The Battle Against Plastic Pollution: Current Initiatives

Plastic pollution is a pressing global issue, with plastic waste choking our oceans, polluting the air, water, and soil, and harming both human health and wildlife. In recognition of this, the United Nations Environment Assembly agreed to negotiate a global treaty to end plastic pollution by 2024/2025. While this is a positive step, it is clear that more needs to be done to address the plastic pollution crisis. This includes measures such as reducing plastic use, reusing and recycling plastic products, and advocating for systemic change and global regulation to reduce plastic production and improve waste management. Individuals can also make a difference by avoiding single-use plastics, supporting businesses that strive to reduce plastic waste, and lobbying governments and local representatives to take action.

The UN's resolution to end plastic pollution

In March 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) agreed to negotiate a global treaty to end plastic pollution by 2025. This resolution is a significant step towards addressing the plastic pollution crisis, which is choking our oceans, polluting our air, water, and soil, and posing risks to human health, wildlife, and the climate.

The UNEA's resolution focuses on measures considering the entire life cycle of plastics, from extraction and product design to production and waste management. This comprehensive approach aims to enable opportunities to design out waste before it is created, promoting a thriving circular economy. To achieve this, the resolution includes the following key elements:

• Reducing plastic production and promoting sustainable alternatives: This involves eliminating single-use plastics and shifting to sustainable sources for essential plastics.
• Improving waste management and promoting circular economy solutions: This includes collecting, reusing, recycling, and composting plastic waste to keep it out of the waste stream and the environment.
• Investing in infrastructure and technology: This entails public and private investment in infrastructure and technology for waste management, such as capture and removal systems for plastic pollution in waterways and the ocean.
• International collaboration and legally binding agreements: The resolution recognizes the need for global regulation and standards to address plastic pollution, especially in low- and middle-income countries that are disproportionately affected. A legally binding global treaty will ensure nations take collective action to address the crisis.
• Education and behavioral change: In addition to systemic changes, individual choices and behavior change are crucial. Educating people about the impacts of plastic pollution and promoting alternatives to single-use plastics can help reduce plastic waste at the source.

The resolution has established an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, with the aim of finalizing it by the end of 2024. While this resolution is a positive step, current commitments may not be enough. To effectively tackle plastic pollution, systemic change is needed, moving away from a linear plastic economy centered on producing, using, and discarding plastic towards a circular economy that prioritizes reduction, reuse, and recycling.

Individual choices to reduce plastic use

While tackling plastic pollution requires systemic reform, individual choices can make a significant difference. Here are some ways individuals can reduce their plastic use and contribute to the global effort to address this issue:

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: The 3Rs principle is a well-known concept that encourages individuals to reduce their consumption of single-use plastics, reuse items whenever possible, and recycle plastic products properly. This includes refusing single-use plastic items like plastic bags, straws, cups, utensils, and plastic-coated items, and opting for reusable alternatives instead. Reusable totes for shopping, garment bags for dry cleaning, and travel mugs for beverages are simple swaps that can make a big difference over time.

Avoid Problematic Plastics: Certain types of plastics are more toxic to produce and use and have limited recycling markets. These include plastics with the resin identification codes 3, 6, and 7, as well as black plastics commonly used for food containers. By avoiding these plastics and choosing alternatives, individuals can reduce the demand for these more harmful options.

Maintain and Repair: Extending the lifespan of plastic products helps reduce the need for new plastic items. Individuals can maintain and repair plastic goods to avoid premature disposal. When plastic items are no longer needed, they can be sold, donated, or given to others for reuse, keeping them out of the waste stream for longer.

Buy Recycled and Reduce Packaging: When purchasing products, individuals can opt for items made from recycled plastic materials, such as bubble wrap for moving. Additionally, choosing products with minimal or recyclable packaging can significantly reduce plastic waste. Buying bulk foods and liquids with your own refillable containers is a great way to cut down on packaging waste.

Support Systemic Change: Individuals can play an active role in advocating for systemic change to address plastic pollution. This includes lobbying governments and supporting businesses that are committed to reducing single-use plastics in their supply chains. By making their voices heard and supporting sustainable practices, individuals can contribute to the growing momentum for a circular economy that minimizes plastic waste.

These individual choices empower people to take direct action against plastic pollution, creating a collective impact that complements the systemic reforms needed to tackle this global issue.

