Issue 5: INC-3 Plastic Treaty Negotiations
INC-3 Plastic Treaty Negotiations
RETHINKING THE FUTURE OF SINGLE-USE PLASTIC
Catchgreen attended the Third Session of the INC Plastic Treaty Negotiations in Nairobi and was invited by SMEP project partners UNCTAD to speak at a pre-event on “Trade and development aspects of plastic pollution mitigation measures, non-plastic substitutes, and plastic alternatives”. Catchgreen was able to present updates from the piloting of the biodegradable ropes for seaweed farming and preliminary findings on the added benefits of increased growth in warmer sea temperatures. Catchgreen, together with piloting partner KMFRI, had the opportunity to display the biodegradable nets and ropes, emphasising the importance of allowing for innovation and new product development within the framework of the plastic treaty.
Plastic Alternative Working Group
The PlasticTreaty should recognise the need for plastic alternatives and allow for innovation.
It is essential to differentiate between different plastic alternatives, to communicate their different benefits, and to label them properly to ensure they are used for the right applications and end up in the right waste management stream,
There is a need to harmonise certification and demand testing, to ensure zero microplastics and toxins leaking into the environment.
Each new application in alternative plastics should be tested in the environment where it will be used.
Preferred applications in plastic alternatives include agriculture, fisheries, and problem plastics that cannot be recycled.
The lack of information and unfortunate greenwashing foster skepticism and lobbying against plastic alternatives.
PROBLUE
LOST AT SEA
Catchgreen participated in the World Bank PROBLUE pre-event “Lost at Sea: Combating Abandoned, Lost, and otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear”. Building on the momentum from INC-2 to inform the zero draft on the life cycle of fishing gear, the event showcased new work from key partners and facilitated a great discussion on actions needed from production to use to the end-of-life stages of fishing gear. Glen Wilson from UNCTAD shared updates on Catchgreen’s piloting of biodegradable fishing gear by piloting partners KMFRI. Dr. Susan Imende from the Kenyan State Department for Fisheries, Aquaculture, and the Blue Economy shared a perspective on the use of biodegradable nets and ropes as a solution to ALDFG in Kenya.
Fishing gear ropes and twine for aquaculture account for up to 27% of African marine litter. These become “ghost nets” when accidentally lost, abandoned, or discarded in the marine environment, continuing to catch both target and non-target species; entangling and killing marine animals, imposing danger to boat operations, damaging coral reefs and seabed and presenting a safety hazard for ocean users.
Biodegradable fishing gear can reduce the incidents and duration of “ghost fishing”. If lost or dumped, the biodegradable fishing gear, due to the high density of the biodegradable material, will sink to the bottom of the sea, where the richness of microorganisms on the ocean floor speeds up the biodegradation process. The end-product of this biodegradation process is biomass that contains no traceable toxins or microplastics.
ALDFG in Africa
The impacts of ALDFG are particularly concerning on the African continent, given that more than 200 million people in Africa rely on fish for high- quality low-cost protein and approximately 12 million people are employed in the fishing sector.
The impacts of ALDFG pose a serious threat to food security, long-term economic growth, the viability of marine ecosystems, and the development of a vibrant and productive blue economy.
Old and discarded fishing nets contribute to the stockpiling of plastics in landfills where they take up to 1000 years to decompose, leaching potentially toxic substances into the soil and water.
