Preventing Plastic Pollution in Portsmouth

by Rebecca Cleary

The amount of plastics in our oceans is increasing rapidly. In fact, more than 8 million tonnes of plastic is dumped into our oceans every year. This greatly affects marine wildlife; fish, seabirds, sea turtles and marine mammals can become tangled in or ingest plastic debris. This can cause suffocation, inability to move, starvation and much more, therefore making plastic a huge threat to marine life. The danger posed by plastics in our oceans is huge, and the situation appears to be getting out of hand; Plastic Oceans have said that over 90% of all seabirds have plastic pieces in their stomachs. So, what can we do about it?

One prominent issue in Portsmouth is littering on the beaches. Very often cans, plastic bags and other items can be seen along the beach, and it is sad to think that many of these items will end up being swept away by the tide and into the sea, potentially harming animals that live in the sea or get their food from it.

There are some ways in which we already try to reduce plastic waste entering the oceans, by supporting organisations that promote eco-friendly living, or by recycling properly. There are a number of opportunities in Portsmouth to help reduce plastic ending up in the sea, for example, beach cleans. Artist Peter Codling drew attention to the issue by creating a giant fish statue which has been displayed in many areas around Portsmouth, encouraging people to put their plastic bottles inside it, so they can be recycled properly and raise awareness of the issue.

However, to make a real difference, we need to tackle the issue at its source. Shops are beginning to phase out plastic bags, however, the food that we buy tends to be in plastic packaging, much of it unnecessary. If we can encourage our supermarkets to put pressure on their suppliers to provide food with as little plastic packaging as possible, then there will be less plastic that people can leave on the beach, and from that, less in the oceans.