Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697635067044.pdf (Australia)
Date: 10th September, 2015 Committee Secretary Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications PO Box 6100 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Dear Secretary, Submission to current Senate inquiry into the threat of marine plastic pollution in Australia Thank you for this opportunity to provide a submission to this important inquiry.

The problems and threats posed by all marine debris - flotsam and jetsam, in particular toxic plastic debris, are a great concern to me.
I trust this committee shares my concerns and that you will act decisively and recommend urgent action to overcome this growing local and global issue.

I am a new Australian (since 1988) and have adopted the prevailing culture and love of sun, sea and beaches.

I visit these sacred places as often as I can.

It saddens me to see the beaches and seashore are covered in plastic pollution and the worst offenders to me are plastic bottles and bags.
In fact, I feel, so strongly about this that I round up offending plastic items that I find littering the streets of Sydney, as I go about daily life.

There is so much plastic bag litter lying in the streets, gutters and public eating places, parks and the sea shore.
In a country that so prides itself on recycling and sustainability it never ceases to amaze me how Australians can be so tardy about discarding plastic when plastic recycling and garbage bins are so readily available in our streets and parks or near eateries and malls.

My small effort to reduce the ever growing ocean plastic islands is to boycott use of plastic bags and take my own shopping bags for my daily or weekly shopping.
The natural fibre bags are the best but supermarkets do offer a range of alternates but sadly some of these are made from plastic-based materials that also take 1,000s of years to breakdown.

I minimise my purchase of plastic items to those that are recycled by the local Council - eg - grade 6 and under.

So not only do I read food ingredient labels I read the packaging recycling information too before I purchase.

I even check out the packaging - is it plastic, polystyrine or recycled paper?
I know this is time consuming but I can only do what one person can do and this does make a small difference.

If I can do this so can everyone.

It makes a bigger impact when every one person on this planet makes discerning purchases and discards plastic rubbish appropriately.

We Australians love our surf, sun and sea but why are we so reckless in preserving our unique and beautiful marine environment from plastic pollution?
My first real information on the threat and danger posed by plastic bag pollution was as part of a Clean Up Australia Day team at Chowder Bay, Mosman this year.

I was shocked at how many plastic bags, straws, plastic food tags, bottles and containers were retrieved in the park and from the sea.

I was so disgusted that I researched into the issue of plastic bag pollution here in NSW, Australia and globally.
I have regularly picked up plastic bottles and bags (for over 25 years) for disposal in my landfill garbage at home and the plastic bottles for recycling bins at my home because they will not go out to sea in storm water drainage.

I never understood the true danger Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 142 they represent to marine life.

I collected them first because they were dangerous to car drivers, native animals, domestic pets and children.
The plastic items ultimately went into the sea via stormwater drainage and littered Sydney Harbour.

My campaign now is driven by my new knowledge, which I share.

It is clear, to me, that we have to make our lives less plastic because plastic toxins kill humans, Australian fauna and marine life In Australia some of the plastic issue has been dealt with by plastic waste recycling, plastic bottle container deposits in SA and ban the bag movements.
The reduction of plastic bags locally is reducing the stockpile of marine debris globally.

Of course, this is not enough and more plastic waste reduction must done but it is a start.

It is much easier to start on one item and remove it from consumer use.

These increases awareness and ultimately support from consumers for use of non-plastic and non-threatening alternates,such as natural and sustainable sources.
It is easier to gain public support and awareness by focusing on one item of plastic waste because the complexity of this issue is in the too hard basket for most people.

Once this achieved the campaign on the urgent need to reduce plastic waste issue can be increased The Ban the Bag momentum is popular in NSW and in many communities to ban single-use plastic shopping bags.

South Australia - has done this for ages, the Northern Territory, Tasmania and the A.C.T.
and several towns have already taken the step –with great outcomes for the environment.

On a global level, entire countries including Ireland (Eire), Bangladesh, South Africa and China have either banned plastic shopping bags or implemented a levy to reduce consumption.

California has just come on board as the first US State to introduce a state-wide ban.

