BIMCO calls for plan to minimize plastic waste entering the ocean
Overview
BIMCO is calling for an action plan to ensure that adequate facilities for plastic waste disposal and processing for recycling are available ashore, as such facilities are a prerequisite for preventing plastic from entering the ocean when delivered to port reception facilities by the ships.
The proposal has been submitted by BIMCO in co-operation with the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), INTERTANKO and the World Shipping Council (WSC) to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London.
Dumping plastic into the ocean from ships has been banned since 1 January 1989 and to keep the ban effective, port reception and treatment facilities ashore should be equipped to handle plastic waste in an environmentally sound manner.
“The responsibility to avoid ship generated plastic waste ending up in the sea is a responsibility that we must all share. Therefore, BIMCO is seeking engagement from all stakeholders to address the entire process of handling plastic waste from ship to shore,”says BIMCO Deputy Secretary General, Lars Robert Pedersen.
Garbage management and collection onboard ships should be followed by subsequent destruction or recycling after being delivered to port reception facilities.
Following up on the fact that many shipping companies already have implemented procurement procedures to minimize plastic coming aboard, the co-sponsors also propose that the IMO should consider the minimization of non-biodegradable plastic packaging and dunnage used onboard ships and review best management practices associated with this process.
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Posted:
11 October 2018
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