London's Green Party MEP, Jean Lambert, has called on the EU to adopt tough new laws to improve plastic waste recycling and keep bags and other plastic rubbish out of our seas.
Speaking to mark World Oceans Day she said: "Our Oceans make up the vast majority of the Earth's surface and are home to millions of much loved creatures – yet they are under increasing stress from human activity.
"The EU is at the forefront of trying to manage the oceans sustainably: this year alone we have seen progressive new rules banning ‘shark finning' and outlawing the dumping of dead, unwanted, fish at sea.
"Next year we will see new EU legislation on the disposal and recycling of plastic waste, and I hope these new rules will have tackling plastic's increasing impact on the marine environment as a key element,” she added.
"Protecting our seas isn't just about regulating what we take from them, it's about what we put into them too."