Nouvelle
Plastics and the Environment
The world is facing a plastic crisis, the status quo is not an option. Plastic pollution is a serious issue of global concern which requires an urgent and international response involving all relevant actors at different levels. This page aims at listing relevant information, research, data and/or press releases issued by our partners in Geneva and other institutions around the world.
Facing the Plastic Pollution Crisis
In this section: A glimpse on the global plastic crisis | Plastics production and the plastic industry | Plastic pollution around the world
A Glimpse on the Global Plastic Crisis
The world is facing a plastic crisis. Plastic pollution has become a global concern, as our planet is drowning in plastic litter and microplastics. While plastic has many valuable uses, societies have become highly dependent on single-use or disposable plastic — with severe environmental consequences. Plastic waste is now so ubiquitous in the natural environment that scientists have even suggested it could serve as a geological indicator of the Anthropocene era. How did we get here and what does this mean for us, other species and the planet? This section offers broad picture of the challenges that plastics represent to the environment.
- Confronting the Plastic Pollution Pandemic | IISD | 22 December 2020
- How fossil fuel-derived pesticides and plastics harm health, biodiversity, and the climate | Barbara A Demeneix | The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology | June 2020
- The world’s plastic pollution crisis explained | National Geographic | 7 June 2019
- Plastic Pollution and Potential Solutions | Christopher J. Rhodes | Science Progress | 1 September 2018
- Beat Plastic Pollution | World Environment Day 2018 | UNEP | 5 June 2018
- Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made | Roland Geyer, Jenna R. Jambeck, et al. | Science Advances | 19 July 2017
- Plastic Pollution News Blog | Drs Steve and Deonie Allen
Plastics production and the plastic industry
The plastics industry began in the early 1900s when the first synthetic plastic was created in the U.S. Since the industry began, annual global plastic production has exploded from some 1.5 million metric tons in 1950 to 359 million metric tons in 2018 (Statista, 2020). The cumulative production of plastic surpassed eight billion metric tons worldwide, and it is expected to further increase in the coming decades. Plastics cause pollution at almost every stage of their lifecycle, starting with the use of fossil fuels for their production.
- Les Plastiqueurs – Enquête sur ces industriels qui nous intoxiquent | HEAL | 17 March 2021
- Banks Called Out For Their Role In Financing Plastic Pollution | Forbes | 8 January 2021
- BRANDED Vol III: Demanding Corporate Accountability for Plastic Pollution | Break Free From Plastic | 2 December 2020
- The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment 2020 Progress Report | Ellen MacArthur Foundation and UNEP | 6 November 2020
- Plastic Profits: Disposable plastics, indispensable planet | Facing Finance | 2020
- Fueling Plastics: Untested Assumptions and Unanswered Questions in the Plastics Boom raise | CIEL | 3 April 2018
- Plastics Industry Knew its Products were Polluting Oceans by 1970s, Then Spent Decades Denying Responsibility and Fighting Regulation | CIEL | 5 December 2017
- Fueling Plastics: New Research Details Fossil Fuel Role in Plastics Proliferation | CIEL | 21 September 2017
Plastic Pollution Around the World
Plastic pollution is found everywhere from the Mount Everest to the Mariana Trench. Find out how plastic ends up in remote parts of the world in this section.
- Plastic, plastic everywhere | GRID-Arendal | 3 March 2021
- Microplastics in glaciers of the Tibetan Plateau: Evidence for the long-range transport of microplastics | Yulan Zhang et al. | Science of the Total Environment | 1 March 2021
- As UNEA5 kicks off, ground-breaking Plastic Pollution Hotspotting Results Published for Seven Countries in Asia, Africa, and the Mediterranean | IUCN | 23 February 2021
- Reaching New Heights in Plastic Pollution—Preliminary Findings of Microplastics on Mount Everest | Imogen E. Napper et al. | One Earth | 20 November 2020
- Atmospheric transport, a major pathway of microplastics to remote regions | N. Evangeliou, H. Grythe, et al. | Nature Communications | 14 July 2020
- Atmospheric transport and deposition of microplastics in a remote mountain catchment | Steve Allen, Deonie Allen, et al. | Nature Geoscience | 15 April 2019
- International Mountain Day | Plastic in the Mountains | Geneva Environment Network | 11 Dec 2018
International Cooperation on Plastics
As plastic is a global issue, international cooperation is needed to coordinate actions to have an efficient decision making in order to tackle this major environmental problem. A number of initiatives and activities exist aiming at addressing the plastic waste problem and eliminating plastic litter entering the oceans.
