THE CONTROL OF MARINE PLASTIC LITTERS FROM LAND BASED SOURCE UNDER UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF THE SEA, 1982.

Abstract

This article aims to present the UNCLOS marine waste control, including international customs protection practices, reducing and controlling marine waste from onshore sources.  As marine trash problems, mostly plastic waste are caused by ineffective waste management from onshore sources that humans bring to the sea, and considered the largest quantity of waste.

            These plastic wastes were dumped from land sources into the sea either directly or through rivers or canals and finally they flowing into the sea. In addition, the natural disasters such as floods, storms had also carried waste from land resources into the sea resulting in marine waste, both macro-plastics and micro-plastics. This affects the marine environment including living and non-marine life and has become problematic in the world today. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982) or UNCLOS is a convention containing the principles of international law for the protection and preservation of the marine environment which include the principle of controlling marine waste from onshore sources.  Thailand, as a party thereto is obligated to implement UNCLOS provisions and its related customs as Thailand's internal laws to prevent reducing and controlling marine waste. However, Thailand does not have internal laws that are fully in compliance with UNCLOS and international customs in relation to the prevention, reduction and control of marine waste from onshore sources. As a result, Thailand is ranked in the world's 10th largest waste disposal of the world.  Therefore, this article can be beneficial and used as the full implementation of Thailand's regulatory legislation in accordance with UNCLOS and international customs in relation to the prevention, reduction and control of marine waste from onshore sources in the future.