Shipping companies against Western plastic

A year-long voyage of more than 141 containers containing plastic waste in 2020 shed light on the hidden global trade of plastic waste. With each passing day, more people are becoming aware of the ills that plastic can produce.

The discovery of plastic in the 1950s helped revolutionize large production chains. Notwithstanding the conveniences associated with the use of plastic, its indiscriminate use, and the difficulties in recycling it have weighed on the global well-being. Thus, a few rich nations export their as if the problem is no longer theirs, which isn’t true. Plastic is a severe worldwide problem. This is why some shipping companies refuse to carry plastic from wealthy Western nations to the East.

“Waste colonialism” in 2021

It all started in 2018 when China banned the import of plastic waste, a game-changer for global trade. To escape the problem, rich countries like Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States opted for what The Guardian nicknamed “waste colonialism,” that is, exporting waste to emerging countries and outsourcing the problem.

The year-long saga of the 141 containers showed only a small portion of the international plastic waste trade, drawing attention to plastic recycling’s soft spot. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to recycle all plastic types.

The 141 waste containers left Germany and stayed on the road for an entire year. At each new port, always in places struggling financially like Turkey, Greece, and Vietnam, among many others, the carrier tried to discharge the containers, and the hosting country would refuse them. Such a scandal delayed the only possible solution: a plastic treaty to fight global pollution along the lines of the Paris Agreement on greenhouse gas emissions.

Now, while many poor or developing countries internally debate whether or not to allow exports, some…

Shipping companies against Western plastic

CMA CGM, the world’s third-largest container company, said in February 2022 that it will stop hauling the plastic waste by June 1st. The French shipping business delivers over 50,000 containers full of plastic detritus every year.

This so anticipated news is part of the successful Global Shipping Lines Campaign.

The campaign began in 2021 when 52 environmental and social organizations from around the world asked leading shipping companies to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability by agreeing not to transport plastic waste to countries that are ill-equipped to deal with it in an environmentally sound manner.

That does apply to, basically, almost all countries. Of course, some manage to recycle more than others. But even the most successful can barely handle 20% of the total waste.

According to the campaign website, in October 2020 alone, Malaysia received 16,740 TEUs of plastic waste from other countries, 558 containers a day.

Meanwhile, the European Commission is working on new waste transport regulations, although its view remains that exports should be permitted if destination nations ensure responsible waste processing.

How about the other shipping companies?

The decision of CMA CGM is the first step towards more sustainable shipping. But what about the others? For the Plastic Soup site, the question is whether other players in the global container shipping industry will follow suit.

Hapag-Lloyd (Germany), Maersk (Denmark), MSC (Switzerland), Hamburg Sud (Germany), Hyundai Merchant Marine (Korea), Evergreen (Taiwan), COSCO (China), and Orient Shipping (Jordan) received the call to action that changed the course of CMA CGM.

According to Plastic Soup, if these corporations follow CMA CGM’s example,  a de facto ban on shipping plastic waste might come into force within months. This would compel countries to treat their garbage, putting more pressure on them to use less plastic, which many countries have stated they wish.

Source: Mar sem fim

To read the full original article, please go to:

https://marsemfim.com.br/companhias-de-navegacao-recusam-plastico-do-ocidente/

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