- UNEP / UNEA | Ad hoc open-ended expert group on marine litter and microplastics
- Basel Convention | Plastic Waste Amendments
- Basel Convention | Plastic Waste Partnership
- CIEL | Updates: Progress on plastics
- Global Partnership on Marine Litter
- IHEID Global Governance Center | Governing plastic: the global political economy and regulation of plastic production and pollution
Find out more information on advancing international cooperation on plastic pollution.
- Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues | Outcomes of the Dialogues (February 2021)
- UNEP #BeatPollution campaign
- Clean Seas campaign | UNEP
- One Planet Network-Wide Plastics Initiative | One Planet Network
- European strategy for plastics | EU Commission
- Plastic Pollution Coalition
- Strengthen the Global Science and Knowledge Base to Reduce Marine Plastic Pollution | Nordic Coucil of Ministers | 14 April 2021
- Tackling marine plastic pollution and protecting our oceans | Inger Andersen | UNEP | 3 March 2021
- A new global treaty to tackle plastic pollution? | Geneva Solutions | 1 March 2021
- Australia supports global action on plastic pollution | Australia National Plastics Plan 2021 | March 2021
- The Movement Towards a Global Treaty on Plastic | Rethink Plastic Alliance | 24 February 2021
- UN: ‘Strong momentum’ for global agreement to reduce plastic waste | DPA International | 23 February 2021
- 188 Environmental Groups Call For An End To Single Use Products | Clean Technica | 23 February 2021
- New Year brings new controls on plastic waste and more local, national and global action | Rolph Payet | 2 January 2021
- Basel Convention’s Plastic Waste Amendments become mandatory for 186 States | Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions | 1 January 2021
- We Need a Paris Agreement for Plastics | Dave Ford | Scientific American | 30 December 2020
- Confronting the Plastic Pollution Pandemic | IISD | 22 December 2020
- Plastic waste shipments: new EU rules on importing and exporting plastic waste | European Commission | 22 December 2020
- Possible elements of a new global agreement to prevent plastic pollution | Karen Raubenheimer, Niko Urho | Nordic Council of Ministers | October 2020
- NGOs and Businesses Call for UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution | WWF | 14 October 2020
- The business case for a UN treaty on plastic pollution | WWF, Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Boston Consulting Group | 2020
- Convention on Plastic Pollution: Toward a New Global Agreement to Address Plastic Pollution | CIEL, Environmental Investigation Agency, GAIA, and #breakfreefromplastic | June 2020
- Policy surrounding Plastic Production | Interview of Carolyn Deere Birkbeck at the Governing Plastic Launch Event | 25 November 2019
- Governments agree landmark decisions to protect people and planet from hazardous chemicals and waste, including plastic waste | UNEP News | 12 May 2019
- The New Plastics Economy: Catalysing action | WEF & Ellen MacArthur Foundation | January 2017
- The New Plastics Economy – Rethinking the future of plastics | WEF | January 2016
World Economic Forum Strategic Insights on Plastics and the Environment
Plastics and COVID-19
The fight against plastic pollution is being hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the use of disposable masks, gloves and other protective equipment soars. However, plastic does not inherently make something clean and safe. Find more information on how the pandemic affected the plastic crisis and what can be done to address health concerns while reducing plastic pollution. Find more information on COVID-19 and the environment in our update on the topic.
