‘Chemical recycling’ of plastics – What is it and what impacts for the environment? | BRS COPs Side Event

This side event to the 2022 meetings of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS), was organized by GAIA and IPEN with the support of the Geneva Environment Network. It was included in the programme of the Plastics Forum.

About

The Basel Convention is increasingly working on plastic waste. A key question that arises from the new plastic waste amendments is what constitutes environmentally-sound recycling of plastics. In this context, GAIA proposes to examine a set of technologies (pyrolysis, gasification, solvolysis) that have gained increasing attention.

Leading experts speaking at this event discussed the chemical recycling of plastics, including the energy needs and environmental impacts, and address the implications for the Draft Technical Guidelines on the Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of plastic wastes and future changes to Annex IV of the Basel Convention.

Speakers

Lee BELL

Mercury and POPs Policy Advisor, IPEN | Senior Researcher, National Toxics Network (Australia)

Andrew ROLLINSON

Independent Consultant | Blushful Earth

Lauriane VEILLARD

Policy Officer on Chemical Recycling and Plastic-to-Fuels | Zero Waste Europe

Bjorn BEELER

International Coordinator, IPEN | Moderator

Video

Live at BRS COPs Side Event

Pre-Event Animation

Documents

Presentation made during the event

Highlights

Key messages and quotes from the event are available on our twitter account.

Andrew Rollinson exposes findings about the environmental impacts of #ChemicalRecycling, revealing evidence that this technology is not environmentally sound.
Follow more at https://t.co/OfEpvRwCi8 #BRSCOPs #PlasticsForum @GAIAnoburn @ToxicsFree pic.twitter.com/s3DGeVl6bq

— GENeva Environment Network (@GENetwork) June 10, 2022