Press Release: Environment: How can we reduce marine litter?

The seas and oceans are increasingly becoming the waste dump of the planet. Plastic waste forms 80% of the enormous waste patches in the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, with fatal consequences for numerous sea species.

As of 18 October 2013, the European Commission is asking for opinions on how this problem can be addressed best. The public consultation is open until 18 December 2013 and aims at understanding stakeholders’ views on a range of actions and policies which could be undertaken in order to tackle the problem of marine litter. The results of the consultation will be used as one of the bases for formulating a Union-wide quantitative headline reduction target for marine litter.