides, choking marine life like turtles and
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contributing to floods by clogging waterways and riverbanks. Environmental groups estimate that
Jakarta’s Ciliwung River has plastic bags embedded in the soil up to three meters deep. Proper waste
disposal and management are often deprioritized due to high levels of poverty and weak, underresourced governance.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is responsible for
coordinating international cooperation to issues such as marine pollution. Under the UNESCO’s aegis,
the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development helped to address issues of ocean pollution
leading to the effective implementation of relevant conventions adopted in the framework of the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) and recognition of the importance of the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea in providing the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable
use of the oceans and their resources.
United Nations - Oceans (UN-Oceans)
The United Nations High-Level Committee on Programmes approved the creation of an Oceans and
Coastal Areas Network (now UN-Oceans) to cover a wide range of issues associated with oceans. UNOceans is concerned with the strengthening and promotion of United Nations system activities related to
ocean and coastal areas. Under UN-Oceans, falls the working and functioning of several task forces
such as the Task Force on Marine Protected Areas and Other Area-based Management Tools.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The Environmental Protection Agency was created mainly for the purpose of protecting human health
and the environment by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress. Although
an american based organization, it has had a major impact on regions all over the world. With the help of
other organizations, the EPA hopes that all environmental issues we face in our world today are
thoroughly dealt with to ensure a safe and secure environment for all humans.
Timeline of Events
Date
Description of event
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1950
First man-made plastic called Parkesine was invented by Alexander Parkes
1969
Plastic trash bags began replacing metal trash cans
1975
Big businesses such as Sears and JCPenney made the switch to plastic bags
1996
Plastic bags become ubiquitous as 80% of grocery bags are plastic
Algalita Marine Research Foundation begins to document what it refers to as
1997
the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch”
192 coastal countries generated 275 million tonnes of waste, of which around
2010
12.7 million tonnes entered the oceans.
According to the World Economic Forum, at current production rates, plastics in
2016
the ocean will outweigh fish by 2050.
Relevant UN Treaties and Events
●
The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea/MARPOL (Part VIII, Section 2,
Articles 117-120)
●
The 1972 London Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and
Other Matter
●
The 1973/1978 International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
●
The 1992 Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic/The
OSPAR Convention
●
The 2011 Honolulu Strategy
Previous Attempts to solve the Issue
Various organizations, be it international, national, governmental, or intergovernmental, have
coordinated cooperation and action to try and curb the issue of marine pollution and to prevent it from
exacerbating. The many departments of the United Nations such as the UNESCO and UNEP, through
their many treaties and conventions on marine litter have provided frameworks and regulations, which
are legally binding to its signatories, to tackle this issue. Similarly, national organizations like the United
States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have collaborated with the International Maritime
Organization to develop and implement legal standards that address marine pollution and ocean
dumping. EPA has also worked with the United Nations Caribbean Environment Program based in
Jamaica, focusing on reducing land-based sources of marine pollution, including in the Gulf of Mexico
and the wider Caribbean region. The European Union too have been extensively involved in the fight
against marine pollution. The EU’S participation in combatting marine pollution has been ensured
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through its marine pollution preparedness and response services provided by the European Maritime
Safety Agency (EMSA).
Possible Solutions
While action against marine pollution is widespread and rampant, what most solutions lack is proper
enforcement. The further deepening and implementation of various agreements, both existing and
current, in all countries, especially major offenders, is necessary for international action of any
magnitude to work. Development of waste disposal and management infrastructure within regional and
national levels is absolutely imperative for countries with poor waste management. While increased
awareness campaigns for the public to prevent marine pollution is important, proper management of
waste fails to address the increasing levels of consumption of resources which affect production rates of
packaging and disposable goods. But reducing and preventing the generation of plastic products as
much as possible reduces the amount of money needed for controlling and managing waste in oceans.
Prevention is both cost-effective and better for the environment.
Bibliography
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Appendix or Appendices
I.
https://www.cbd.int/doc/publications/cbd-ts-83-en.pdf (Marine Debris: Understanding, Preventing
and Mitigating the Significant Adverse Impacts on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity)
Provides an in-depth analysis on marine debris and the tools and approaches available to tackle
the issue of marine pollution.
II.
http://www.seaturtle.org/plasticpollution/MTN129p1-4.pdf (Plastic Pollution: An Ocean
Emergency)
Helps to understand the problem of plastic pollution in water bodies while also managing to develop and
construct effective means to prevent plastic pollution in our oceans.
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