- COVID Face Masks Are a Ticking Plastic Bomb – 3 Million Thrown Away Every Minute | University of Southern Denmark | 13 March 2021
- Did 2020 change the future of plastic? Businesses will decide | Laura Peano, Quantis International | 15 February 2021
- What we need to know about PPE associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in the marine environment | Gabriel E. De-la-Torrea & Tadele Assefa Aragaw | Marine Pollution Bulletin | February 2021
- Due to the new challenges presented by the use of single-use PPE during COVID19 pandemic, the work of the UNEP Ad-Hoc open-ended expert group on Marine Litter and microplastics has gained even more importance | Earth Negotiations Bulletin for AHEG-4 | 9 November 2020
- The Plastic Pandemic: COVID-19 trashed the recycling dream | Joe Brock | Reuters Special Report | 5 October 2020
- COVID-19 exacerbated the plastic pollution crisis. Here’s how we’re fighting back. | Kristin Hughes | World Economic Forum | 23 September 2020
- Five things you should know about disposable masks and plastic pollution | UN News | 30 July 2020
- Growing plastic pollution in wake of COVID-19: how trade policy can help | UNCTAD | 27 July 2020
- The plastic pandemic is only getting worse during COVID-19 | Jacob Duer (Alliance to end plastic waste) | WEF | 1 July 2020
- Covid-19 has led to a pandemic of plastic pollution | Times | 22 June 2020
- Covid-19 and plastic pollution: we can and should fight both | Ian Lo, ambassador, A Plastic Ocean Foundation | South China Morning Post | 12 April 2020
- Plastic Pollution, Reuse, and COVID-19 | UPSTREAM Team | Break Free from Plastic Blog | 26 March 2020
Plastics and Waste
In this section: Waste Management | Marine Litter and Microplastics | Plastic Recycling
Waste management
More than 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been produced since the early 1950s (UNEP, 2018). This large amount of plastic production and the increase of single use plastics has led to plastic to become a waste management issue. Indeed, about 60% of the plastic produced since 1950 has ended up in either a landfill or the natural environment. In this section, find out relevant information on the waste management of plastic waste.
- Countries Tried to Curb Trade in Plastic Waste. The U.S. Is Shipping More. | The New York Times | 12 March 2021
- How sustainable packaging can reduce plastic waste | Alex Thornton | World Economic Forum | 2 December 2020
- Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues | Plastics and Waste | Geneva Environment Network | 26 November 2020
- SGP on plastic waste: All you need to know about the selected projects | Basel Convention | 12 November 2020
- Converting Plastic Waste into Fuel | WIPO | 20 April 2020
- Reuse – Rethinking Packaging | Ellen MacArthur Foundation & New Plastics Economy | 13 June 2019
- Basel Convention Plastic Waste Amendments | Basel Convention | 10 May 2019
- Need a bag? A review of public policies on plastic carrier bags – Where, how and to what effect? | Tobias Dan Nielsen, Karl Holmberg, et al. | Waste Management | 15 March 2020
- Addressing single-use plastic products pollution | UNEA 4 | UNEP | 13 March 2019
- Single-use plastics: A roadmap for sustainability | UNEP | 5 June 2018
Marine Litter and Microplastics
Of the approximately 275 million metric tons of plastic waste produced annually, up to 12 million tons leak into oceans, wreaking havoc on livelihoods and ecosystems (CIEL, 2020) . The result is an estimated $13 billion in annual environmental damage to marine ecosystems. Plastics are everywhere now even in the deepest part of the oceans. If current trends continue, our oceans could contain more plastic than fish by 2050. Learn more about this issue in this section.