NSW lags behind but it seems not for much longer.


As the Government and the consumer aka the market have shown public support for the ban on bags it is time to consolidate on this popular movement.

As a result of this positive public support, Bunnings and some other stores have decided to ban plastic bags on a national Australia-wide basis.

Majors stores already ban the bag in SA, NT and ACT but not Australia-wide.
Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 142 The NSW government is ready to join the ban the bag community by planning to introduce a ban on single use plastic bags as a first step to reduce the serious effects of plastic bag pollution.

It is timely that the Senate enquire into the threat of marine plastic pollution in Australia and has called for public submissions to aid this important endeavour.
I have divided my submission into the following sections, below by asking simple questions and researching the answers from informed scientifically sourced reports on the impact and threats posed by plastic waste from global and Australian research UN, CSIRO, Plastic Bag Free NSW, Earth Times, National Geographic National Litter Index, NAGT/Cutting Edge, Project Green bag, NCC of NSW, SES Sea Education Society and other informed sources.
This is the information on just plastic bag litter which is one part of plastic waste.

How much plastic bag litter is found in Australia?

 Australians use more than 4,000,000,000 plastic checkout-style bags per year.

 Australians throw out more than 7,000 plastic bags per minute.

 In only 4 shopping trips, the average Australian family accumulates 60 plastic bags.
 Each year in Australia, an estimated 50 million plastic bags do not make it to landfill, instead entering the environment…and they never leave because they take over 1,000 years to breakdown and their residue pollutes the ocean water and air and marine life.

Where does this plastic bag and plastic litter come from?

 80% of plastic bags are discarded by individual humans on the mainland.
 On land, the culprits include humans on beaches, piers, harbours, marinas, docks and riverbanks, and municipal landfills located on the coast, as well as rivers, lakes and ponds that are used as illegal dump sites, discharges of untreated municipal sewage and stormwater, industrial facilities, and medical waste.
 20% of plastic arrives in the sea from shipping, off-shore islands, and rigs..  The CSIRO found that around 75% of marine debris is plastic and generated locally  Where it stays in the sea a major report issued two years ago – Marine Litter: A Global Challenge – UNEP details the human actions, accidental or intentional, that are the sources of marine litter.
Ocean-based sources include merchant shipping, cruise liners, fishing vessels and military as well as offshore oil and gas platforms and drilling rigs, and aquaculture.

 The Role Humans Play As quoted by UN Environment Programme Executive Director Achim Steiner, "Marine debris – trash in our oceans – is a symptom of our throw-away Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 142 society and our approach to how we use our natural resources."
Our tendency as humans to be irresponsible about cleaning up after ourselves is about to get us in trouble.

I was horrified by my discoveries when I researched into the following questions: Where does Australian plastic pollution ends up?

Where is it found?

 As plastic pollution stays in the sea and it has formed part of floating islands of debris in in places far apart from Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.

In our region our plastic waste ends up in 3 large plastic islands.
Plastic bags are not flotsam or jetsam or results of tsunami or storms, they are plastic litter that have been discarded by humans.

The 3 islands are known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also know as the Pacific Trash Vortex or gyre, is located in the central North Pacific Ocean and is larger than the state of Texas.

Sadly, much of our Eastern seaboard waste ends up here.

There are also garbage patches with plastic bag waste from western seaboard which ends up in Indian ocean.
There is waste in the Atlantic ocean and Gulf of Mexico too.

Our plastic waste does not just affect us, it is part of the global plastic waste tragedy.

So we have a responsibility to remove plastic waste at home and globally.

In a recent comprehensive CSIRO ocean litter research report concluded that ¾ of all litter is plastic and that by 2050 over 90% of our seabirds would have plastic in their stomachs.

Of our 11,000 Australian beaches not a single one can be declared plastic litter free.
 The extent of the problem of plastic pollution It is global and affects all beaches, seas and oceans and marine life.

  As each year passes the problem grows because plastic bags take over 1,000 years to breakdown..

So plastic bags first used in 1950s will take 950 years less to break down than the ones manufacture in 2000s.

