UN Environment Programme outlines concrete practices and market transformations to combat plastic pollution and create a circular economy
According to a new report released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Plastic pollution could be significantly reduced by 80 percent by 2040.
The report, titled “Turning off the Tap: How the world can end plastic pollution and create a circular economy,” emphasizes the urgent need for countries and companies to adopt deep policy and market shifts utilizing existing technologies.
These changes are crucial as negotiators prepare for a second round of discussions in Paris on a global agreement to tackle plastic pollution.
UNEP Executive Director, Inger Andersen, stressed the detrimental impact of plastic pollution on ecosystems, human health, and the climate, stating, “The way we produce, use and dispose of plastics is polluting ecosystems, creating risks for human health, and destabilizing the climate.”
The report presents a comprehensive roadmap to mitigate these risks and achieve major economic, social, and environmental gains through the adoption of a circular approach that keeps plastics out of ecosystems and in the economy.
The report identifies three key market shifts that are essential to reduce plastic pollution:
- Reuse: By promoting reuse options such as refillable bottles, bulk dispensers, and deposit-return schemes, it is possible to reduce 30 percent of plastic pollution by 2040. Governments must play a vital role in creating a stronger business case for reusables.
- Recycle: Increasing the stability and profitability of recycling ventures can lead to an additional 20 percent reduction in plastic pollution by 2040. This can be achieved through measures such as removing fossil fuel subsidies, enforcing design guidelines for enhanced recyclability, and increasing the share of economically recyclable plastics.
- Reorient and diversify: Replacing products like plastic wrappers, sachets, and takeaway items with alternatives made from materials like paper or compostable materials can contribute to a 17 percent decrease in plastic pollution.
The report also highlights the need to address the safe disposal of non-recyclable plastic waste, setting and implementing design and safety standards, and holding manufacturers responsible for products shedding microplastics.
Moreover, embracing a circular economy would result in significant savings, estimated at USD 1.27 trillion, considering costs and recycling revenues. Additionally, avoiding externalities such as health issues, climate change, air pollution, marine ecosystem degradation, and litigation-related costs would save an additional USD 3.25 trillion.
The transition to a circular economy could also create a net increase of 700,000 jobs by 2040, predominantly benefiting low-income countries and improving livelihoods in informal settings.
While the recommended systemic changes require significant investment costs, they are estimated to be lower than the current spending without such changes. Shifting planned investments, reducing material needs, or implementing a levy on virgin plastic production can help mobilize the necessary funds.
However, the report underscores the urgency of taking action promptly, as a five-year delay may lead to an 80 million metric ton increase in plastic pollution by 2040.
The report emphasizes that internationally agreed policies are crucial for overcoming the limitations of national planning and business actions.
These policies could include agreed criteria for banning certain plastic products, establishing cross-border knowledge baselines, and implementing rules for minimum operating standards of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes and other standards.
Furthermore, the report recommends the implementation of a global fiscal framework to create fair competition between recycled and virgin materials, promote scalability of solutions, and establish monitoring systems and financing mechanisms.
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Policymakers are encouraged to adopt an integrated approach that combines regulatory instruments and policies across the life cycle of plastic products. For instance, design rules to enhance recyclability can be combined with targets for incorporating recycled content and fiscal incentives for recycling plants.
The report provides specific policy recommendations, including standards for design, safety, and compostable and biodegradable plastics, minimum recycling targets, EPR schemes, taxes, bans, communication strategies, public procurement, and labeling.
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By adopting the measures outlined in the report, countries and companies can make significant progress in reducing plastic pollution, protecting ecosystems, and fostering a circular economy that benefits both the environment and the economy.
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