- Plastic in the ocean: The facts, effects and new EU rules | EU Reporter | 29 March 2021
- ‘Lost’ ocean nanoplastic might be getting trapped on coasts | American Chemical Society | 10 March 2021
- Plastic Pollution: What happens to the plastic after it enters the ocean? | The Conversation | 8 March 2021
- Plastic microfibres illustrate the challenges of fighting marine litter | GRID-Arendal | 4 March 2021
- How does plastic debris make its way into ocean garbage patches? | American Institute of Phystics | 2 March 2021
- Are plastics and microplastics in the ocean on the increase? | University of Malta |1 February 2021
- What we need to know about PPE associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in the marine environment | Gabriel E. De-la-Torrea & Tadele Assefa Aragaw | Marine Pollution Bulletin | February 2021
- Are litter, plastic and microplastic quantities increasing in the ocean? | Francois Galgani, Aleke Stoefen-o Brien, et al. | Microplastics and nanoplastics | 19 January 2021
- Putting an end to marine plastic pollution | Joao Sousa | IUCN | 7 January 2021
- Water pollution by plastics and microplastics: a review of technical solutions from source to sea | Josiane Nikiema, Javier Mateo-Sagasta, et al. | UNEP | 17 December 2020
- Confronting Ocean Plastic Pollution | John Briley | PEW | 16 November 2020
- Over 200,000 tonnes of plastic leaking into the Mediterranean each year – IUCN report | IUCN | 27 October 2020
- Breaking the Plastic Wave: Top Findings for Preventing Plastic Pollution | PEW | 23 July 2020
- ‘More masks than jellyfish’: coronavirus waste ends up in ocean | Ashifa Kassam | The Guardian | 8 June 2020
- Briefing on Marine Litter and Microplastics | Geneva Environment Network | 21 January 2020
- The ocean’s ultimate trashcan: Hadal trenches as major depositories for plastic pollution | Guyu Peng, RichardBellerby, et al. | Water Research | 1 January 2020
- Our plastic future | can the oceans survive? | Geneva Environment Network | 2 April 2019
- Marine plastic litter and microplastics | UNEA 4 | UNEP | 15 March 2019
- Research highlights true impacts of plastics on our planet, ecosystems, people | UNEP News | 12 March 2019
- High-level Dialogue on Marine Litter ahead of UNEA4 | Geneva Environment Network | 14 February 2019
- Addressing Marine Plastics. Recommendations for Action | UNEP | 2019
- Microplastics contaminate the deepest part of the world’s ocean | X. Peng et al. | Geochimal Perspectives Letters | 27 November 2018
- Addressing Marine Plastics: A Systemic Approach – Stocktaking Report | UNEP | 28 February 2018
- Mapping of global plastics value chain and plastics losses to the environment – with a particular focus on marine environment | UNEP | 2018
- International policies to reduce plastic marine pollution from single-use plastics (plastic bags and microbeads): A review | Dirk Xanthos & Tony R. Walker | Marine Pollution Bulletin | 15 May 2017
- Healthier oceans for better lives | Geneva Environment Network | 9 June 2016
- Microplastics and Litter in the Arctic Environment | AMAP
Plastic Recycling
Only 9% of all plastic produced by humanity has been recycled and only 14% of plastic waste is currently being collected for recycling (UNEP, 2019). As plastic disposal in landfill and burning has damaging consequences on human and environmental health, recycling is increasing seen as having huge potential to tackle the plastic crisis. However, plastic recycling presents huge challenges due to the nature of the material itself. Learn more about this issue in this section.
- Recycled plastics balancing on a thin line with the ‘mass balance approach’ | Shanar Tabrizi | Zero Waste Europe | 23 March 2021
- Plastic bags recycled into fabric to fight pollution | BBC | 15 March 2021
- Plastic recycling results in rare metals being found in children’s toys and food packaging | University of Plymouth | 17 Februaruy 2021
- MARPLASTICCs video series: Kilifi County Circular Economy Enterprises, a Circular Economy initiative implemented by EcoWorld Recycling in Kenya | IUCN | 15 February 2021
- The Plastic Pandemic: COVID-19 trashed the recycling dream | Joe Brock | Reuters Special Report | 5 October 2020
- Recycling isn’t enough — the world’s plastic pollution crisis is only getting worse | Stephanie B. Borrelle | The Conversation | 17 September 2020
- Recycling of European plastic is a pathway for plastic debris in the ocean | George Bishop, David Styles & Piet N.L. Lens | Environment International | September 2020
- “Can I recycle this?” A Global Mapping and Assessment of Standards, Labels and Claims on Plastic Packaging | Consumers International & UNEP | 19 May 2020
- ‘Plastic recycling is a myth’: what really happens to your rubbish? | The Guardian | 17 August 2019
- The Global Environmental Recycling Crisis: What Options Exist for Plastic Waste? | Charlotte Collins | Climate Institute | 10 August 2019
- IEH GUEST Lecture | The truth about plastics recycling and international trade | Geneva Environment Network | 8 May 2019
- Plastic recycling: an underperforming sector ripe for a remake | UNEP | 2 January 2019
- Reswirl: Closing the Loop in Toothbrush Manufacturing | WIPO
Plastics and Biodiversity
Given the persistent nature of plastic and its toxicity, plastic pollution is a significant threat to biodiversity. In a 2016 report, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) recognized that marine debris is a globally significant stressor on the marine and coastal environment, as studies show that almost 800 marine species are affected by plastic pollution. Find more information on this issues in the links below.