This is approximately 40 generations of human life.

 Since 2000 we have produced more plastic than during the entire 20th century.
Plastic bags began as a fun item greatly used by advertisers in 1950s are now part of a 21st century global nightmare described as the next global ticking bomb by the UN.

 To produce the approximately 4 billion (conservative estimate) plastic bags, Australians used last year, vast amounts of non-renewable fossil fuels were used by the petro-chemical industry.

Millions of bags end up on beaches, in rivers and other parts of our natural environment.
In our own backyard, Lord Howe Island, plastic is killing migrating shearwaters.

In the latest survey last year, one bird’s stomach contained more than 200 pieces of plastic.

More than 70% of the chicks were found to have ingested plastic because their parents regurgitate their food..  Consumption of single use plastic bags (with less than 12 minutes working life) is over 5 billion a year and the amount of plastic bags entering the litter stream each year is likely to be as high as 150 million bags p.a.
Plastic bags can migrate quickly in stormwater, estuaries and seawater by winds, tides and currents and travel long distances, and are often mistaken by marine life for food such as jellyfish.

 How long does is the life of a plastic water or juice bottle after purchase?

Is this bottle tossed or thoughtfully disposed of?

What is thoughtful or appropriate disposal to the average consumer?
 The impacts of marine plastic pollution, including impacts on species and ecosystems, fisheries, small business, and human health: Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 142 o Marine life suffer starvation from ingestion of plastics (mistaken as food such as plankton or jellyfish), illness from toxic chemicals released from ingestion of plastics, entanglement and injury from plastic rubbish with indirect impacts across the food chain up to humans.
Micro- plastics act as sponges for toxic chemicals and last for a long time.

The impact of plastic bag polluting litter  The plastic bag industry is not sustainable because it uses non-renewable fossil fuels..  The average useful lifespan of a plastic bag is 12 minutes.

The plastic bag takes 1,000 years to breakdown.

 The plastic is not a viable commodity but it is easily discardable and this is the core issue.
 As the plastic breaks down it puts toxic waste into the sea and air around it which affects all life for 1,000 years as the plastic bag breaks down in the sea waters.

 The cost in terms of marine and human health and well-being are too numerous to count.

 The damage caused by toxic pollution in the ocean to marine life and humans is an on-going and increasing global marine environmental disaster.

What can be done to reduce this global pollution threat that affects human and marine life?
 The solution is to stop Australian using plastic - banning the bag, is just one initiative.

 To encourage Australians to dispose of their stocks of plastic bags in landfill and plastic bottles in plastic recycling.

 The next solution is to clean up the plastic waste mess on our 11,000 beaches.

 Then clear the plastic waste in oceans - a global Clean Up Our Seas Day, Week or Month on regular 5-10 Year plan and program for as long as it takes.
This is partially addressed by annual Clean Up Australia day events along our seashores and estuaries.

How can we stop the use of plastic and its harmful impact on marine environments and humans?

 The answer is simple by not making plastic items or using them anymore.
 This move is being driven by the consumers and concerned citizens themselves ban the bag campaigns, plastic recycling and financial reward for returning plastic containers - SA, increased use of naturally and sustainably produced alternatives to plastic.
 This can be achieved by media, manufacturers, suppliers, consumers, environmental groups, concerned citizens and Governments - federal, state and local as well as globally by UN, EU or by individual countries in their specific area of oceans - Australasia region,Pacific and Antarctic sea.

All acting to overcome this issue.

 This can be done by Australian public education campaigns.
 Australian Federal and State Governments banning plastic bags through proactive legislation  Enacting existing littering and anti-pollution laws and regulations where necessary - no littering or dumping.

 By removing the plastic waste that currently affects Australians, marine and all human life.
 This can be done by Australian Governments, federal, state and local initiating and co-ordinating Cleaning Up plastic bag litter in their areas through various programs - something like Clean Up Australia Day but on larger and global scale.

