Our business depends on the sea, it is the artery of global trade and its well-being is key to our future. More than ever before, the state of our Oceans is being highlighted by the world’s media. So, we have selected Oceans as an issue to highlight their importance to us all and to join hands with partners to focus attention on them.

Plastic: The Facts

• Nearly half of all plastic ever manufactured has been made since 2000
• Roughly half of annual plastic production is destined for a single-use product
• The main cause for the increase in plastic production is plastic packaging
• 40 percent of plastic produced is packaging, used just once and then discarded
• Nearly a million plastic beverage bottles are sold every minute around the world
• Plastic bottles and their lids represent 10% of all litter found in the River Thames
• Every day approximately 8 million pieces of plastic pollution find their way into our oceans
• There may now be around 5.25 trillion macro and microplastic pieces floating in the open ocean, weighing up to 269,000 tonnes
• Over 150 plastic bottles litter each mile of UK beaches
• 100,000 marine mammals and turtles and 1 million sea birds are killed by marine plastic pollution annually

Oceans Together Forum

Article listing dscription: The Oceans Together Forum is a taskforce of Essex-based businesses- led by DP World London Gateway and Castlepoint Motors – working to reduce single-use plastic and safeguard the oceans.