- Halting Marine Biodiversity Loss by Closing The Plastic Tap | IUCN
- Plastic pollution threatens the Mekong, a wildlife wonderland | UNEP | 25 March 2021
- Stanford analysis shows plastic ingestion by marine fish is a widespread and growing problem | Stanford News | 9 February 2021
- First-time study reveals high percentage of albatross deaths linked to single-use plastics | Massey University |9 February 2021
- Deadliest plastics: bags and packaging biggest marine life killers, study finds | The Guardian | 13 December 2020
- Plastic Pollution and Ocean Acidification Together Threaten Marine Life | AZoCleantech | 9 November 2020
- The hidden threat of plastic leachates: A critical review on their impacts on aquatic organisms | Kuddithamby Gunaalan et al. | Water Research | 1 October 2020
- Plastic pollution threatens marine biodiversity in South-East Asia | SEA Circular | 4 June 2020
- World Migratory Bird Day: birds globally threatened by plastic waste | UNEP News | 9 May 2019
- Research highlights impact of plastic pollution on marine life | Queen’s University Belfast | 29 April 2020
- The Effects of Plastic on Biodiversity | ESRI | 2018
- Plastic, plastic everywhere | Ocean Care | 2017
- Marine Debris: Understanding, Preventing and Mitigating the Significant Adverse Impacts on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity | Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity | 2016
Plastics and Air pollution
Transforming fossil fuel into plastic resins and additives releases highly toxic substances into the air. Moreover, all plastic waste management technologies result in the release of toxic substances to the air, water, and soils.
- It’s not just oceans: scientists find plastic is also polluting the air | The Guardian | 26 February 2021
- Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues – Plastics, Climate and Air Pollution | Geneva Environment Network | 10 December 2020
- What are the drivers of microplastic toxicity? Comparing the toxicity of plastic chemicals and particles to Daphnia magna | Lisa Zimmermann, Sarah Göttlich, et al. | Environmental Pollution | December 2020
- Plastic rain in protected areas of the United States | Janice Brahney, Margaret Hallerud, et al. | Science | 12 June 2020
- Examination of the ocean as a source for atmospheric microplastics | Steve Allen, Deonie Allen, et al. | PLoS ONE | 12 May 2020
- Atmospheric microplastics: A review on current status and perspectives | Yulan Zhang, Shichang Kang, et al. | Earth-Science Reviews | April 2020
- It’s Not Just the Oceans: Our Air Is Filled With Microplastics, Too | Vice News | 22 January 2020
- Plastic waste poisons Indonesia’s Food Chain | Jindrich Petrlik, Yuyun Ismawati, et al. | December 2019
- Widespread distribution of PET and PC microplastics in dust in urban China and their estimated human exposure | Chunguang Liu, Jia Li, et al. | Environment International | July 2019
- Simulating human exposure to indoor airborne microplastics using a Breathing Thermal Manikin | Alvise Vianello, Rasmus Lund Jensen, et al. | Scientific Reports | 17 June 2019
- How Does Plastic Cause Air Pollution? | Alice Fortuna | rePurpose | 5 May 2019
- Plastic bag bans can help reduce toxic fumes | UNEP | 2 May 2019
- Inhaled cellulosic and plastic fibers found in human lung tissue | J.L. Pauly, S.J. Stegmeier, et al. | Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention | May 1998
Plastics and Climate Change
By 2050, the greenhouse gas emissions from plastic could reach over 10 to 13 percent of the entire remaining carbon budget (CIEL, 2019). Plastic is hence threatening the ability of the global community to keep global temperature rise below 1.5°C.