 Lobbying for this clean up to become a global and UN initiative with aid for poorer countries or island nations to Clean Up their seas.
It will take individual environmentally-minded boat Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 142 owners, marine environmental organisations and research organisations (J. Cousteau) and universities, naval and maritime fleets plus volunteers to combine their efforts to remove this waste and dispose of it appropriately.

Basically we need to encourage a global Dunkirk spirit to overcome this disaster.

 How about a world annual ocean clean up day or week?
Earth Hour is successful and popular.

It is easier to set financial budgets for this task than to provide funding for 365 days per year for decades.

Removing plastic in the form of bags from daily use has already begun  Environmental groups and some grocery and retail chains encourage customers to bring their own  pre-used plastic bags.

A small step move from one-time use to multiple usage.
In NSW large supermarkets (Coles and Woolies) encourage customers to bring their own non- plastic bags and sell alternate shopping bags.

 Large supermarket chains offer alternate shopping bags - natural fibre bags are best.

 Charge customers to purchase plastic bags - Aldi charges customers 10c per bag to discourage the use of plastic bags.

 Stores in SA reward customers for bringing in their own shopping bags with loyalty points or discounts.
 Stores in NSW (eg Coles) have places for customers to return unused plastic shopping bag for other customers to use or for disposal in landfill.

Some stores use 'biodegradable plastic bags'.

These breakdown faster than conventional bags but are these toxic?

 The current supply of plastic bags must be regularly recycled and put into landfill rather than dumped on city streets to end up in seas,oceans, on shore, or brought indirectly to the sea by rivers, sewage, stormwater or winds.
My main concerns are about harm to the environment, wildlife and human health  Plastic bag litter kills tens of thousands of birds, whales, sea otters, seals and turtles every year.

 They can die from suffocation, entanglement.

and toxic pollution.

 Plastic is killing more than 100,000 sea turtles and birds a year from ingestion and entanglement.

 Toxic pollution from plastic bag breakdown contaminates the sea around it.
As plastic bags float and are found at the surface of the sea so they contaminate the air around them too.

 Plastic bags break down and are confused with sea food by fish and ends up in the in the stomachs of seabirds which kill them.

It kills their chicks because they are fed this contaminated food.

 Other marine life, such as scavengers eat the carcasses and they too are poisoned and die.

 Contaminated marine life has a shorter life span and long lingering death.
 This decreases their already stressed populations as it lowers fish stocks and threatens large scale marine species with extinction and ultimately humanity as we are at the top of the food chain.

No food, no life.

Impact on human health Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 142  We are currently being encouraged to reduce our red meat intake and eat healthier foods or become vegeterian or vegan.

If the marine food source is toxic - how can we eat it?.
 Plastic bags suffocate marine animals and humans too - there are manufacturers' warnings cautioning us not to leave plastic near toddlers or babies or pets.

 The media and nutritionists advise us seafood is the healthiest food choice for us as it has omega-3 fatty acids and is a rich source of vitamin D. It is an antioxcidant and protects our bodies from cancer forming free radicals.

Toxic seas cannot be safely resourced for human- consumption..
It is the food source of the future as our global population grows.

  Krill, especially red krill, is the latest aid to health as it reduces cholesterol.

 Plastic bag breakdown is toxic, especially mirco-plastics as these attract heavy metals, cadmium, mercury in the breakdown process.
 This process is called bioaccumulation the accumulation of a harmful substance such as a radioactive element, a heavy metal, or an organochlorine in an organism, especially an organism that forms part of the food chain  Plastic bags cause a bioaccumulation in mercury, cadmium and other heavy metals in fish stocks.

 The fish we eat have far greater level of toxin which poisons us when we consume fish.
 The effect on humans of eating these fish contaminated toxins- lead, mercury and cadmium are called direct toxicity.

 The plastic consumed acts as sponges and attracts and absorbs toxins at a higher rate than seafood uncontaminated by plastic.

Since fish stock is contaminated, eating it poisons us.

 Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) contained in some plastics, is a toxic carcinogen.
Other toxins in plastics are directly linked to cancers, birth defects, immune system problems, and childhood developmental issues.

[Ecology Center].

