10. MARINE LITTER
10. MARINE LITTER
10.1 Marine litter appears in significant quantities in our seas and on our beaches. It is unsightly and can cause harm to marine wildlife through entanglement and ingestion, and through smothering of the sea bed. In addition marine litter can act as a vector for the spread of invasive species. Beach and offshore surveys show that the main type of litter is plastic. The density of beach litter is highly variable from year to year, but has shown a slight decrease since 199658. Densities of offshore litter are similarly variable59. There is generally not much litter on the seabed, but smothering can be an issue in particular locations.
10.2 The main sources of offshore litter are shipping and fishing vessels, accounting for up to 15% of all beach sourced litter in the UK. Other sources of coastal litter are public litter that is either dropped directly on to the beach or dropped inland and blown out to sea, and sewage outfalls. Up to 40% of litter cannot be associated with a source.60
10.3 The International Maritime Organization's MARPOL convention includes controls on litter61. Ferries are permitted to dispose of litter at sea providing they meet the criteria set out in the MARPOL Convention.
10.4 The Marine Strategy Framework Directive62 includes specific requirements for the control of marine litter, as one of the Good Environmental Descriptors: "properties and quantities of marine litter do not cause harm to the coastal and marine environment".
10.5 Vessels and the public are known sources of litter. Increasing the number of vessel movements on existing routes has the potential to increase passenger numbers and, as a result, the volume of litter generated is likely to increase. In light of the existing waste management regime (see Paragraph 10.6), no significant effects are anticipated from this anticipated increase in litter generation.
10.6 Litter generated on vessels is collected by the ferry operators and disposed of on land, in accordance with the requirements of the existing regulatory framework for waste management and disposal.