- Plastic is part of the carbon cycle and needs to be included in climate calculations | Xia Zhu, University of Toronto | 28 February 2021
- Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues – Plastics, Climate and Air Pollution | Geneva Environment Network | 10 December 2020
- How plastics contribute to climate change | Brooke Bauman | Yale Climate Connections | 20 August 2020
- More plastic is on the way: What it means for climate change | Renee Cho, Earth Institute, Columbia University | 21 February 2020
- Plastic & Climate: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet | CIEL | May 2019
- Double trouble: plastics found to emit potent greenhouse gases | UNEP News | 24 August 2018
Plastics and Health
Humans are exposed to a large variety of toxic chemicals and microplastics through inhalation, ingestion, and direct skin contact, all along the plastic lifecycle. According to WWF on average people could be ingesting approximately 5 grams of plastic every week, which is the equivalent weight of a credit card. According to various civil society organizations, plastic threatens human health on a global scale. Learn more about it in this section.
- Does plastic makes us sick? | Plastic Health Coalition
- IPEN’s Toxic Plastics Campaign | IPEN
- Harmful Chemicals Found in 25% of Children’s Toys, UNEP Study Finds | IISD | 3 March 2021
- Fish farming has a plastic problem | Environmental Health News | 4 February 2021
- Enhanced aerosol particle growth sustained by high continental chlorine emission in India | Sachin S. Gunthe, Pengfei Liu, et al. | Nature Geoscience | 25 January 2021
- Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues – Plastics and Health | Geneva Environment Network | 21 January 2021
- Plasticenta: First evidence of microplastics in human placenta | Antonio Ragusa, Alessandro Svelato, et al. | Environment International | January 2021
- 7 Harmful Chemical Types in Plastics | IPEN & The Endoctrine Society | 2020
- Everyday Plastics Are Leaching Hazardous Chemicals | The Endoctrine Society | 18 December 2020
- Five Harmful Chemical to Watch Out For in Plastics | The Endoctrine Society | 16 December 2020
- Insights into nanoplastics effects on human health | MarianaTelesa, Joan Carles Balasch, et al. | Science Bulletin | 15 December 2020
- Plastics, EDCs & Health: Authoritative Guide | Endocrine Society and IPEN | 10 December 2020
- Ocean pollution threatens the health of more than three billion people | Earth.com | 6 December 2020
- Human Health and Ocean Pollution | Philip J. Landrigan, John J. Stegeman, et al. | Annals of Global Health | 3 December 2020
- WHO calls for more research into microplastics and a crackdown on plastic pollution | WHO | 22 August 2020
- Plastics Waste Poisons Indonesia’s Food Chain | IPEN | December 2019
- Is plastic a threat to your health? | Harvard Women’s Health Watch | December 2019
- What’s in your bathroom? The hidden plastics in your beauty products | UNEP News | 12 November 2019
- Revealed: plastic ingestion by people could be equating to a credit card a week | WWF | 12 June 2019
- Human Consumption of Microplastics | Kieran D. Cox et al. | Environmental Science & Technology | 5 June 2019
- Plastic & Health: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet | CIEL | February 2019
- Plastics in Cosmetics | UNEP | 2015
- Bisphenol A and human health: a review of the literature | J.R. Rochester | Reproductive Toxicology | 30 August 2013
- Impact of plastics on human health and ecosystems | Arizona State University | 20 March 2010
- Components of plastic: experimental studies in animals and relevance for human health | Chris Talsness et al. | Royal Society of London, Biological sciences | 2009
- Inhaled cellulosic and plastic fibers found in human lung tissue | J.L. Pauly et al. | Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention | 1998
Plastics and Human Rights
Recent studies and reports have identified quite a large number of human rights impacts and outright violations throughout the life cycle of plastics. Learn more on this issue in this section.
- NEGLECTED: Environmental Justice Impacts of Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution | UNEP | 7 April 2021
- Plastic pollution disproportionately hitting marginalized groups, UN environment report finds | UN News | 30 March 2021
- Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues – Plastics & Human Rights | Geneva Environment Network | 14 January 2021
- Statement by the Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights to the Ad hoc Open-ended Expert Group on Marine Litter and Microplastics (AHEG-4) | SR Toxics | OHCHR Special Procedures | 13 November 2020
- SEA circular Issue Brief 01: A human rights-based approach to preventing plastic pollution | Sea Circular | March 2020
- Marine plastic litter in East Asian Seas: Gender, human rights and economic dimensions | UNEP, COBSEA & SEI | 11 November 2019
Plastics and Gender
These negative impacts of plastic pollution are disproportionately distributed around the globe and among social groups. Women, especially in rural communities, may be uniquely exposed to environmental threats whilst facing limited access to social protection and the resources to build resilience. At the same time, women play a central yet largely invisible role in the use and recycling of plastic. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge that each stage of the plastic value chain has gender implications. Women can also be important agents of change, whose potential to participate in environmental protection may remain untapped. The resources in this section shed light on the intersection of gender, plastics and the environment.