 The UN Environment Program has described marine plastics as the new toxic time bomb.

Other scientists have even suggested that the problem is on par with climate change if not bigger.
Impact on human safety and survival at sea  The issue of marine debris was recently brought to the world's attention by the search for a missing Malaysian Airliner, which was reportedly hampered by extensive floating debris.

The plastic pollution far exceeds flotsam and jetsam in our oceans and will continue to do so until it is cleaned up.

If search planes cannot find survivors of air and sea wrecks the chances of being found after marine accidents are severely reduced.
  The search teams efforts are hampered by increased workloads which stresses and fatigues them  Thus costs of marine search and rescue operations are greatly increased.

Economic impact for local [eg.

fishing, recreational fishing, tourism/eco-tourism] businesses?

Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 142  These plastic bags are made from fossil fuels – which are precious and non-renewable..
The move away or divestment from products made from fossil fuels made by Newcastle City Council, Leichhardt Council and ACT is a big first step in the right direction.

 Petrol and oil the source material for plastic bags production is being encouraged to cut back as it is causing global warming and speeding up climate change.

Hopefully, this reduces plastic bag raw materials and supply.
 Vitamin and alternate food industry - when marine life stock sources are contaminated and toxic  Fishing industry and commercial fishing - the fish is not edible  Aquatic industries - sea farms for salmon, lobsters and oyster farming - toxic seafood is not edible  Restaurant industry - no access to non-toxic marine fauna and flora supplies - no customers.

 Grocery and supermarkets chains and fish markets will be unable to purchase or sell uncontaminated marine sourced foods.
 Customers will have less access to healthy fish protein and seaweed-based foods (eg sushi or miso soup).

 Vitamin supply industries will have less sources for marine-based vitamin nutrients - omega- 3 and vitamin D, etc.

 Marine plastic pollution is a growing global threat to biodiversity and is already having a devastating impact on the Australian environment with significant potential to disrupt our lifestyle and lead to substantial economic loss.
 The sea covers 70% of our planet and is the next big commercial source of food for 7 billion humans.

Why do we pollute it with plastic waste?

Current solutions  Banning plastic bags and microbeads in cleansing products would have a significant impact on the amount of plastic that enters the marine environment and effectively target those plastics that are most likely to be mistaken as a source of food  Improved stewardship within the plastics industry would address the plastic problems.
Manufacturers are part of the Ban the Bag campaign too.

 Annual Clean up days removes much waste including plastic waste from our sea shores, estuaries and rivers that run into the sea.

Sadly, annual clean ups are not enough.

There must be more time and effort and funding devoted to this.

Some proposed solutions  Public education programs on appropriate plastic recycling and disposal.
Print the benefit of appropriate disposal of the plastic container and/or risks of plastic waste in seas on the bottles - like the current cigarette package warnings.

Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 142  A national philosophy - we have to make our lives less plastic.

This is difficult when even our hologrammed money is plastic as are our credit and bank cards.

 Logos for using bio-gradable plastic and less plastic packaging.
 Advocate multiple reuses of existing plastic bags to reduce the average families 60 bag hoardes.

 Plastic bags to advocate appropriate plastic bag disposal in landfill as they are toxic - like the information on cigarette packets  We have an active campaign in National Parks regarding "what you bring in, you bring out".
This needs to be extended to the proper disposal and use of plastic containers & bags on our outings to the beach or rivers or the takeaway office or take away meal in the local parks or malls.

People need to know "don't let the plastic go into the gutter or stormwater drains".

When I explain this to people who ask me why I pick up discarded bottles or bags they understand and some have told me they now ensure their plastic waste is binned appropriately or taken home.
 A majority of the trash and debris that covers our beaches and floats in our ocean comes from storm drains and sewers, as well as from shoreline and recreational activities such as picnicking and beachgoing.

Abandoned or discarded fishing gear is also a major problem because this trash can entangle, injure, maim, and drown marine wildlife and damage property.
 Practical, effective and comprehensive government action could eliminate much of the marine debris found across the Australian coastal and river/estuarine environments.

