Ocean Plastic Pollution Isn’t Just Immoral, It’s Illegal

Campaigners​ can use the moral force of international law to drastically reduce pollution to oceans.

The pollution of oceans with plastic litter, discarded nylon fishing nets and eco-toxic microbeads is well known as one of the great scourges of the modern age ― not just entangling and choking endangered, charismatic species like sea turtles, dolphins and even great whales, but attracting long-lived organic pollutants that end up permeating the entire marine food chain, right up to the fish on our plates.

Less well known is that all this ocean plastic is illegal.

​Numerous international and regional treaties, conventions and other agreements impose binding obligations on countries to protect the oceans, their wildlife and their ecosystems from pollution. That includes pollution originating on land, like plastic bottles, shopping bags, crisp packets, cigarette lighters and cellophane wrappers.

But there is one great problem with international law: The commitments may be solemn and legally binding, but they are hard to uphold. There is no police force or prosecutor tasked with their enforcement. Only state parties to a treaty have the power to raise disputes against other parties, and they are generally reluctant to do so, for understandable reasons. They do not wish to disrupt harmonious diplomatic relations with their neighbors; they may fear the potential costs; and few governments are so perfect themselves as to have no worry of being at the receiving end of similar treatment.

Source: huffingtonpost