Should single-use plastic be banned? Should binding sustainability criteria be created for plastics? – Wide support for global plastic waste agreement as negotiations begin

Can the leakage of plastic waste into the world's oceans, atmosphere and soil be permanently stopped?

There appears to be growing support for a global agreement to reduce plastic waste.

The UN launched official treaty negotiations in Uruguay last week (November 28.11–December 2.12.2022, XNUMX). A negotiating committee consisting of representatives of UN member states, including Finland, was present.

The negotiations are the first step in a process aimed at an international agreement on plastic waste in 2024.

The goal is to end plastic waste pollution of waterways, air and soil by 2040.

WCEF provided information on plastic waste treaty negotiations

The negotiating parties convey a positive message from the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, or INC-1:

“The meeting showed that there is very broad support for such a binding global agreement,” says the negotiator for the plastic waste agreement at the Norwegian Department of Climate and Environment. Erlend Arneson Haugen.

He spoke about the meeting at the World Circular Economy Forum, organized by Sitra, the Government of Rwanda, the African Circular Economy Alliance ACEA and the African Circular Economy Network ACEN. The WCEF was held for the fifth time on 6-8.12.2022 December XNUMX, this time in Rwanda.

Experience with the ban on single-use plastics

Rwanda decided to ban single-use plastic bags back in 2008. In 2019, the country banned the use of single-use plastic packaging, with certain exceptions.

Director of the Rwanda Environment Agency Juliet Kabera told WCEF that the plastic waste ban was based on scientific research, as the waste caused enormous harmful effects.

After the ban, Rwandans cleaned up the plastic waste that had already ended up in the land and water. Today, Rwanda and its capital, Kigali, are called one of the cleanest in Africa.

“Since the Rwandan government decided to ban single-use plastics, the environment has clearly become cleaner. At the same time, ecotourism has started to grow. The decision has also created jobs. The private sector is investing in recycling and developing alternatives to plastic,” says Kabera.

Instead of plastic, products are now packaged in cardboard or other alternative materials. Consumers carry reusable and refillable packaging with them to the store.

Nearly 50 countries involved

Rwanda and Norway founded a coalition called HAC (The High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution) aiming for a global plastic waste treaty.

The alliance aims to develop an international, comprehensive and legally binding treaty instrument to eradicate plastic waste, based on effective circular economy measures throughout the entire plastics value chain.

“Norway and Rwanda established the HAC to strengthen the political momentum supporting the development of an international plastic waste treaty. At the Uruguay meeting, we already had 46 countries involved,” says Haugen.

The coalition has three goals.

The first is that the production and consumption of plastic is reduced to sustainable levels, for example by banning single-use plastics that have caused problems.

Secondly, the consortium wants to promote a circular economy throughout the plastics value chain, from production to use and waste management, so that the environment and human health are protected at every stage.

Third, the goal is to stop the leakage of plastics into the environment, including microplastics.

In the joint statement of the Uruguay meeting, the negotiating parties called for international binding requirements and control methods to end plastic litter.

Rwanda's Juliet Kabera emphasizes that the agreement must be specifically legally binding:

“Ambitious global targets and standards must guide national actions so that progress can be monitored and insufficient action can be addressed. If the agreement is not binding, it will not work. A voluntary commitment would mean that the plastic waste problem will forever remain a topic of discussion.”

Finland involved in plastic waste work

Finland is involved in the fight against plastic waste. The national plastic roadmap was updated in March. Finland strives to avoid unnecessary consumption of plastics.

“To achieve a systemic change in plastics, global, binding targets are needed alongside national actions. Governments must commit to international sustainability criteria,” says the State Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment, speaking at WCEF. Terhi Lehtonen.

According to Lehtonen, solving the plastic waste problem requires both mandatory and voluntary actions.

Actions throughout the life cycle

The plastic waste agreement will next be discussed at the Montreal Conference on Nature and the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Leading the Plastics Partnership Program at the World Economic Forum Christine Hughes sees that the Uruguay meeting emphasized the science-based nature of the goals and the shared will to commit to a global agreement.

He thinks it's good that the negotiations have considered the entire life cycle of plastics:

“It is critical that we do not just look at the end of the plastic lifecycle, the waste management phase. We will never recycle ourselves free from this plastic waste problem. Recycling is important, but we also need to change consumption habits and business models: What do we need, how do we make products last longer, can we reuse materials, what kind of design is needed for this, and how do we measure progress?”

Both Hughes and Kabera emphasize that effective financial instruments are needed to solve the plastic waste problem.

Consumers would ban unnecessary plastic

In addition to governments, consumers also want to stop plastic waste from leaking into the environment.

In conjunction with the Uruguay meeting, WWF and the Plastic Free Foundation published the results of a survey they conducted in 34 countries. More than 20 people responded to the survey.

Finland was not included in the survey.

According to the results, 75 percent of respondents want to ban unnecessary single-use plastic altogether. Almost 80 percent of respondents supported banning plastic that is poorly suited for recycling.

Plastic waste negotiations are in full swing. An estimated 11 million tons of plastic end up in the world's oceans every year. If the negotiations needed to create a global plastic waste treaty take two years, the amount of plastic waste that will end up in the ocean during the negotiations alone is equivalent to six trillion plastic bags.

Text: Elina Saarinen/ Uusiouutiset-magazine

Image: Adobe Stock. The image suggests that the oceans should be cleaned of plastic waste. At the very least, the leakage of plastic waste into the environment should be stopped.