Plastics have many useful applications, but the global production and consumption trends of these materials are currently unsustainable. Circular and sustainability practices throughout the lifecycle of plastics can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and waste. According to a European Environment Agency (EEA) analysis, published today, many such good practice examples already exist and would need to be scaled up to enable a circular plastics economy in Europe.
The EEA briefing 鈥�鈥�听is intended to听inspire businesses, policymakers and citizens听to听make the production and consumption of plastics more听circular and听sustainable.听The听briefing is based on an听听by the EEA鈥檚 European Topic Centre on Circular Economy听and Resource Use.
According to the EEA briefing,听three main听pathways听can听make the production and consumption of plastics more sustainable:听smarter use听of听plastics,听increased circularity, and听more听renewable materials.
Using听plastics听in a smarter way听include听reducing unnecessary packaging听and single-use products,听as well as听more听circular design that听makes听products听last longer and听easier to听reuse and repair.听Other听examples听to use plastics in a smarter听way also听already exist听across Europe听in the form of听gear听rentals,听car and tool听sharing and, for example,听reusing听crates and pallets in the food sector, the EEA briefing notes.
Increasing听circularity听requires听longer use听and听reuse听of products听and听better听collection, sorting and recycling听of plastics.听Good practice examples include stores听that听offer to听take听back听their own听products听at the end of product life-cycle, which听can听improve the quality of recycled materials or enable听some听type听of听reuse. The role of consumers is also critical in choosing what to buy and ensuring proper recycling.听Overall,听many European markets of recycled raw materials, including for听mixed听plastics, are not functioning well, according to a听.
Increasing the use of renewable materials听involves, for example,听using听more听recyclable,听biobased plastics,听instead of听relying听solely听on听fossil fuels听and听their imports. According to the EEA briefing, increasing the use of renewable materials听should focus on the second- and third-generation feedstocks听that听do not compete with food and feed production.
Businesses, policymakers and citizens can听all听contribute to more sustainable and circular plastics production and consumption, the EEA briefing concludes.听There is听vast听potential听in scaling up circular business models,听strengthening听policies,听increasing demand for听sustainable products,听reducing unnecessary consumption听and听improving recycling.
A complementary report,听鈥樷��,听by the EEA鈥檚 European Topic Centre on Circular Economy and Resource Use,听investigates听the听dynamics of听plastic waste trade within听the听EU听and exports from the EU.听The report听demonstrates听that听EU plastic waste exports continue to decline听and听are听concentrated听in听few receiving countries. Raising environmental concerns,听case study听results also indicate that plastic waste leaving the EU is of much lower quality than that traded within the EU,听and that听receiving countries听often听lack听proper听waste management infrastructure.听
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