MALITA (Marine Litter Activity) is a NOWPAP project on marine litter in the Northwest Pacific region, has been initiated since its approval at the Tenth NOWPAP Intergovernmental Meeting held on 24-26 November 2005 in Toyama, Japan.

The overall objective of the MALITA is to promote the environmental protection and sustainable development of the NOWPAP region through the formulation and implementation of a NOWPAP Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (RAP MALI).

The MALITA is being implemented under the overall responsibility of the NOWPAP Regional Coordinating Unit (RCU), in close cooperation with the UNEP Regional Seas Programme, the four NOWPAP Regional Activity Centres (RACs) and nominated marine litter national Focal Points of the member states.

MALITA Workplan
 

Activity		Participants
1	Nomination of the National Focal Point for Marine Litter (ML) in each of the NOWPAP members	NOWPAP Members
2	Preparation of the draft MALITA in cooperation with UNEP and in consultation with RACs and ML FPs	RCU
3	Presentation of the draft MALITA at the Intersessional Workshop	RCU
4	Presentation of the MALITA proposal at the Tenth Intergovernmental Meeting	RCU
5	Collection and review of existing information and data relevant to marine litter in each of the NOWPAP members
5-1	Collection and review of existing information and data relevant to sea-based ML in each of the NOWPAP members	MERRAC POMRAC DINRAC
5-2	Collection and review of existing information and data relevant to land-based ML in each of the NOWPAP members	CEARAC POMRAC DINRAC
5-3	Establishment of database on ML related information and data provided by NOWPAP members and data from GPA clearing house	DINRAC
6	Collection of information on relevant legal instruments and programmes on marine litter in each of the NOWPAP countries in English	ML FPs RACs
6-1	Review of national legal instruments and programmes provided by NOWPAP members in order to identify gaps and needs in the coverage of ML and make proposals for the revision, if appropriate	RCU DINRAC Consultant ML FPs
7	Preparation and regular update of the overview document on marine litter in the NOWPAP region	RCU RACs
8	Organizing NOWPAP regional meetings and workshops
8-1	Preparatory NOWPAP regional meeting on ML	RCU ML FPs RACs
8-2	NOWPAP Workshop on ML organized by MERRAC, in conjunction with preparatory NOWPAP regional meeting (above)	RCU ML FPs RACs
8-3	NOWPAP Workshop on ML organized by CEARAC	RCU ML FPs RACs
8-4	Further NOWPAP Workshops on ML, as necessary	RCU ML FPs RACs
8-5	Attend the ML-related meetings organized by the UNEP Regional Seas Programme and GPA	RCU
9	Development of regional and national strategies on integrated management of marine litter	CEARAC RCU ML FPs, Other RACs
10	Organize that NOWPAP members join the International Coastal Cleanup 2006 and 2007 Campaign (if feasible)	RCU CEARAC DINRAC MERRAC POMRAC
11	Approach to the civil society (private sector actors, environmental NGOs and the scientific community) to develop partnerships, and if appropriate develop Voluntary Agreements with partners from civil society	RCU
11-1	Shipping industry, ship operators, fisheries sector, waterway recreational activity (diving and marinas)	MERRAC POMRAC
11-2	Tourism industry, manufactures of plastics	CEARAC
11-3	Waste managers/services, recycling companies	MERRAC CEARAC
11-4	NGOs and general public	All RACs
12	Development and implementation of long-term regional and national monitoring programmes in order to detect and determine amounts, distribution patterns, effects and trends of ML and identify ML hot spots in the NOWPAP region (based on existing monitoring programmes, if feasible)	RCU
12-1	Development and implementation of long-term regional and national monitoring programmes on land-based ML, including formats for data gathering and storage	CEARAC DINRAC POMRAC
12-2	Development and implementation of long-term regional and national monitoring programmes on sea-based ML, including formats for data gathering and storage	MERRAC DINRAC POMRAC
13	Formulation and implementation of awareness and education campaigns	RCU
13-1	- for general public, various groups within the tourism sector, industry, municipal authorities, local communities	CEARAC DINRAC
13-2	- for shipping companies, ship officers and crews of recreational, commercial and fishing vessels	MERRAC POMRAC
13-3	- for media	RCU Consultant
14	Establishment of regional campaigns as a part of public awareness and/or permanent services for cleaning and collecting of solid waste that pollute coastal and marine areas	RCU ML FPs RACs
15	Preparation of brochures in English for the purpose of promoting public awareness on the reduction of ML	RCU CEARAC MERRAC
15-1	Preparation of brochures in the four NOWPAP languages for the purpose of promoting public awareness on the reduction of ML	CEARAC DINRAC MERRAC POMRAC
16	Development of sectoral guidelines for management of marine litter	RCU
16-1	Shipping, fisheries, boating, diving and cruise lines	MERRAC POMRAC
16-2	Tourism, costal construction, recycling	CEARAC DINRAC
17	Development of a programme for the improvement of port reception facilities and services for garbage collection from the shipping and the fishing industries	MERRAC
18	Development and improvement of waste management policies and systems	MERRAC RCU ML FPs Other RACs
19	Development of 'responsible citizenship' guidelines for different target audiences	RCU
19-1	Children and youth	CEARAC MERRAC
19-2	Practical demonstration through awareness-raising campaigns in selected destinations and with selected tourism companies	CEARAC MERRAC
20	Identification and approach to potential funding sources for various components and activities of the RAP MALI	RCU RACs ML FPs
21	For high cost initiatives (port reception facilities, landfills, fisheries, etc.), approach the World Bank, Regional Investment Bank, Global Environment Facilities and other International Financing Institutions in order to obtain financial support of relevant regional and national efforts	RCU RACs ML FPs
22	Preparation of the draft RAP MALI	RCU Consultant ML FPs
23	Presentation of the RAP MALI at the Twelfth IGM	RCU