Circular Economy -
A Model to Transform Marine Debris to Resource
Why marine debris is a critical problem?
As the ocean occupies 70% of earth’s surface, its health is very interconnected to human activities. The link ranges from edible seafood, resources and minerals, waves and tides as an energy source, to various economic activities such as cargo shipping, tourism, and etc. The ocean also provides precious functions such as climate regulation and ecological support for biodiversity
However, the ocean is heavily affected by human economic activities, resulting in overfishing, acidification and eutrophication. The ocean plastic pollution even became a global crisis.There are more than 150 million tons of plastics in the oceans today, which affect water quality and biological habitats, and directly kill many marine creatures. They pose a risk to human health through the food chain, causing a serious crisis in the marine ecosystem.
Why do we need to approach the problem from a circular economy perspective?
While most of the world’s effort has been focused on cleaning up the marine debris, which would improve the oceanic environment, it is also labor and capital intensive, and cannot prevent future marine debris from ending up in the ocean.
Eighty percent of marine debris comes from production and consumption activities on land, which is a byproduct of the linear economy as it promotes production-to-consumption-to-disposal behavior. To completely eradicate marine debris, the economy needs to be redesigned in the circular economy model for the purpose of resource circulation. By using the three strategies of circular economy; product as a service, high value utilization of resources, and systems collaboration; a comprehensive move towards a zero-waste ocean can be brought to fruition.
Highlights of the book
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Through the material flow diagram, it helps readers understand the source and flow of Taiwan's marine waste at various stages. It provides basic information for the discussion of systemic issues.
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The collection of 9 domestic and international case studies illustrates the benefits and opportunities brought about by applying circular economy practices to marine debris.
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Taiwan's first ghost fishnets systems map is developed through joint efforts, which collects the views of government departments related to the management of marine waste. The systems map can help numerous stakeholders understand the reasons why marine debris form and gain a common understanding of the issue.
What can you do?
As one of the signatories of New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, we endeavor to involve business and policy makers to make Taiwan a key partner in the global solution of marine debris.
If you are a business owner, become our CoPartners and together we can create a positive environment for development.
If you are looking for ways to support circular economy as an individual/consumer, stay tuned to our facebook and website and support solutions that are beneficial to the development of a circular economy. We will continue to share the latest updates. With everyone's efforts, we can make the world a better place.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please write to info@circular-taiwan.org