- Women Leading the Plastic Revolution | WWF | 8 March 2021
- We Need a Gender-Sensitive Approach to Tackle Plastic Pollution | Arzucan Askin | West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program | 14 May 2020
- Why gender matters in tackling marine plastic litter | Stockholm Environment Institute | 11 November 2019
- Gender equality and preventing plastic pollution – Issue Brief | SEA Circular | 2019
- Gender Mainstreaming in the Management of the Marine and Coastal Ecosystems | UNEP & Gender and Water Alliance | 2019
- Plastics, Gender and the Environment | Women Engage for a Common Future | November 2017
Plastics and Trade
- Informal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution kicks off again | WTO | 29 March 2021
- UNCTAD Paper Highlights Potential of Trade Policy to Reduce Plastic Pollution | IISD | 8 February 2021
- Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues | Plastics and Trade | Geneva Environment Network | 4 February 2021
- Governing the Trade of Secondary Materials | Henrique Pacini (UNCTAD) and Tze Ni Yeoh | Chatam House | 4 February 2021
- Plastic Production and Trade in Small States and SIDS: The Shift Towards a Circular Economy | International Trade Working Paper 2021/01 | Diana Barrowclough and David Vivas Eugui | Commonwealth Secretariat | January 2021
- Global trade in plastics: insights from the first life-cycle trade database | Diana Barrowclough, Carolyn Deere Birkbeck & Julien Christen | UNCTAD Research Paper | December 2020
- New initiatives launched to intensify WTO work on trade and the environment | WTO | 17 November 2020
- The Role of Trade Policy in Plastic Waste Management | CUTS International | 16 November 2020
- End plastic waste trade for a healthier future | Inger Andersen | Bangkok Post | 9 November 2020
- Trade and trade policy in the fight against plastic pollution: What are the challenges and opportunities? | UNCTAD | 30 September 2020
- Plastics, the Circular Economy and Global Trade | World Economic Forum | July 2020
- Research Paper – The Political Economy of the Global Plastics Economy and Pollution: Production, Trade and Governance | Diana Barrowclough and Carolyn Deere Birkbeck | 9 January 2020
- Policy Brief – Strengthening international cooperation to tackle plastic pollution: options for the WTO | Carolyn Deere Birkbeck | 9 January 2020
- Environmentally responsible trade in waste plastics in the Asia Pacific region | UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures | 2020
- IEH GUEST Lecture – The truth about plastics recycling and international trade | Geneva Environment Network | 8 May 2019
- The Trade in Plastic Waste | GRID-Arendal | 28 Apr 2017
Plastics and Standards
A vast array of standards play a role in shaping the plastics economy. In addition to standards on the design and characteristics of plastic products, there are standards on topics as diverse as the chemical composition of plastics and the labeling of products. An array of intellectual property standards also shape the plastics market, regulating matters such as the ownership of trademarks, industrial designs, copyright and patents on plastics and technologies relevant to waste management.
- Determining recycled content with the ‘mass balance approach’ – Joint NGO paper | ECOS | 10 February 2021
- Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues | Plastics and Standards | Geneva Environment Network | 28 January 2021
- Key Messages for standard-setters and labelling organisations | UNEP & Consumers International | 2021
- Biodegradable Plastics: Standards, Policies, and Impacts | Dr. Layla Filiciotto & Prof. Dr. Gadi Rothenberg | ChemSusChem | 28 October 2020
- Can I Recycle This? A Global Mapping and Assessment of Standards, Labels and Claims on Plastic Packaging | UNEP & Consumers International | 2020
- The role of packaging Regulations and Standards in driving the Circular Economy | UNEP | 13 November 2019
- Legal Limits on Single-Use Plastics and Microplastics: A Global Review of National Laws and Regulations | UNEP | 5 December 2018
- Winning the Battle against Plastic Pollution with International Standards on World Environment Day | ISO | 5 June 2018
- ISO 17422:2018(en)Plastics — Environmental aspects — General guidelines for their inclusion in standards | ISO | June 2018
Biodegradable Plastics
Estimates show that almost 80% of all plastic ever produced has ended up either in landfills or in the natural environment (Geyer, Jambeck & Lavender Law, 2017). Although biodegradable plastics are often proposed as a solution to reduce damage on the environment, their potential to address the crisis on the long-term remains limited. This section provides relevant information on the nature and challenges of biodegradable plastics.
