The web platform of the Regional Node provides stakeholders in the East Asian Seas region with access to knowledge, resources and networking services on marine litter and plastic pollution for informed action.
Marine Litter Activities in NOWPAP
NOWPAP Marine Litter Activity (MALITA)
NOWPAP MALITA was started after its approval at the 10th NOWPAP IGM in 2005. It aimed to collect and share information on marine litter in each member state and develop the NOWPAP Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (RAP-MALI).
NOWPAP Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (RAP-MALI)
RAP-MALI was adopted by the NOWPAP member states in 2008. The goal of RAP-MALI is to improve the quality of the NOWPAP region by addressing the marine litter problem through cooperation and partnerships. To achieve its goal, RAP MALI consists of three components:
1. Prevention of marine litter input into the marine and coastal environment
2. Monitoring of marine litter quantities and distribution
3. Removing existing marine litter and its disposal
Overview of Progress in Implementing RAP MALI Priorities
At the national level, progress in the implementation of RAP MALI between 2012 and 2018 was discussed with the baseline assessment of the 2nd regional overview by NOWPAP RCU.
Preventive actions in RAP MALI include improving waste management practices, supporting beach cleanup activities and public awareness programs. The member states have been more active in implementing various activities to prevent marine litter than ever.
In the context of monitoring, macro-sized beach litter has been monitored for a long time in China and Korea along the coastline nationwide. Korea is an excellent example of prioritizing its policy on marine litter from beach litter monitoring results. The clear decreasing trend in the number, weight, and beach litter volume was shown in the 10-year result analysis. In the case of Japan, monitoring has started relatively recently, and surveys are being conducted at a rather small number of sites compared to its coastline. Russia somewhat lacks in the survey of beach litter. As for the floating litter, China and Japan are conducting extensive surveys on large-scale marine litter, while there is little data in Korea and Russia. As for microplastics, all member states are actively conducting research, while Korea and China are more active than other states. Sea bottom litter has also been monitored for a long time in China and Korea.
Removal is the most common way to reduce existing marine litter in each country. Beach and sea bottom clean-ups are most active in Korea. Supporting beach and sea bottom clean-ups of local governments is also active in Japan.
The table below describes how the four member countries have implemented RAP MALI in each country.
Identification of priorities of RAP MALI by the authors in this study to find gaps for improvement of RAP MALI implementation.
(A: actively on going, O: on going, P: in preparation, -: not known)
| Category | Subcatego-ries | China | Japan | Korea | Russia | Notes |
|
1. Prevention of ML input to marine and coastal environment |
1.1. Legal and administrative instrument |
A |
A |
A |
A |
|
|
1.2. Wise management of ML |
A (Mainly land-based ML, classification of domestic solid waste) |
A (Mainly land-based ML) |
A (Mainly sea-based ML, Buyback of derelict fishing gear; subsidies to replace expanded polystyrene buoys into durable ones; floating reception barges to retrieve DFG by fishermen) |
A (Mainly land-based ML, waste sorting) |
||
|
1.3. Information, education, outreach and public awareness |
O |
A |
A |
O |
||
|
1.4. Cooperation with civil society |
O |
A |
A (Citizen science projects: national beach debris monitoring and rapid assessment of beach pollution) |
A |
||
|
1.5. Research activities |
P |
O |
A (Research on biodegradable fishing nets, gear marking, impact on navigation safety, microplastic in seafood) |
P |
Technology to prevent booms, etc |
|
|
2. Monitoring of ML quantities and distribution |
2.1. ML monitoring using NOWPAP guideline |
A (The second national survey of pollution sources, the first program started in 2007, focusing macro on beach, in seawater and on sea bottom) |
A (Large-size litter on beach and seawater, floating microplastics) |
A (Beach litter monitoring nationwide (2008~) at 40 sites, 6 times a year with trained citizen scientists |
A (Beach litter monitoring (2014~) and river, floating, and beach microplastic surveys (2017~)) |
|
|
2.2. Maintenance of ML database |
O |
O |
O |
A (The latest data: 2015 (ICC results)) |
DINRAC database |
|
|
2.3. Compilation of data from national monitoring program |
O (Potential contributor: National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center) |
O (Potential contributor: JMA (www.data.jma.go.jp, floating ML) |
O (Potential contributor: Marine Litter Management Center: www.malic.or.kr) |
O (primorsky.ru) |
Important but not implemented |
|
|
2.4. Regular assessment of current situation and trends of ML quantities and distribution |
A (Long-term trend in beach, floating, and sea bottom ML) (mega and macro) Floating microplastic since 2016 |
A (Long-term trend of floating mega litter) |
A (Annual report of beach macro litter monitoring since 2008 shows long-term decreasing trend.) |
|||
|
3. Removing existing ML and its disposal |
3.1. Beach cleanup campaigns |
A (ICC campaigns; not posted data) |
A (ICC campaigns; not posted data) |
A (ICC campaigns; not posted data) |
A (ICC campaigns; not posted data) |
|
|
3.2. Removal of existing ML |
P |
A (Active removal of beach ML: The effects of the subsidy project were visualized using Web GIS) (www.msil.go.jp) |
A (Active removal of beach, floating, and sea bottom ML: malic.or.kr) |
|||
|
3.3. Research activities related to ML |
P |
P |
A |
P |
Research on treatment and disposal |
|
|
4. Others |
Microplastic research (distribution and impact) |
Microplastic research (distribution and trajectory) |
Microplastic research (distribution and impact) |
Microplastic research (distribution) |
