Most plastic pollution in the Mediterranean comes from France & # 39;

The Mediterranean is sick of plastic waste – and France is largely responsible. This is the badessment of the World Wildlife Fund, whose report released Friday urges policymakers to adopt policies to tackle the problem.

Each year, 570,000 tons of plastic enter the Mediterranean, says the WFF, adding that this amounts to throwing 33,800 plastic bottles to the sea every minute.

Twenty-four million tonnes of plastic waste is generated each year by the Mediterranean countries, making it the largest region in the world.^th leading producer of plastics – only 22% of which is recycled. Most are cremated or buried.

"Nearly one third of the plastic waste in the Mediterranean is poorly managed," the report says. "This plastic, which remains uncollected or is found in illegal dumps and open dumps, is most likely to end up in rivers and eventually in the sea."

Instead of ceasing to produce plastic and turning to greener alternatives, the 22 countries in the Mediterranean region are increasing their plastic production. Already, 76 kilograms of plastic products are manufactured for each person, which is significantly higher than the global average.

"All actors have a role to play"
WWF calls on the governments, industry and citizens of the Mediterranean region to unite to end the plastic waste spill in the Mediterranean by 2030.

The NGO wants a ban on single-use plastics, more investment in efficient waste management systems, support for innovative alternatives for plastics and the adoption of a legally binding treaty that takes into account all these things.

Although France is the largest Mediterranean economy, its recycling rate of plastic waste is lower than that of Spain, Slovenia, Italy and Israel, which the WWF attributes to poor management of waste.

In fact, all French departments or districts of the Mediterranean coast have garbage collection rates below the national average of 36.5% in 2013.

Collection rates are particularly low in South Corsica (15%) and the Var (22%), while the landfill rate is particularly high in areas such as Marseille (40%) and Corsica ( 75%). The supersaturated dumps in these areas have also led to the creation of numerous open dumps.

The plastic production of the Mediterranean not only releases some 194 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere each year, but the costs badociated with plastic pollution are estimated at 641 million euros.

The publication of the report "Stop Plastic" comes on the eve of World Oceans Day, Saturday, June 8.