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World Oceans Day – help turn the tide of plastic pollution

news release

People are being urged to mark World Oceans Day today [8 June] by helping to reduce the tsunami of plastic waste pouring into our seas.

Friends of the Earth is also encouraging people to join the thousands who are taking part in #PlasticFreeFriday. Read our hints, tips and information to help people avoid plastic

  • Up to 12m tonnes of plastic ends up in the sea each year, weighing the same as about 60,000 fully-grown blue whales. This includes tiny bits of plastic from cosmetics, bathroom products and tyres.
  • Each cycle of a washing machine could release more than 700,000 microscopic plastic fibres into the environment.
  • 700 or so marine species have been found entangled in plastic.

Friends of the Earth plastic campaigner Julian Kirby said:

“Urgent measures are needed to turn the tide of plastic pollution that’s flowing into our seas and harming our wildlife.

“With a few simple choices we can all make a difference by avoiding plastic and switching to less harmful alternatives instead.

“Government and industry have started to wake up to the plastic problem – but the steps taken so far are just drops in the ocean compared to the problem we face.

“Ultimately, to get ourselves out of this pollution crisis we need a government action plan to phase-out all but the most essential plastics.”

Read Friends of the Earth campaigner Rosie Cotgreave’s five simple tips for avoiding plastic

Over 70,000 people have so far signed a Friends of the Earth petition demanding new plans to dramatically reduce the plastic pouring into our oceans

 

 

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