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Oceans and fisheries
News announcement20 September 2018Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

#EUBeachCleanUp campaign goes global!

On the occasion of World Cleanup Day, some 50 EU delegations and representations are teaming up with NGOs, embassies, schools and volunteer networks to organise beach clean activities across the world.

Every year, some 8 million tons of plastic enter the sea. That rubbish is there to stay. Made to last, plastic can survive hundreds of years in the ocean environment. As it slowly degrades, plastic marine litter turns into microplastics, becomes ingested by animals and in turn enters the human food chain.

The EU is determined to solve this issue once and for all. The European Commission has recently launched legal proposals to curb marine litter from single-use plastics, as well as from derelict fishing gear. Through the various EU funds, innovative projects to reduce, reuse or recycle marine litter get EU support. Also in international forums such as the G7 and the UN, the EU is taking the lead and encouraging other countries to take action.

But public policy and legislation alone cannot solve this problem. Indeed, a clean ocean is the responsibility of all. Our way of purchasing and consuming, and of getting rid of our waste affects the entire planet.

By cleaning beaches, riversides and even cities, the EU representations and delegations (its embassies in EU and non-EU countries, respectively) want to send a strong statement. Let’s solve this issue now, together!

The #EUBeachCleanup campaign started on 11 September in Fiji and will end on 27 October in Singapore, a few days before the Our Ocean 2018 conference in Bali. Curious to find out if an event is organised in your country? Check #EUBeachCleanup on Twitter or Instagram, or send an e-mail to MARE-COMMUNICATIONatec [dot] europa [dot] eu!

Details

Publication date
20 September 2018
Author
Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries