Marine Life & Conservation
Deposit Refund System announced for England will drastically cut waste
Marine Conservation Society says decision is a massive step forward to tackle marine litter
The Marine Conservation Society is delighted at the announcement made by Environmental Secretary Michael Gove today, that a scheme for deposit returns on plastic and glass bottles and metal cans is to be introduced in England. The charity says the move will lead to a big reduction in waste when it comes into place. The deposit system plans are subject to a consultation, Defra says, and MCS agrees that this will need to work with other mechanisms to stop the plastic tide, such as potential taxes and charges to reduce waste from single-use plastics.
Photo: Catherine Gemmell – MCS
Dr Sue Kinsey, MCS Senior Pollution Policy Officer, says: “Deposit refund systems for bottles and cans have been proven to work in around 40 countries around the world. We are confident that this scheme will help reduce the amount of litter on our coasts and in our seas and increase high quality recycling. UK consumers use 13 billion plastic bottles each year, and an average of 72 beverage containers per 100m of beach in England were found in our Great British Beach Clean survey in 2017. This is a win-win situation for consumers, tax payers and the environment alike.”
The Marine Conservation Society has campaigned for many years for deposit refund systems to be introduced, having found plastic drinks bottles, along with caps, lids, cans and glass bottles and other plastic on-the-go drink and food waste items, consistently featuring in the top ten of litter types strewn on UK beaches. Together these items account for up to 20% of all rubbish found in Marine Conservation Society beach cleans and surveys spanning almost 25 years.
Last December, MCS launched a campaign to #stoptheplastictide advocating for deposit return schemes and for the introduction of substantial levies on single use (throwaway) plastic items. According to Luca Bonaccorsi, Director of Engagement and Communications: “This is a massive step forward in the fight against plastic pollution. Together with the introduction of charges on senseless throwaway plastic that we are expecting to be included in the October Budget round, this decision is likely to make a real difference”.
Since September 2016, over 10,000 drinks bottles and cans littered all over the UK’s rural, urban and coastal landscapes have been reported to MCS by members of the public on its #wildbottlesightings webpage. 73% of the British public, questioned in a YouGov poll for MCS in 2017, support the introduction of deposit return systems (DRS) across the UK for single-use drinks bottles (plastic and glass) and cans.
With now both England and Scotland committing to a Deposit Refund System, the MCS would urge Wales and Northern Ireland to follow suit, and hope that all the governments of the UK will work together to produce harmonised systems for all drinks containers for the benefit of our coasts, seas and countryside.
MCS’s appeal to tackle the rising problem of plastic in our seas is at www.mcsuk.org/stop-the-plastic-tide.
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
Until 28 November, prizes worth a massive £10,000 – including experiences, products and tuition – feature in a line-up of items that can be won for £5 in an online prize draw to celebrate Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation’s 20th anniversary and help generate crucial funds for the future.
Top of the list of prizes is the chance to spend time with adventurer and wildlife expert Steve Backshall, a workout session with Nat Geo star Aldo Kane, a kayaking trip alongside white-water expert and diver Sal Montgomery and a Zoom call with ‘shark whisperer’ Cristina Zenato.
On top of that, some of the most admired companies in the diving and scuba industry have been quick to support the charity with fabulous prizes that make the £5 ticket price worth more than just a flutter.
Master Liveaboards, BSAC, Midlands Diving Chamber, Go Freediving and Blue Shark Snorkel have all generously donated experience prizes, while celebrated photographer Alex Mustard has donated a print and artists Scott Gleed and Olivier Leger have donated a sculpture and illustration to help boost the fundraising pot.
Fourth Element has donated Ocean Positive gear and LA watch company Nodus has gifted the charity a stunning dive watch. For land lovers, the charity has included a five star London hotel stay at Bankside Hotel plus a family visit to Longleat Safari Park in the roster of prizes.
Campaign director for Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with support from companies and individuals that we truly admire and who have supported us on our 20 year journey and we’re truly grateful to them all. While we feel incredibly proud of our achievements over the past two decades – and we are super excited about the next chapter – this prize draw isn’t a vanity project. It represents a real lifeline to our work and important advancements in the global protection of sharks. So we hope divers, dive clubs and even bargain hunters grab some tickets to make this a massive success.”
The charity hopes that the prize draw will generate crucial funds to launch a brand new, ground-breaking, campaign to enrol the public and increase support for the protection of sharks around the world.
To enter the competition visit www.bite-back.com/prizedraw. The prize winners will be announced on 1 December 2024.
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