Tackling single-use plastic items in the Mediterranean

Overall, plastics are estimated to account for around 95% of the waste in the open sea, on the seabed and on beaches across the Mediterranean. In the Mediterranean, it is estimated an annual plastic leakage of 229,000 tonnes, made up of 94% macroplastics and 6% microplastics [1]. The scope of this paper is to support the development of policy measures and guidelines to reduce/prevent the negative impacts associated with Single Use Plastics (SUP), by presenting information on the production, consumption, end of life management and impacts associated with selected SUP items across the Mediterranean region at present and illustrating the potential effects of different policy measures to reduce these impacts in the Mediterranean context. The research and analysis presented focuses on key SUPs in four Mediterranean countries, namely: beverage bottles, inc. caps and lids; food containers (bowls, clamshells, trays); straws; and cigarette filters in Greece, Egypt, Morocco and Montenegro. The design of policy measures to eliminate or reduce the consumption of problematic single use plastics must, inter alia, take into account the necessity for the item in question, and, where relevant, the availability of alternative products and systems to switch to [2]. The overall recommendations to consider for the policy guidelines, cover: improving waste collection/ separation – particularly along coastal areas and waterways; the use of bans and levies of SUP products to maximise effect; ensuring implementation of Deposit-Refund Systems (DRS) for beverage containers to support increased recycling rates, reduced littering of deposit-bearing containers, a reliable supply of high-quality recycled material, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants; and increased employment.