 The Media needs to give informed articles on the issue of plastic waste and the various campaigns to overcome it.

 Advertisers to place advertising and signage on non-plastic shopping bags.

 Non-supply of plastic bags across Australia.


Customers provided with safe, sustainable and inert and eco-friendly alternatives to the plastic bag.
 Clean Up discarded plastic campaigns could be done through supporting National or local days or weeks (Seniors Week, Marine Week, etc)  Financial encouragement to begin with, such as, grants, aid, sponsorship, volunteering, prizes, rewards, initiatives and incentives from Governments, councils, educational institutions, marine or zoological societies, research institutes, food suppliers, shopping malls and environmental groups or concerned individuals.
 State run Lotteries or Lottos could fund these endeavours like the ones run to collect funding for the Sydney Opera House.

These could be targeted to specific or iconic areas - such as Sydney Harbour or Pittwater, or Barrier Reef, etc Other suggestions  New industries could be created in the clean up of the oceans from plastic waste.

The waste is their it is not going away for at least 1,000 years.

It either goes in landfill or is re-used in other forms and then recycled or disposed of appropriately.
 Research ways of disposing of plastic can be investigated and prizes awarded for the winning idea  Funds provided to ensure these ideas or inventions can be manufactured in Australia and provide new workplaces and sustainable employment  Eco-friendly industries could recycle discarded plastic into less toxic or inert items  Government grants to aid research into plastic bag disposal Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 142  Government grants and aid to set up new industries based on removing the threat of plastic bag pollution  Clean Up the Ocean - Global Annual Day events.
Industries that arise from plastic debris aka flotsam and jetsom and polluting plastic litter.

In Laos they make jewelry from old bomb metals, etc, Lily Bloom NZ make handbags from recycled bottle tops.

We can find solutions to other plastic items.

Tourism trade in coastal countries that cannot afford to by raw materials for trade could be paid to glean and collect beach waste even if it is for landfill disposal.

Debris can also be reused and made into other safe objects of consumer value.
 Globally, there needs to be regionally-based system of 5 or 10-year plans to reduce and removed plastic waste.

These need to be driven by global organisations such as UN or EU.

 We need new ways of thinking and problem solving to overcome this global nightmare.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if a magic wand could change floating toxic plastic waste into inert floating plastic ice platforms.
Imagine platforms that mimic ice floes that could be used in place of the receding Arctic sea ice sheet for polar bears to use for seal hunting and reflect sunlight because they are white.

Platforms that have been modified to let the seas breathe.

That is until the climate re-sets itself and the natural ice sheet rhythm is restored.

Then these inert plastic platforms could be used as a resource for other purposes.
It is the people who can see outside the square who create and invent new and braver worlds for us.

The world needs an on-going access to data which would contribute toward the implementation of any of the proposed solutions The best way to do this is to:  Find and assess solutions that work, Identify what does not, and   Why it does not.

 Global collection and sharing on the harm to humans and marine life.
I understand that this will be difficult as almost all human and marine populations are contaminated by plastic waste toxin.

 So we must record current human and marine data on toxin pollution and monitor this data regularly to assess if the direct toxicity in human and marine populations is increasing or reducing.

 Regular monitoring of the oceans by satellite imagery will assess if the waste islands in the oceans are decreasing or not.
 Regular Clean Up campaign reporting will assess if the amount of plastic waste is increasing or decreasing  Up-to-date data is currently available in reports and scientific research from organisation that regularly monitor the global issue of plastic toxic pollution.
 There are many providers in Australia and overseas and these organisations must be funded to support their on-going work  These reports must be made easy to access, written in simple or easy to understand language as well as transparent for assessment.

This data can be stored on web pages, via Govt.

agencies with public drop-in centres, environment Centres, public libraries as well as online because the truth is out there and we all must act on it to protect our future.
Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 142 If we do not act soon and successfully our seas will literally drown in our plastic waste.

Thank you for your assistance.

I look forward to hearing the decision and recommendations of the Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications.

Yours sincerely, Lesley Killen (Ms.) Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 142