UK Pledges $88m to Fight Scourge of Plastic Waste

The British government has earmarked £61.4 million ($87.95 million) from the public purse to fight the rising tide of plastic pollution in the world’s oceans. Prime Minister Theresa May announced the fund ahead of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in London next week. She is due to call on all of the 52 leaders present to sign up to the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance–a strategy to help developing Commonwealth nations research and improve waste management, the Guardian reported. Four Commonwealth countries have already joined the UK in the alliance–New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Vanuatu and Ghana. Downing Street said £25 million ($35.8 million) of the fund will be used to help researchers investigate the issue of marine plastic from a scientific, economic and social perspective. A further £20 million ($28.6 million) will be used to curb plastic and other environmental pollution generated by manufacturing in developing countries and prevent it entering the oceans. The remaining £16.4 million ($23.5 million) will be devoted to improving waste management at a national and a city level to stop plastics entering the water.