Restrategise on ending plastic pollution – UNEP 

Plastic pollution could reduce by 80 per cent if countries and companies make deep policy and market shifts using existing technologies, a new report by UN Environment Programme (UNEP)has revealed.

 Dubbed Turning off the tap: How the world can end plastic pollution and create a circular economy, the report shows some hope to reduce this global challenge by 2040  if only there is an integrated, systemic shift from a linear plastics economy to a circular economy which will help in keeping plastics out of our ecosystems and bodies, and in the economy. 

Circular economy is a system based on the reuse and regeneration of materials or products, especially as a means of continuing production in a sustainable or environmental friendly way.

  “Plastics, in many ways, contribute positively to society. However, there is a dark side as a result of how we produce, use and dispose plastics which is polluting our ecosystems, creating risks for human and animal health as well as destabilising the climate. To dramatically reduce these risks, we need to adopt a circular approach that keeps plastics out of ecosystems, out of our bodies, and in the economy,” says Inger Andersen, the Executive Director at UNEP.

Beyond Plastic Production

 According to her, the key elements required for this market transformation are; rethinking and redesigning products, reusing, recycling and diversifying markets to address the demand for durable plastics. 

Inger says policy and legislative changes can also drive the much needed transformation. “Time is of essence. A systems change is needed to address the cause of plastic pollution. A five-year delay may lead to an increase of 80 million metric tons of plastic pollution by 2040,” she adds. 

 However, according to the report, even with the market transformation approach, a significant volume of plastics, approximately 100 million metric tons, cannot be made circular in the next 10 to 20 years and thus will require disposal solutions to prevent pollution. 

 This includes plastics that are already in the environment as existing pollution, or are stocked or will enter the economy e.g. in short-lived or durable products designed without considering their circularity or long-term use in the economy.

 “This can be addressed by setting and implementing design and safety standards for disposal of non-recyclable plastic waste, and by making manufacturers responsible for products shedding micro plastics, among others,” reads part of the report.

 And what will be the impact of this transformation?

Inger says this transformation will provide economic and social wins as both governments and the private sector will save money while thousands of new jobs will be created, contributing to eradication of poverty and a just transition for workers.

 “Shift to a circular economy would result to $1.27 trillion (Sh175.1 trillion) in savings, considering costs and recycling revenues. A further $3.25 trillion (Sh448 trillion) will  be saved from avoided externalities such as health, climate, air pollution, marine ecosystem degradation, and litigation-related costs. This shift could also result in a net increase of 700,000 jobs by 2040, mostly in low-income countries, significantly improving the livelihoods of millions of workers in the informal settings.”

Incentivise plastic producers

 Since the investment costs for the recommended systemic change are significant, the report reveals that much of this can be mobilised by shifting planned investments for new production facilities or a levy on virgin plastic production into the necessary circular infrastructure. 

“The highest costs in both a throwaway and circular economy are operational. With regulations to ensure plastics are designed to be circular, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes can cover these operational costs of ensuring the system’s circularity by requiring producers to finance the collection, recycling, and responsible end-of-life disposal of plastic products,” reads part of the report.  

 To ensure this transformation is realised, the report reveals that everybody has a role to play. 

Governments need to create a regulatory environment to incentivise the plastic producers to shift to a circular economy. 

On the other side,the chemical producers, municipalities, garbage collectors, plastic converters, and key users – such as packaging, textile, transport, fisheries, and agriculture have a role to advance the reuse and recycling of plastics and ensure the sustainability of alternatives introduced in the market. 

 Internationally agreed policies will also help overcome the limits of national planning and business action, sustain a flourishing circular global plastics economy, unlock business opportunities, and create jobs. These may include agreed criteria for plastic products that could be banned, a cross-border knowledge baseline, rules on necessary minimum operating standards of EPR schemes, and other standards.   

This will be beneficial to countries that face cross-border plastic smuggling trade  such as Kenya after enforcing a ban on single-use plastics. 

“A global fiscal framework could be part of international policies to enable recycled materials to compete on a level playing field with virgin materials, create an economy of scale for solutions, and establish monitoring systems and financing mechanisms,” reads the report.