Can the world beat its plastic addiction? A new global plastics treaty on the horizon
20 September 2023 - Jakob Pruess explores the question: UNEP's global push to combat plastic pollution by 2040: beacon of hope or falling short? A new study on extended producer responsibility (EPR) provides novel insights for industry and policy.
The world is facing a growing crisis, which is spreading to the last furthest corners of our planet – plastic pollution. As the Earth groans under the weight of our disposable habits, 180 states under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have taken a step forward by releasing the “zero draft text” of a new global plastics treaty. The goal? To supercharge efforts in eradicating plastic pollution by 2040 through a legally binding instrument.
Plastic pollution is more than just an eyesore. High and increasing levels of plastic pollution, specifically in aquatic environments, cause negative impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity. According to the OECD, 22 million tonnes of plastics leaked into natural environments in 2019.(1) Plastics are also particularly resource- and emission-intensive.
Reducing plastic usage, fostering reuse models, and fundamentally transforming our approach to plastic packaging throughout its lifecycle are all crucial steps. The draft treaty proposes a supposedly intriguing mechanism – the banning of problematic polymers, chemicals, and high-risk plastic products.
While this move is commendable, for intentionally added microplastics specifically, skepticism remains about the effectiveness of banning entire product categories. Often, these bans turn out to be easy-to-sell and overly simplistic solutions, fully dependent on the environmental impact of the substitutes they create.
"The biggest disadvantage and advantage of plastic packaging is one and the same: its durability. It's not about banning all plastics but rather rethinking them in closed loops"
Extended Producer Responsibility: A Key Policy Lever to Foster Circular Transition
A more holistic approach involves discouraging linear practices from the start. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), if thoughtfully designed and implemented within local contexts, has demonstrated its effectiveness. It incentivizes greater recyclability, promotes higher recycling rates, and enhances accountability for the safe and environmentally environmentally-sound management of plastics. Eco-modulation in particular, operating through changes in fees paid by producers to producer responsibility organizations (PROs) to meet obligations under EPR, have the potential to increase effectiveness.
EPR systems for plastic packaging vary widely among countries, and comparing them often lacks systematization and complexity. To address this, I recently published a study that sheds light on the components and interdependencies of EPR systems in 25 European countries.
Cluster analysis yields insights into similarities and differences between EU countries that advance existing EPR country groupings through a high level of detail. For example, while EPR system scope aligns at the EU level, specific instrument types (such as eco-modulation) are becoming more varied. Cluster variations allow policymakers to position countries within a detailed landscape of EPR design, helping to track progress, suggest policy adjustments, or target funds.
Pairwise clustering of EPR designs over 25 countries. Every country is compared to every other country. Three country clusters (A, B, C) are identified based on similarities and differences in EPR implementation. The indicative cluster labels are added by the author. Source: Pruess (2023)
Some stakeholders have argued for “full producer responsibility” (whatever that is supposed to mean). We do not have to reinvent the wheel, fancy new names do not help much, and EPR already targets the full life cycle of products. I argue for more effective EPR:(2)
- Reduce demand for plastics wherever possible;
- apply EPR to all remaining product groups and many more countries;
- introduce consistent criteria to restore incentives for real eco-design through eco-modulation of EPR fees;
- increase not only EPR fees but also their granularity;
- drastically increase penalties for and prosecution of free-riders.
Science Over Special Industry Interests
It is imperative that negotiations and policy recommendations are rooted in science rather than blindly following interests of the petrochemical industry. Unfortunately, the presence of scientists in international negotiations often pales in comparison to lobbyists. Also, currently, each country tends to interpret the best available science individually. What we need is a global binding regulation that actually works, not 180 different interpretations of policy implementation.
References and further reading
Pruess J.T.: Unraveling the complexity of extended producer responsibility policy mix design, implementation, and transfer dynamics in the European Union, Journal of Industrial Ecology, 22 August 2023, doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.13429
OECD (2022). Global plastics outlook: Plastic leakage in 2019. OECD Environment Statistics (Database). https://doi.org/10.1787/108fd7fd-en
https://usys.ethz.ch/en/news-events/news/archive/2023/08/plastic-packag…
https://ikhapp.org/scientistscoalition/
Footnotes
(1) OECD. (2022). Global plastics outlook: Plastic leakage in 2019. OECD Environment Statistics (Database). https://doi.org/10.1787/108fd7fd-en
(2) For further details and definitions, please see https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.13429