Written question asked by Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour) on Thursday, 23 October 2014, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 6 November 2014. It was answered by Lord De Mauley (Conservative) on Thursday, 6 November 2014 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Plastics: Seas and Oceans

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what actions they are taking to deal with plastic waste in the ocean through international co-operation, including programmes such as the United Nations Environmental Programme, the Intergovernmental Oceanic Commission and the International Maritime Organisation.

Answer: The primary focus of the UK’s international cooperation on marine litter is the OSPAR convention for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic. In June 2014, OSPAR contracting parties agreed a regional action plan on marine litter. This plan fulfils requirements of the EU’s marine strategy framework directive for EU Member States to work together to address marine litter, and contributes to United Nations Environment Programme’s global partnership on marine litter. The UK also works within the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which has banned the discharge of plastic from shipping under MARPOL Annex V since 1988, and keeps MARPOL and its other Conventions under review.

Secondary information