Turkey Becomes Permanent Member of World Plastics Council, Marine Litter Tops Agenda

  PAGEV, as a permanent member, participated in the meeting of the Global Plastics Alliance, which represents 52 member countries and the global plastics industry valued at USD 1.2 trillion, held in Malaysia. PAGEV, which conducts work for waste-free seas in Turkey, will take a role in the management of the Global Action Team on environmental pollution alongside the EU and the USA. The Global Plastics Alliance (GPA), representing 52 countries from seven continents, convened on 13-15 December under the host of the Malaysia Plastics Industry Association. Turkish Plastics Manufacturers Foundation (PAGEV) was invited to the meeting as a permanent member from Turkey. Working for waste-free seas in Turkey through the Happy Fish project, PAGEV will now fight alongside the EU and the USA in the management of the Global Action Team on environmental pollution. PAGEV, among 70 plastic industry organizations that signed the declaration initiated at the 5th International Marine Litter Conference held in March 2011, acknowledges their important role in combating marine debris and works to contribute to sustainable solutions. The global declaration accepted by all associations has six focal points: creating policies in public-private partnerships, research, developing science-based policies, raising awareness on waste management, recycling and energy recovery, and material conservation.

Threat Growing at Sea

Worldwide, efforts to create a sustainable and clean environment prove insufficient as a result of development levels and population growth. Global coastlines, particularly, are polluted by terrestrial waste carelessly abandoned into the environment. Plastic packaging waste is among the factors causing this pollution. Research shows that waste volumes will reach much larger proportions by 2025. According to experts, while China's population will increase 3.7 percent by 2025 compared to 2010, plastic waste causing pollution will rise by over 100 percent, from 8.82 million metric tons to 17.81 million metric tons. China will thus pose the greatest threat to the world. What needs to be done for clean seas and a sustainable environment is implementing the correct waste management system and recycling quality waste. Waste does not accumulate on a single country's coastlines but spreads across coastlines worldwide through waves and currents. While waste from Turkish seas pollutes other countries' beaches, waste from other countries also threatens Turkey's coastlines. In this regard, waste storage facilities should be located away from sea coasts. Moreover, waste floating from one shore to another in the oceans is broken down into very small pieces by solar radiation and the mechanical effect of waves and disappears from sight. However, waste merely disappears; it is not eliminated. The real major threat begins here. Fish eat these small pieces, and we eat the fish. Therefore, the scale of the threat extends to human health.

PAGEV, wishing to stop this stated threat, decided with the European Plastics Converters (EuPC), of which it is a member, to launch the "Waste Free Oceans" movement.

Launched in 2011 and rapidly growing in a short time, Waste Free Oceans combats the growing waste problem in seas while also undertaking the mission of uniting the fishing sector, international plastics sector, and other key institutions around a common purpose. Within the framework of the plastics sector's "responsible industry-irresponsible environment" mission, the Waste Free Oceans movement launched in Europe and implemented in Turkey by PAGEV cleaned waste on the surface of the Istanbul Strait with special nets in 2012 and 2014 under the scope of the "Happy Fish" project. It conducted this cleaning not only for plastic waste but to collect all packaging waste. PAGÇEV carried out recycling operations of the collected waste. Energy savings were also achieved by using waste that could not be recycled as fuel in cement plants. Through the Happy Fish project, PAGEV, aiming to highlight that plastics like all waste carry economic value and to raise awareness on recycling, seeks to set an example for all other sectors for a sustainable environment.

Speaking at the Global Plastics Alliance meeting, PAGEV Chairman Yavuz Eroğlu stated, "As Turkey's plastics industry, we rank 6th globally and 2nd in Europe. Through our active work not only in commercial matters but also on environmental issues, we support sustainable development.

We are greatly pleased to have been invited to the Global Plastics Alliance. As Turkey, we will endeavor to advance the contribution we make to the global plastics sector through both our commercial and environmental activities. We are particularly pleased to have drawn attention through our Happy Fish project aiming for waste-free seas and our PAGÇEV work. In this context, we were selected as Turkey's representative to the Global Action Plan Team alongside the United States and the European Union as permanent members of the Global Plastics Alliance representing 52 countries. We aim to create common country policies to represent the global plastics sector at the United Nations. Since the problem of marine litter being carried to other countries by currents and waves has taken on an international dimension, a solution must be found through global action plan and cooperation. We must all work together for this," he said. Noting that merely cleaning a country's own coastlines is not sufficient, Yavuz Eroğlu stated, "Research indicates that the scope of the threat will continue to increase. In fact, 53 percent of waste in Turkish seas originates from external sources. Our country is surrounded by seas on three sides and unfortunately, we bear a large share of waste from other countries. Wars in our region, damage to countries' infrastructure, and shifting priorities cause marine waste to increase. There are numerous irregular solid waste storage facilities near Mediterranean coasts in Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt, and these facilities urgently need to be regulated or closed. On the other hand, China also poses a threat to our country. We must take immediate measures in view of this situation. Moving to a fully integrated waste management system through international cooperation is the only solution to clean marine waste and prevent new waste from forming," he said.