Towards Eliminating Plastic Pollution

In 2016, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation published a report which showed that most plastic packaging is used only once, and only 14% is collected for recycling. 95% of the value of plastic packaging material, worth USD 80-120 billion annually, is lost to the economy.

Each year, millions of tons of plastic, valued in the billions of dollars, are discarded into landfills, incinerated, or released into the environment. A massive 8 million tons of plastic seep into the ocean annually, and that number is growing. Unless we reconsider how we use plastic, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish (by weight) by 2050.

Plastic pollution represents a multifaceted challenge with a wide range of adverse impacts that go beyond the visible presence of plastics in the environment. Importantly, the plastics lifecycle is closely linked to climate change, due to the fossil-based origins of most plastics and the domination of fossil-based primary plastics on current production and use.

Reduce Single-Use Plastics: Avoid using plastic bags, straws, cutlery, and other disposable plastics. Instead, carry reusable bags, bottles, and utensils or collaborate with environmental organizations to promote sustainability and engage in plastic pollution prevention projects.

Participate in Cleanups: Beach clean-ups play an important role in addressing the pollution already present in our environment, but they are only a small part of the solution. These efforts can help remove visible waste from our beaches and oceans, but they don’t address the underlying issue: the continuous flow of plastic into our environment. Despite our best clean-up efforts, we are adding more plastic waste to our surroundings at an alarming rate.

Ban all plastic and replace it with another material, such as glass?

In some cases, banning plastics can seem like a straightforward solution to the problem of plastic pollution, but it’s not always as simple as it sounds. While reducing the use of plastics can help cut down on waste, it’s important to recognize that replacing plastic with other materials can create new problems, such as increased carbon emissions, higher water use, and greater food waste.

To avoid these unintended consequences, we need a holistic approach that looks at the entire system

SOLUTION: Redesign the entire plastics system

We need a systemic approach to create a system that works in practice, without loss of economic value and no plastic waste or pollution. We need to rethink the way we make, use, and reuse plastics, essentially redesigning the system in which the material is used.

A circular economy – is an economic system in which materials are designed to be used, not used up. From the outset, products and the systems they sit within should be designed to ensure no materials are lost, no toxins are leaked, and the maximum use is achieved from every process, material, and component. If applied correctly, the circular economy benefits society, the environment, and the economy.

The vision for a circular economy for plastic has six key points:

1. Elimination of problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging through redesign, innovation, and new delivery models is a priority
2. Reuse models are applied where relevant, reducing the need for single-use packaging
3. All plastic packaging is 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable
4. All plastic packaging is reused, recycled, or composted in practice
5. The use of plastic is fully decoupled from the consumption of finite resources
6. All plastic packaging is free of hazardous chemicals, and the health, safety, and rights of all people involved are respected. Plastics and the circular economy – deep dive

For these solutions to work, we need involvement from both the government and private companies to support these changes. Monetary systems should be used to help meet the goals of new laws that are being discussed about reducing plastic waste. When financial support is aligned with these goals, it will be easier to create a more comprehensive plan to manage plastics at every stage—from production to disposal or reuse.