Plastic pollution is a global concern that requires immediate attention and action. Recently, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released an interim report titled ‘Towards Eliminating Plastic Pollution by 2040: A Policy Scenario Analysis’. This publication comes in anticipation of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC3) due to be convened in Nairobi, Kenya in November 2023.
Interim Report: An Overview
An interim report provides preliminary or partial findings on a specific topic or project before a full or final report is completed. In the context of plastic pollution, this OECD report highlights the current situation, scenario projections, impacts, costs, financial needs and recommendations.
Current Scenario of Plastic Pollution
As per the report, in 2022, about 21 million tonnes (MT) of plastics found their way into the environment globally. If there are no significant changes made, it is predicted that the use of plastic will rise, resulting in a 50% increase in macroplastic leakage by 2040. This would mean around 30 MT of plastic entering into the environment, with 9 MT infiltrating aquatic ecosystems.
Scenario Projections and Impact of Escalating Plastic Use
Under the current trend, stabilising primary plastic use at 2020 levels by 2040 would still result in significant plastic leakage (12 MT). Ambitious global action could drastically reduce waste generation, almost eliminating mismanaged waste and nearly eradicating plastic leakage by 2040. The burgeoning use and disposal of plastics would contribute to habitat destruction, soil contamination, climate change, and human health risks.
Cost of Action and Financial Needs
Early, stringent and co-ordinated policy action could cut plastic waste generation in 2040 by a quarter below the baseline. It could almost eliminate mismanaged waste and thereby reduce plastic leakage significantly. However, these ambitious global actions would incur costs of up to 0.5% of global GDP in 2040, excluding the avoided costs of inaction. Countries with less advanced waste management systems will require heavy investments for waste collection, sorting, and treatment.
Policy Recommendations
Technical and economic barriers need to be overcome to eliminate plastic leakage by 2040. Recycling breakthroughs and scaling up well-functioning international markets for scrap and secondary plastics are crucial strategies.
About the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC)
The INC was established in 2022 at the 5th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) with a primary objective of developing a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. The countries would be expected to develop, implement and update national action plans to contribute to the objectives of the instrument.
Initiatives to Tackle Plastic Pollution
Various initiatives have been launched to tackle plastic pollution both globally and in India, including the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022, National Dashboard on Elimination of Single Use Plastic and Plastic Waste Management, and Global Tourism Plastics initiative among others.
Microbeads: A Niche But Crucial Aspect of Plastic Pollution
Microbeads, small solid plastic particles, are another cause for concern in the field of environmental conservation. They pass unfiltered through the sewage treatment system and end up causing harm to marine ecosystems due to their toxicity. The Netherlands was the first country to ban cosmetics microbeads in 2014.
Tackling plastic pollution is a mammoth task that calls for concerted global efforts. The report by OECD is a stepping stone in understanding the current situation and outlining potential future scenarios that could guide decisive action against plastic pollution.