Call for policy decision to curb plastic pollution of marine ecosystem

KOCHI:The two-day national conference on marine debris (COMAD) organised by the Marine Biological Association of India (MBAI) at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) here demanded a policy decision by the Centre to curb plastic pollution of the marine ecosystem. Researchers have found presence of micro-plastics inside fishes, indicating plastics have entered the marine food chain. Stringent rules and regulations are needed to control this situation of accumulating plastic debris in marine ecosystem, the conference document said.

The meet also recommended for establishing regulatory councils at the Central and state levels to coordinate the activities for curbing marine and estuarine debris, along with sub-centres at the local-body level.

A helpline should be established to report ‘ghost nets’ (abandoned nets) by fishermen. There should be efforts to upscale successful models of waste management, plastic recycling, waste processing and value addition from wastes. Considering the quantum of biomedical wastes being generated, more biomedical waste treatment plants should be established, the conference recommended.

Experts who spoke at the plenary session also called for coordinated efforts of research institutes, local bodies, NGOs and environmental activists for strengthening the waste management initiatives.

K Sunil Mohammed, M Bhupendranath, K V Jayachandran and V Kripa led the plenary session. As many as 52 success models on waste management, plastic recycling, value addition from wastes and plastic processing were presented at the national conference. Among them, 10 best models were awarded.