UK Commits £61.4m Funding to Combat Marine Plastic Litter

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The UK Government has announced £61.4m in funding to fight the threats of rising plastic pollution in the world’s oceans. The funding will boost world-wide research activities aimed at reducing plastic waste. It will also assist countries across the Commonwealth to stop plastic waste from entering the seas. The announcement to this effect was made by British Prime Minister Theresa May ahead of the Commonwealth heads of Government meeting to be held in London next week.

The UK government has announced that several countries such as New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Ghana have joined the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance (CCOA) in their fight against marine plastic pollution. The Alliance aims to eliminate avoidable plastic waste through a series of concrete measures including fresh commitments to reduce usage of single-use disposable plastic bags and a complete ban on microbeads. The announced £61.4m funding is intended to boost these efforts.

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According to Michael Gove, Environment Secretary, the Alliance will promote UK’s microbeads ban and 5p plastic bag fee among other Commonwealth countries as well as in countries across the globe. The developing countries that are part of the Alliance will be offered full support in improving waste management systems and implementing innovative initiatives to stop plastic waste from entering oceans.

Out of the £61.4m funding, £25m will be used to assist global research activities. £20m will be used to curb plastic generation in developing countries and prevent it from entering the oceans. The balance £16.4m will be utilized towards improving waste management infrastructure and technologies at national and city level so as to stop plastic from entering waterways. In addition, the government has also announced funding of up to £5m through the UK Aid Match scheme to tackle plastic waste.