SEATTLE– The following statement was issued by Susan Ruffo, managing director of International Initiatives at Ocean Conservancy, in recognition of the commitments to tackle marine litter at the conclusion of the G20 meeting in Germany on July 8, 2017:

“In an increasingly interconnected world, we share the responsibility for tackling the issue of marine litter that threatens to choke our blue planet.

“Ocean Conservancy welcomes the launch of the new Action Plan on Marine Litter by the nations and economies of the G20. It not only recognizes the direct relationships between marine litter and core concerns like human health, economic development and food security but it also lays out a path for addressing these challenges through key actions such as improving solid waste management systems.

“Research shows that an estimated 8 million tons of plastic flows into the ocean every year —most of it from trash that is either never collected or leaks out after collection. Improving waste management systems will not only improve the lives of coastal communities, it will also make a significant impact in reducing the amount of plastic flowing into the ocean.

“The leaders of the G20 have taken an important step towards the prevention and reduction of marine litter for social, economic and environmental wellbeing. We commend Germany, as this year’s President of the G20, and the full membership for recognizing the importance of tackling marine litter.

“Ocean Conservancy extends our support to the G20 in their goal to substantially reduce marine litter and its impacts by 2025. We have worked for more than 3 decades to keep plastics out of the ocean. This is a crisis that requires us all to work together to find the best solutions from the grassroots up to governments, businesses and individuals. Together, we can get to trash free seas.”

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Susan Ruffo is available for interviews upon request.

NOTE TO EDITORS

• For over 30 years, Ocean Conservancy has worked to keep plastics out of the oceans, through organizing the International Coastal Cleanup, the world’s largest volunteer effort on behalf of the ocean, as well as through partnerships with private companies, civil society, and governments through the Trash Free Seas Alliance, which has set a goal of reducing the flow of plastic into the ocean by 50% by 2025.

Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create science-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.