Alternative Approaches to Plastic Production and Recycling Policies


Emmanouela Boultadaki
Theodora Koutsoukou
Francesco Ratano
Ioanna Vatista
Eleni Vlachou
Dimitra Vogiatzi
Resumen

Plastics offer convenience to businesses and the supply chain, but their improper disposal and low recycling rates pose significant environmental and health challenges. Each year, millions of tons of plastic end up in oceans, with a recycling rate below 9%. Thus, urgent action is required to tackle this global plastic crisis. This policy brief proposes a Europe-wide ban on colored plastics to promote a circular economy and enhance plastic recycling, drawing insights from successful recycling policies in Japan and South Korea. This approach, despite initial challenges, can yield long-term benefits such as reduced exports, energy conservation, and increased consumer awareness. Collaboration, funding, and material design innovation are key to promoting sustainable practices and combatting plastic pollution. By seizing this opportunity collectively, we can make a lasting impact in the fight against plastic pollution and address the climate crisis before it is too late.

Article Details
  • Sección
  • Articles
Descargas
Los datos de descargas todavía no están disponibles.
Citas
British Plastics Federation (n.d.). Why do we need plastic packaging? bpf. Available at: https://www.bpf.co.uk/packaging/why-do-we-need-plastic-packaging.aspx#:~:text=Plastic%20is%3A,2%2D3%20times%20more%20resources (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
Economist Impact (2021). Breathing life into plastic waste. Economist Impact. Available at: https://impact.economist.com/ocean/rethinking-plastics/breathing-life-into-plastic-waste/ (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2022). Plastics in a Circular Economy. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Available at: https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/plastics/overview?fbclid=IwAR3Dmi3KZ3AB7KQU05MJpsrGeSri0WG_6WUSjBIlB9yV2fQ91J_wnxoq_ok (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
European Commission (2019). The European Green Deal. Communication From The Commission To The European Parliament, The European Council, The Council, The European Economic And Social Committee And The Committee Of The Regions, COM(2019) 640 final. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:b828d165-1c22-11ea-8c1f-01aa75ed71a1.0002.02/DOC_1&format=PDF (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
European Commission (2020). A new Circular Economy. Action Plan For a cleaner and more competitive Europe.
European Commission (2022). EU policy framework on biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, The Council, The European Economic and Social Committee and The Committee Of The Regions.
European Parliament (2018, September). Plastics in a circular economy.
European Parliament. (2018, December 19). Plastic waste and recycling in the EU: facts and figures | News | European Parliament. European Parliament. Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20181212STO21610/plastic-waste-and-recycling-in-the-eu-facts-and-figures (Accessed: 19/05/2023).
European Parliament (2023, 1 17). Shipments of waste. Available at: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/printsummary.pdf?id=1730396&l=en&t=E (Accessed: 19/05/2023).
The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. (2019). DIRECTIVE (EU) 2019/904 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 5 June 2019 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment. Official Journal of the European Union, 62.
García, P. (2020). 5 best recycling practices from around the world. BBVA. Available at: https://www.bbva.com/en/sustainability/5-best-recycling-practices-from-around-the-world/ (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
Hardin, T. (2021, February 23). 7 Types of Plastic That Are Most Common | PlasticOceans.org. Plastic Oceans International. Available at: https://plasticoceans.org/7-types-of-plastic/ (Accessed: 19/05/2023).
Heinrich Boell Stiftung Hong Kong, Zero Waste Japan, Break Free From Plastic Asia Pacific, & Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES). (2022, 5 30). Japan’s Plastic Waste Management – Challenges and Potential Solutions. Plastic Atlas Japan Special Edition.
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Japan. (2009, November 1). Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Policy in East Asia - in Consideration of International Resource Circulation-. Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES). Available at: https://www.iges.or.jp/en/pub/extended-producer-responsibility-epr-policy-0/en (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
Kim, K.-Y. (2010). Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). In Korea Environmental Policy Bulletin (Issue 1, Volume VIII ed.). Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea - Korea Environment Institute. Available at: https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/9031/-Korea%20Environmental%20Policy%20Bulletin%20-%20Extended%20Producer%20Responsibility%20(EPR)-2010Extended%20Producer%20Responsibility_KEPB2010.pdf?sequence=3&amp%3BisAllowed= (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
Klein, C. (2022, June 2). Japan: rate of incineration of municipal waste. Statista. Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1171265/japan-rate-incineration-municipal-waste/ (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
Klein, C. (2023, March 6). Japan: plastic waste export volume 2022. Statista. Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1193746/japan-plastic-waste-export-volume/ (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
Malik, S., Maurya, A., Khare, S. K., & Srivastava, K. (2023, March). Computational Exploration of Bio-Degradation Patterns of Various Plastic Types. Polymers, MDPI, 15(6), 1540. 10.3390/polym15061540
Marine Plastic Pollution. (2021). IUCN.
McGinty, D. B. (2021, February 3). 5 Opportunities of a Circular Economy. World Recourses Institute. Available at: https://www.wri.org/insights/5-opportunities-circular-economy?fbclid=IwAR3Dmi3KZ3AB7KQU05MJpsrGeSri0WG_6WUSjBIlB9yV2fQ91J_wnxoq_ok (Accessed: 25/05/2023).
NATO (2021, June 14). NATO Climate Change and Security Action Plan. NATO. Available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_185174.htm (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
NATO (2022, October 13). Official text: Summary of NATO’s Autonomy Implementation Plan, 13-Oct.-2022. NATO. Available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_208376.htm (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
NATO (2022, December 8). Topic: Emerging and disruptive technologies. NATO. Available at: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_184303.htm (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
OECD (2001). Extended Producer Responsibility: A Guidance Manual for Governments. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264189867-en
Pilz, H., Brandt, B., & Fehringer, R. (2010, June). The impact of plastics on life cycle energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in Europe [Summary Report]. denkstatt. Available at: https://plasticseurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/201009-Denkstatt-Report.pdf (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
Pollution Facts | PlasticOceans.org/the-facts (2021). Plastic Oceans International. Available at: https://plasticoceans.org/the-facts/ (Accessed: 19/05/2023).
SEA circular Country Profile_SOUTH KOREA (2020, May). SEA circular. Available at: https://www.sea-circular.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/SEA-circular-Country-Profile_SOUTH-KOREA.pdf (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
SpecialChem. (2018). Pigments for Plastic Colorants: Types, Properties & Processing Guide. Polymer Additives. Available at: https://polymer-additives.specialchem.com/selection-guide/pigments-for-plastics (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
Spence, C., & Velasco, C. (2018). On the multiple effects of packaging colour on consumer behaviour and product experience in the ‘food and beverage’and ‘home and personal care’categories. Food quality and preference, 68, 226-237.
Tiseo, I. (2023, February 6). Plastic bottle recycling rates worldwide 2018. Statista. Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1166550/plastic-bottle-recycling-rates-in-select-countries/ (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
United Nations Environment Programme (2021). From Pollution to Solution: A Global Assessment of Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution. Available at: https://wedocs.unep.org/20.500.11822/36963 (Accessed: 23/05/2023).
Yamakawa, H. (2016). The EPR for packaging waste in Japan. Extended Producer Responsibility, 269-276.