US EPA's National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been working for decades to protect human health and the environment from air and water pollution and the mismanagement of solid and hazardous waste created throughout the materials lifecycle. In December 2020, Congress passed the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act, which directed the EPA to develop a national strategy on plastic pollution.

The "National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution: Part Three of a Series on Building a Circular Economy for All" provides an ambitious approach to reducing and recovering plastics and other materials, as well as preventing plastic pollution from harming human health and the environment. The strategy aims to eliminate the release of plastic waste from land and sea-based sources into the environment by 2040.

The EPA has identified three key objectives for the strategy:

• Reduce Pollution During Plastic Production
• Improve post-use materials management
• Prevent trash and microplastics from entering waterways and remove escaped trash from the environment

The final strategy reflects input from various interested parties, including public feedback from almost 92,000 comment letters from federal, tribal, territorial, state, and local governments; industry and trade organizations; community and national non-governmental organizations; academia; and private individuals.

The strategy encourages individuals to reduce their plastic use and make sustainable choices, such as avoiding single-use plastic products, reusing and repurposing plastic items, and properly recycling or disposing of plastic waste.

WWF's initiatives to reduce, source, design, and reuse plastic

WWF is taking the lead in the fight against plastic pollution, which is spreading across the globe, choking our oceans and land with plastic waste. The WWF's initiatives to reduce, source, design, and reuse plastic are outlined below.

Reduce

WWF is advocating for the elimination of single-use plastics, which are unnecessary and contribute significantly to plastic pollution. They are urging communities to reduce their plastic consumption and be smarter about the resources they use. This includes a shift towards sustainable sources of plastic and the development of better systems to collect, reuse, recycle, and compost plastic materials.

Source

WWF is promoting the use of sustainable sources of plastic, rather than relying on non-renewable resources. This involves working with industry leaders and companies to develop and implement strategies that reduce the environmental impact of plastic production and promote circularity.

Design

WWF is encouraging the design of plastic products with sustainability in mind. This includes the development of biodegradable plastics and the improvement of recycling technologies to ensure that plastic waste can be effectively recycled and composted.

Reuse

WWF is pushing for the reuse of plastic materials through various initiatives. They are working with companies to develop strategies that promote the reuse of plastic products, such as refillable and reusable packaging. Additionally, they are advocating for the implementation of effective collection and recycling systems to ensure that plastic waste is properly managed and diverted from nature.

WWF's vision is for "No Plastic in Nature" by 2030, and they are engaging with activists, policymakers, industry leaders, and collaborators to bring about systemic change in the way plastic is produced, used, and managed. They have also created the "Blueprint for Credible Action on Plastic Pollution," a guide for companies to address plastic pollution and work towards eliminating plastic waste from nature.

Global treaties and agreements to address plastic pollution

Global treaties and agreements are crucial to address plastic pollution, a pressing issue that negatively impacts the environment, society, economies, and human health. In recognition of this, 175 nations voted to adopt a global treaty for plastic pollution during the UN Environmental Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, in March 2022. This treaty aims for an accelerated implementation timeline, with the goal of it being in place as soon as 2025.

The United Nations-led treaty is designed to hold all countries to a high common standard on plastic consumption, creating a clear path toward eliminating plastic pollution. This unified approach incentivizes and supports national actions, moving beyond fragmented country-specific plans. The success of other environmental agreements, such as the Montreal Protocol, which phased out ozone-depleting substances, underscores the potential impact of global treaties.

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC) plays a pivotal role in developing "the instrument," a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic, encompassing production, design, and disposal. INC sessions have been held worldwide, with the goal of finalizing negotiations by the end of 2024. The Zero Draft of the Plastics Treaty emphasizes improved product design to reduce plastic use and enhance recycling, with a focus on extended producer responsibility (EPR).

The treaty negotiations also consider the challenges faced by developing countries in transitioning away from the plastics industry, aiming to adhere to Agenda 2030's principle of "Leaving No One Behind." This includes recognizing the contributions of informal waste pickers, often the most vulnerable members of society, and ensuring fair compensation and healthy working conditions for their vital environmental services.

Additionally, over 700 civil society groups and non-governmental organizations from 113 countries have signed a Civil Society Manifesto, urging UN Member States to negotiate a legally binding plastic treaty. This reflects the widespread support for global collaboration, with more than two-thirds of UN Member States officially supporting a global agreement.

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