Australia publishes a draft of plastic waste to reduce marine waste

        Marine wastes (especially plastics) pose a threat to marine life through wind, ingestion and pollution. In response to the impact of marine waste on marine invertebrates, the Australian Senate issued a survey on the threat of marine plastic pollution in Australia in April 2016 and has since drawn up the plan.

        The draft says the effects of marine waste have been found in seabirds, turtles, cetaceans, sharks and other Australian marine organisms, including many as endangered.

        The federal government has consulted the public on the draft plan and will release the final plan on the basis of reasonable feedback.

        The draft contains six major objectives: To study the effect of understanding and mitigating plastic particles and plastic debris, dangerous chemical pollutants monitoring marine waste, to raise public awareness of issues like plastic particulate pollutants, and determine the impact of marine debris on key species and ecosystems.

        A draft system drafted by the Ministry of environment and energy development said that in 2016, a systematic review of the ecological effects of marine waste found that 82% of marine waste was plastic.

Last year, a scientific paper published by Marine Policy found that fishing gear, balloons and plastic bags posed the greatest threat to the marine biota. Plastic bags and cutlery are considered the biggest threat to sea birds, turtles and marine mammals.

        The draft plan said: "the ingestion of plastic debris may cause contaminants, monomers, and plastic additives to be transferred to organisms and have an unknown effect on their health.". "

        The draft cites a 2013 scientific report that found that marine plastics in Australia's waters are mainly plastic particles created by the destruction of larger polyethylene and polypropylene objects.

        The plan shows that policies relating to materials, supply chain, product management, waste management and resource recovery can minimize the amount of residual waste flowing into the ocean.

        It pointed out that a "July ban plastic month" campaign launched by the local government of Western Australia, Perth, is an example of community oriented action aimed at improving the crisis awareness of disposable plastics.

        The initiative encourages the public to refuse the use of disposable plastic in July each year, especially plastic bags, plastic bottles, takeout coffee cups and straws.