Why does this matter? Plastic pollution is one of the gravest threats to marine environments, aquatic biodiversity, and the communities and industries that rely on the planet’s oceans. Despite this, plastic production, consumption, and pollution continue to rise, with the world consuming four times more plastic than it did in the 1990s.

The IMO’s appeal to the fishery and shipping sectors is crucial as these industries contribute significantly to marine pollution. For example, 640,000 tonnes of lost or discarded fishing gear – known as “ghost gear” – enter the ocean annually, accounting for around 10% of global marine plastic pollution.

Shipping, on the other hand, is responsible for large amounts of microplastic pollution, often via spills of plastic pellets.

Alongside the IMO’s proposed anti-plastic pollution alliance, several national governments have taken decisive action.

Barbados, a state that is disproportionately impacted by plastic pollution, launched a new National Action Plan in July aimed at reducing plastic pollution by 73% over the next decade.

Action was taken after the UN-endorsed Plastic Drawdown tool revealed that 500 tonnes of plastic had seeped into the Barbadian environment in one year, heavily polluting the island’s seas.

Five key policies form the basis of the National Action Plan. Among these, a ban on single-use plastic bags, a relaunch of the country’s plastic bottle return scheme, and improvements in the separation of recyclables.

Fiji also banned single-use plastic in 2021 as it fights its own battle against marine plastic pollution, of which just 28% originated from the Pacific Island.

Despite the emergence of meaningful action on a regional and industrial level, international plastic treaty progress has been frustratingly slow. In March 2022 at the UN Environment Assembly, 175 nations committed to formulating a legally binding treaty aimed at tackling the full life cycle of plastics.

The aim was to have a legally binding agreement focused on curbing plastic pollution agreed upon by 2024 or 2025. A draft has since been drawn up, but significant differences over the treaty’s scope remain.

Fossil fuel-producing nations argue that recycling and clean-up are the solution. However, the 127 members of the “High Ambition Coalition” propose more stringent production curbs and restrictions on their use in certain products.

While the global community struggles to mount a coordinated attack on marine plastic pollution, innovative companies, such as Novelplast, are developing solutions. Instead of a waste product, the company treats used plastic as a valuable resource by upcycling used PET and polyester feedstocks into recycled products.

With the plastic production industry expected to double in capacity by 2040, re-evaluating society’s perception of plastic from a single to multi-use material is key to reducing pollution levels.

Bureo is another firm championing a similar mindset by converting abandoned fishing nets into high-quality fabrics. The company has established collection initiatives in six countries, successfully recycling over 4.5 million kg of nets since 2013.

As plastic continues to pollute the planet’s oceans, the tireless work of innovative companies, industry groups, and regional governments hold the key to ensuring meaningful reductions to marine plastic pollution. The world’s oceans cannot wait for world leaders to reach an agreement.