Plastics Europe has pledged its support for the development of a global agreement to address the challenge of plastic waste, and welcomes the resolution agreed during the fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) in Nairobi.
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Plastics Europe welcomes Global Agreement on Plastics
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The resolution calls for a legally binding instrument with binding and voluntary provisions that will be defined by the INC (International Negotiating Committee).
The fostering of the sustainable production and consumption of plastics across their full lifecycle is prevalent within the resolution, which will require a full lifecycle approach and transform both upstream and downstream measures from product design to waste management.
Virginia Janssens, Managing Director, Plastics Europe, said: “The European plastics industry is in full action mode – leading the transition to a circular economy and the creation of a future of zero plastic pollution.”
Describing the Nairobi resolution, Janssens illustrated the importance of the supportive measures that can be undertaken by policy makers. These will be tailored to meet the specific needs of Europe’s plastics industry and value chain, which will become the dynamo for the “active collaboration” and dialogue necessary to make the transition.
The industry stakeholders involved in the negotiations concurred that there is no ‘silver bullet’ approach to tackling plastic pollution, and that governments must act with the flexibility – based on local circumstances – needed to enable the most appropriate policies.
Markus Steilemann, Plastics Europe President, added: “The UNEA resolution represents a major step towards the creation of a waste free future which is critical to achieving our collective climate ambitions.”
Industry players maintain that plastics will still have a vital role to play in society, and that their value can and should be boosted through improved circularity.
Furthermore, Plastics Europe members support the EU’s 30 per cent mandatory target for recycled content in plastics packaging by 2030. Thus, €7.2bn will be invested in chemical recycling in Europe by the end of this decade. Plastics Europe has also been an active partner in the EU’s Horizon 2020 project PlastiCircle, which is aiming to find innovations within the key stages of waste management.
In response to the UNEA announcement regarding a global treaty for plastics, the British Plastics Federation (BPF) has stated that the 'treaty marks an important step on the journey to end plastic waste ending up in the environment'.
The BPF has thereby lent its support in sharing its commitment with its Europe-based counterparts. The mutual aims of a united plastics industry include tackling mismanaged waste and achieving the best solutions. This requires collaboration between governments, industry, civil society and academia.
'The ultimate agreement needs to be evidence led,' the BPF statement continued, 'to ensure it is the best choice for the environment. The UK plastics industry takes its environmental obligations very seriously and will continue to invest in material and product innovations, as well as in recycling technology, and views measures to stop waste leaking into the environment, optimizing manufacturing techniques and product design, and keeping material in use for as long as possible as key parts of the puzzle.'
Further negotiations and regular reviews to the resolution are forthcoming. Plastics Europe has expressed its enthusiasm in continuing its active participation and contribution to these.
Plastics Europe’s full position on a Global Agreement on Plastics is available to read on the organisation’s website.