This is a world wide problem, even in the deepest parts of the Mariana trench (10,000 metres deep) plastic has been found and in all regions of the world plastic fibres have been found in sea creatures digestive systems.
I know france has cut down on single use plastics but Mrs May or should that be Dismay has spoken about removing plastics in 25 years, at the current rate of pollution the oceans and sea life don’t have that long.
People have been motivated to do their bit!
was watching video on youtube the other night highlighting even the remote islands around the world are affected by our plastic waste in the ocean. alas plastic water bottle production instead of declining has increased so massvly. i cannot remember the exact numbers but it was huge increases like 1000’s of percents
Sadly it is not just the large items like plastic bottles, People overlook what happens to the micro particles and chemicals that leach from the plastics when sea creatures from bacteria to zooplankton digest them then they themselves are eaten and so the cycle goes on right back to man who also consumes them. Priority chemicals are what to search for.
http://www.goesfoundation.com/
yes the thing on youtube was showing all the tiny bits of plastic within fish that we are re consuming. it was pretty gross to be honest Sadly its not just fish its other land animals too.
And then there are the shower gels that use plastic as a scrubbing agent. These small plastic particles go straight into the drains.
Microbeads were (supposed to be) banned in France since the beginning of the year.
Here in the Clunysois we are only allowed to re y le plastic bottles.
All type
All 1 plastic has to go to landfill, which is appalling.
I am encouraging our councillors to take on SIRTOM our local recyclers to do more.
With China closing its doors we all need to be more aware of what we buy and how we dispose of it.
Do you know which brands of shower gels contain elements of plastic?
A short video here on microbeads …
most products in france no longer contain them. they are a banned substance here in france in cosmetic products. cotton buds are next on th list to be banned
A step in the right direction Harry, but I wonder what will happen to all the thousands of products that are already on the shelves ?
pretty sure suppliers were told the ban takes effect even in shops from 1st jan 2018. not sure on the ins and out though
I know lots of products have removed them last year following the ban
http://www.beatthemicrobead.org/product-lists/
list may not be upto date but certainly more without and totally free than there were red and orange
Thank you 
An interesting conversation regarding microbeads.
Very good Chris, although I admit to sucking in air when T May’s plans for the next 25y are described as ambitious. Haven’t yet heard that a department has been set up to actually plan this ambitious project, so was it just a soundbite?
I hope you have some joy in persuading your local recyclers to accept more.
They say they will be setting up a new independent body to hold government to account and a new set of environmental principles to underpin policy-making.
I’ve got my optimists hat on, but it’s quite breezy today…
Tory blue going green, there must be money in it? Doesn’t that make turquoise?
I hope everyone joins me.