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Monday 1 October 2018

Drowning in Plastic @ BBC One > "Single-use plastics should be banned immediately in Britain."

We are drowning in plastic:
Drowning in plastic? - BBC News
BBC - Plastics Watch - Plastics Action

 

Drowning in Plastic: Trailer - BBC - YouTube

With the full programme here:

BBC One - Drowning in Plastic

And a review from the Telegraph:

Single-use plastics should be banned immediately in Britain says BBC presenter Liz Bonnin

Sarah Knapton, science editor

1 OCTOBER 2018

Liz Bonnin, the BBC television presenter, has called for an immediate ban of single-use plastics in Britain and accused industries and politicians of not doing enough to tackle pollution.

Ahead of a new documentary Drowning in Plastic, Bonnin said that the problem of plastic in the world's oceans would not be fixed by consumers simply saying no to straws.

Drowning In Plastic comes a year after Sir David Attenborough's Blue Planet II, and investigates the effect plastic material is having on marine animals.

"When it comes to all single-use products, I just think if we can live without them, we should live without them," said Bonnin in an interview with the Radio Times. "There is no kind of middle ground any more. So can we live without plastic bottles? Yes, we can."

The documentary will look at the dangers and struggles of wildlife in the ocean and the extent of the problem of our polluted seas.

Citing Costa Rica's ban on all single-use plastic by 2021, wildlife biologist Bonnin said the UK's slower action on plastic pollution was not good enough.

"I have to ask, why isn't the UK doing that?" she said. "Some of our plastic is absolutely a valuable part of our society. The question there is, do we make up that plastic with less toxic chemicals? Also, can we make that plastic realistically recyclable?

"Forty percent of the plastic that's prevalent in our society is single-use stuff that we can absolutely live without. If Costa Rica can do it, why can't we do it immediately? This phasing-out conversation makes me angry after everything I've seen. There is no more time to phase anything out."


Blue Planet II highlighted the problem of plastic in the ocean CREDIT: BBC

The presenter said attempts by the general public to limit their use of single-use plastics such as straws and coffee cups "hugely laudable", but the impetus for change needs to be on governments.

"I do feel that the onus has been placed a lot on the consumer and that's only part of the problem," she said. "So, for example, if you're going to increase the plastic bag charge to 10p from 5p, again, the onus is on the consumer. Why is the industry still making plastic bags? Why is America investing 180 billion dollars in new plastic factories?

"I don't think it's going to be fixed just from consumers saying no to straws."

Figures released in July revealed that plastic bag sales have fallen by 86% since the introduction of the 5p levy in 2015.

Drowning In Plastic will air on BBC One on October 1.


Single-use plastics should be banned immediately in Britain says BBC presenter Liz Bonnin
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