IMO's work to address marine debris, plastics and microplastics

Dr. Stefan Micallef Director, MARINE ENVIRONMENT DIVISION

Presentation at ICP 17, 13-17 June 2016

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Shipping affects us all

• More than 80% of world trade carried by sea

• Raw materials and commodities • Finished goods • Food • Fuel

• Underpins global economy

• Safe, secure and environmentally friendly

transport system

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• A specialized agency of the United Nations • The IMO Convention was adopted in 1948 and IMO first met in 1959 • 171 member States • Develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory framework for shipping • Safe, secure and efficient shipping on cleaner oceans

International Maritime Organization

MARINE ENVIRONMENT DIVISION

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Technical work of IMO - Environmental issues

Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC)

Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR) Evaluation of safety and pollution hazards of liquid substances in bulk transported by ships; control and management of harmful aquatic organisms in ships' ballast water and sediments, and biofouling; prevention of air pollution from ships; consideration of impact of Black Carbon on the Arctic; and pollution preparedness, response and cooperation for oil and hazardous and noxious substances.

Sub-Committees under MEPC and MSC Sub-Committee on Implementation of IMO Instruments (III) Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC)

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London Convention and Protocol Dumping of wastes and other matter at sea

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Harm by marine debris

In addition to the environmental and health problem posed by marine litter, garbage and plastics is a costly and dangerous problem for shipping, as a navigational hazard and from entanglement in propellers, rudders etc.

Photo credit: NOAA Marine Debris Photo credit: Henrick Lindström Programme website

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IMO’s work on marine debris, plastics and microplastics covers several areas

• International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, (now known universally as MARPOL)

• MARPOL Annex V - Prevention of pollution by garbage from ships • London Convention and Protocol

• Prevention of dumping of wastes at sea

• Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP)

• Understanding the science

• Working with others stakeholders

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MARPOL Annex V - Prevention of pollution by garbage from ships

• Revised MARPOL Annex V was adopted in 2011 by IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) by resolution MEPC.201(62)

• Entered into force on 1 January 2013

• MARPOL Annex V prohibits the discharge of all types of garbage into the sea from ships except in the cases explicitly permitted under the Annex

• Provides a ban on discharging or dumping plastics from ships.

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Flag States

• Ensuring that their ships are in compliance with regulations

Port States

• Verifying that ships calling their ports are in compliance

Coastal States • Special rights and obligations in terms of its EEZ, contiguous zone, and

Territorial Sea to safeguard its resources

• Right of innocent passage

General Framework For Implementation/Enforcement – whose role?

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Special Areas under MARPOL

• Adoption of special mandatory methods for the prevention of sea pollution may be required due to technical reasons, relating to their oceanographical and ecological condition and sea traffic

• Under MARPOL, these areas are provided with a higher level of protection than other areas of the sea

• Currently eight sea areas are designated as Special Areas under MARPOL Annex V:

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• the Mediterranean Sea (1 May 2009)

• the Baltic Sea (1 October 1989) • the Black Sea (not entered into

effect) • the Red Sea (not entered into effect) • the “Gulfs” area (1 August 2008)

• the North Sea (18 February 1991) • the Wider Caribbean region

including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea (a May 2011)

• the Antarctic area (17 March 1992)

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Regulating dumping of wastes at sea – London Convention and Protocol

• The 1972 London Convention regulates the dumping of wastes and other matter at sea

• In 1996, the more stringent London Protocol was adopted, prohibiting all dumping except for possibly acceptable wastes on the so-called "reverse list"

• The extent and nature of marine litter in the waste streams regulated under the LC/LP is being reviewed in a study commissioned under the GPML

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Joint Group of Experts on Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection - GESAMP • Sponsored by nine UN agencies

• ‘Sources, fate and effects of microplastics in the

marine environment: a global assessment’ (Working Group 40)

• GESAMP has developed unique experience,

providing one of the first, comprehensive global assessments of microplastics in the marine environment (Reports & Studies No.90, published in 2015)

• Second report in June/July 2016.

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Working with other organizations and stakeholders

• Several of the issues related to

marine litter fall within the boundaries of several mandates and organizations

• IMO is one of the partners in the

UNEP-managed Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML)

• Co-leading on sea-based sources of

marine litter together with FAO.

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Thank you for listening www.imo.org