Reducing plastic waste

DOI: https://doi.org/10.58248/PN724  

Plastic is a versatile and inexpensive material that has a wide variety of applications in products used in most sectors. However, its extensive use over decades has been associated with accumulation of plastic objects in the natural environment.

Plastics enter the environment in multiple ways, including littering, wastewater, wind dispersal, during product use (such as tyres) or run off from landfill. Once in the environment, plastics are broken into smaller fragments such as microplastics and nanoplastics.  In 2019, the Royal Society stated that  “there is not yet conclusive evidence that microplastics affect human health, or cause significant harm to people.” However, other studies since suggest that plastics may be related to a range of public health issues and environmental effects.

Depending on the outcomes of the UN Plastics Treaty, existing plastic waste regulations in the UK may need to change if the targets agreed are to be achieved. In a circular economic system, materials are designed to be re-used as many times as possible. The transition towards a circular economy presents financial, cultural, and technological challenges, and evidence suggests a whole-systems approach to address these challenges for plastics, which encompass material-based interventions, social-based interventions, policy interventions as well as investments and developments in research innovations.

Key Points

• Plastics are versatile and inexpensive, and are used widely across different sectors. However, the resulting plastic pollution may pose risks to human, animal and environmental health globally.  

• In March 2022, United Nations Member States agreed to develop an international legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution by 2024. The UK governments set out ambitious plastic waste plans in 2020 and 2023. However, these may need to change if the UN targets are to be achieved.   

• The UK’s plastic waste management system is complex. Challenges include the contamination of plastic waste streams, inconsistent waste management strategies, and inadequate reprocessing infrastructure. The design of products containing plastics also pose further challenges to recycling. 

• A circular economy for plastics aims to promote design for plastic re-use and recycling and to minimise waste. However, achieving this this would require a whole systems approach including wide range of policy interventions and other changes in society. For example, this may include changes in the design of plastic products to enhance their recyclability, implementation of environmental product policies to manage plastic lifecycle impacts, and Plastic Packaging Tax reforms. A revised Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for packaging is due to be implemented in 2025. 

Acknowledgements

POSTbriefs are based on literature reviews and interviews with a range of stakeholders and are peer reviewed. POST would like to thank interviewees and peer reviewers for kindly giving up their time during the preparation of this briefing, including:    

Members of the POST Board* 

DEFRA 

UK National Measurement Laboratory 

Geoff Mackey, Plastics Europe 

Helen Jordan, British Plastics Federation* 

Sarah Greenwood, University of Sheffield 

Dr Alex Brogan, Kings College London* 

Dr Eleni Iacovidou, Brunel University London 

Dr Loula Gerasimidou, Brunel University London 

Dr Winnie Courtene-Jones, University of Plymouth 

Dr Kayleigh Wyles, University of Plymouth 

Emeritus Professor Roland Clift, University of Surrey 

Dr Rorie A Beswick-Parsons, University of Sheffield* 

Dr Simon Collinson, Open University* 

Adrian  Whyle,  Independent  

Professor Steve Fletcher, University of Portsmouth  

Professor Michael Shaver, University of Manchester* 

Professor Rosalind Malcolm, University of Surrey* 

Dr Thomas W. Franklin, University of Sheffield 

Dr Xiangyu Michael Jie, Queen Mary University London 

Professor Andrew Dove, University of Birmingham* 

Professor Alison Browne, University of Manchester 

Dr Claire Hoolohan, University of Manchester 

Paula Chin, WWF UK 

Sarah Baulch, PEW

*denotes people and organisations who acted as external reviewers of the briefing.