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Implementation of MALITA
(updated: 2008-03-20)
The MALITA project has been implemented since November 2005. The
first step to implement MALITA was to collect existing data and
information on marine litter in the member states. A marine
litter database has been established on the basis of the
national inputs and is available. The national data collected
showed that the most dominant kinds of marine litter are plastic
and polystyrene (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Composition of marine litter items (in number) in
Japan and Korea (NPEC, Northwest Pacific Region Environmental
Cooperation Centre; MOMAF, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and
Fisheries)
According to the results of the 2005
International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Campaign, the largest volunteer environmental
data-gathering effort and associated cleanup of coastal and
underwater areas in the world, in Japan and the Republic of
Korea marine litter mainly originated from shoreline and
recreational activities, which is consistent with worldwide data
(Figure 2).
International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Campaign
Figure 2. Sources of Marine Litter in Japan, Korea (left) and
worldwide (right), data from the Ocean Conservancy
In addition, national summaries of the NOWPAP member states
on legal instruments to deal with the marine litter issue were
prepared, including compliance with international agreements
such as the MARPOL, the Basel and the London Convention. These
summaries are being harmonized by a consultant and will be
integrated into a regional overview on legal aspects of the
marine litter issue.
The First NOWPAP Workshop on Marine Litter was held in Incheon,
Republic of Korea, on 8-9 June 2006 to share the existing
national information and activities. The workshop had three main
topics: 1) current status of monitoring and distribution of
sea-based marine litter; 2) policy and management for sea-based
marine litter in the NOWPAP region; and 3) treatment and
recycling technology development for sea-based marine litter.
Click
here
to find what were presented. The First MALITA Working
Meeting, in conjunction with the workshop, was held on 10 June
2007 to discuss the MALITA implementation.
In September 2006, NOWPAP organized the
ICC campaign in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan that brought representatives of government
agencies, general public, academic institutions and NGOs from
all NOWPAP member states to jointly participate in the event,
with financial support from the Japanese Government.
The second NOWPAP Workshop on Marine Litter was held in Toyama,
Japan on 28-29 March 2007 with six main topics: 1)
countermeasures against marine litter; 2) reduction and
prevention of marine litter; 3) fisheries-related marine litter;
4) coastal cleanup and marine litter monitoring; 5) marine
litter management policies and systems; and 6) regional actions
against marine litter. Click
here for the presentations and speeches
made. The Second MALITA Working Meeting was held on 30
March 2007 to review the current progress of the MALITA
implementation and discuss further steps to be taken.
Sponsored by the State Environmental Protection Administration
of China and Rizhao municipal government, the International
Coastal Cleanup (ICC) was organized in Rizhao city, China on 28
June 2007. Attracting a wide-range attention in China and NOWPAP
region, the event brought together over 200 representatives from
member states, regional programmes and projects such as COBSEA,
PEMSEA and YSLME, and local NGOs. Prior to the event, a workshop
addressing marine litter prevention and control took place.
Japanese government kindly provided financial support to the
international participants.
Another NOWPAP ICC campaign and related workshop will be held in
Busan, Republic of Korea on 28-29 September 2007 with kind
sponsorship by the Korean Government. Details of these events
will be available later.
As one of the most important activities in the MALITA
implementation, developing a Regional Action Plan for Marine
Litter, is on the way in conjunction with other on-going
activities such as updating the marine litter database and
developing marine litter monitoring guidelines and sectoral
guidelines for shipping, fisheries and tourism.
(Source: NOWPAP RCU Website)
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