- The battle over biodegradable plastics | Eline Schaart | Politico | 1 January 2021
- Biodegradable plastics: Green hope or greenwashing? | Jingkun Zhu & Can Wang | Marine Pollution Bulletin | December 2020
- Biodegradable Plastics: Standards, Policies, and Impacts | Dr. Layla Filiciotto & Prof. Dr. Gadi Rothenberg | ChemSusChem | 28 October 2020
- Are biodegradable plastics a promising solution to solve the global plastic pollution? | Maocai Shen, Biao Song, et al. | Environmental Pollution | August 2020
- Why biodegradables won’t solve the plastic crisis | Kelly Oakes | BBC | 5 November 2019
- Environmental Deterioration of Biodegradable, Oxo-biodegradable, Compostable, and Conventional Plastic Carrier Bags in the Sea, Soil, and Open-Air Over a 3-Year Period | Imogen E. Napper & Richard C. Thompson | Environmental Science and Technology | 28 April 2019
- Plastic waste as a global challenge: are biodegradable plastics the answer to the plastic waste problem? | Tanja Narancic & Kevin E. O’Connor | Microbiology | 30 November 2018
- Biodegradability standards for carrier bags and plastic films in aquatic environments: a critical review | Jesse P. Harrison, Carl Boardman, et al. | Royal Society Open Science | 23 May 2018
- The Truth About Bioplastics | Renee Cho | Earth Institute, Columbia University | 13 December 2017
- Bio-plastics: Letting the Planet Breathe | WIPO
Life cycle approaches
Many of the early responses to address plastic pollution focus on the end of life stage of plastic. However, the complexity of the plastic crisis demand that we consider impacts and opportunities at each stage of the life cycle to design comprehensive solutions that will effectively limit all impacts of plastic, rather than merely displacing them. This section provides information on life cycle approaches to quantify and address the plastic crisis, sustainable consumption and production of plastics, as well as initiatives to foster a circular plastic economy.
- Single-Use Plastic Products (SUPP) and their alternatives: Recommendations from Life Cycle Assessments | Life Cycle Initiative | UNEP
- New Plastics Economy | Ellen MacArthur Foundation
- Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues | Plastics in the Life Cycle / SCP | Geneva Environment Network | 11 February 2021
- Circular Economy Projects in Eastern and Southern Africa: Changing Lives and Reducing the Flow of Plastic Waste into the Marine Environment | IUCN | 3 February 2021
- Information on implementation of resolution 4/9 on addressing single-use plastic products pollution | UNEP | 23 December 2020
- Plastic’s Toxic Additives and the Circular Economy | The Stockholm Regional Center (Barcelona), BRS MEAs, UNEP MAP & IPEN | 25 September 2020
- We can stop plastic pollution at the design stage – here’s how | World Economic Forum | January 2020
- Addressing Marine Plastics. A Roadmap to a Circular Economy | UNEP | 2019
Towards a Green Economy without Plastics
As plastics have major environmental and health impacts, many initiatives, projects and governance responses and options have been developed to tackle this major environmental problem.
- Congressional Stimulus and Funding Bills: Recommendations to Reduce Plastic Pollution | Break Free From Plastic | February 2021
- Upstream Innovation: a guide to packaging solutions | Ellen MacArthur Foundation | 19 November 2020
- The global state of plastics | WWF | 9 October 2019
- Accountability can reverse plastic pollution crisis, says WWF report | WWF | 5 March 2019
- Africa is on the right path to eradicate plastics | UNEP News | 30 July 2018
- The state of plastics: World Environment Day Outlook 2018 | UNEP | 5 June 2018