MUNICH/OTTAWA – In late November, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.unep.org/events/conference/inter-governmental-negotiating-committee-meeting-inc-1" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">met for the first time</a>. The INC was established by the United Nations Environment Assembly with a well-defined mission: to create the first-ever legally binding global agreement on plastic pollution. The fact that delegates and observers finally met to have this discussion is welcome. But the meeting results are just the beginning of addressing the scale or scope of the problem.Plastic pollution threatens people’s health and endangers the environment. And plastic causes harm throughout its entire lifecycle, beginning with resource extraction and continuing after disposal.But the problem is not just plastic itself. Plastic contains over <a fr-original-style="" href="https://cen.acs.org/articles/99/i25/Inventory-finds-10000-chemicals-used.html#:~:text=More%20than%2010%2C000%20additives%2C%20processing,used%20in%20plastics%20manufacture%20(Environ." style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">10,000 chemicals</a>, more than a quarter of which are toxic to humans and wildlife. In the absence of a global requirement that companies make known exactly which chemicals are in which plastic materials and goods, what we know about plastic in our lives is dictated by the whims of individual manufacturers and national legislatures. As a result, we are ignorant of the full extent of the problem. No one – from workers facing occupational hazards to parents trying to make healthy choices for their children – has all the information they could and should have.Plastic does not affect everyone equally. Vulnerable groups like low-income families, indigenous communities, and people of color are especially at risk. For example, the vulnerable and disadvantaged are <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/voices-from-the-fenceline/3" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">more likely</a> to live or work near petrochemical manufacturing facilities and refineries, exposing them to air, water, and soil pollution from the toxic chemicals used to manufacture plastic products.This inequality exists within and between countries. Plastic products are often made in developing countries, transported to developed countries, and then <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jun/17/recycled-plastic-america-global-crisis" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">returned</a> to developing countries as waste. It is not only the last stage of plastics’ lifecycle that creates pollution and endangers communities. Plastic production itself is hazardous.Consider the textile sector, where workers create clothes from synthetic fibers made of plastics. The workers are largely unaware of the <a fr-original-style="" href="https://greenbusinessbureau.com/industries/fashion/what-is-toxic-fast-fashion-and-how-does-it-impact-the-environment/" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">toxicity of the chemicals</a> they are using while they assemble skirts and shirts for people an ocean away. They do not have all the information they need to understand the risks they are facing from doing their jobs. There is an obvious gendered component to this, too, given that the textile sector in developing countries is <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.fashionrevolution.org/exploitation-or-emancipation-women-workers-in-the-garment-industry/" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">dominated</a> by women.But while people are unfairly and unevenly affected by plastic pollution, the reality is that no one is spared. Plastic pollution does not respect borders. Women everywhere use menstrual products <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.mamavation.com/beauty/pfas-tampons.html" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">containing plastics</a> with chemicals that pose a direct risk to their health. Children all over the world, including in wealthy countries, play with cheap plastic toys containing unknown chemicals.Given the high-stakes challenges facing the first INC, it is disappointing that delegates did not even manage to <a fr-original-style="" href="https://resource-recycling.com/plastics/2022/12/06/stakeholders-react-as-global-plastics-treaty-talks-wrap-up/" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">adopt procedural rules</a>. More substantive negotiations will be delayed until they do.There were some small successes. The presence of observers permitted corridor conversations in which they could help delegates better understand the link between plastic, chemicals, and health. This was reflected in some delegates’ <a fr-original-style="" href="https://enb.iisd.org/plastic-pollution-marine-environment-negotiating-committee-inc1-summary" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">statements</a>, which highlighted the need for transparency on chemicals in plastics.That is not nothing. But it is also not enough.In May 2023, delegates will have another chance. Representatives of governments from around the world will convene in Paris for the INC’s <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.unep.org/events/conference/second-session-intergovernmental-negotiating-committee-develop-international" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">second meeting</a>. Their mission will once again be to work toward a legally binding agreement on plastic pollution.Delegates cannot simply retread the same ground as in November. Delegates will need to demonstrate their governments’ commitment to reducing plastic production. Together, they will need to consider the entire plastic lifecycle and the dangers that it poses to communities, people, and the environment.Perhaps most important, they will need to remember that the point of these meetings is to establish a global, legally binding instrument, not to shrug and sigh and let countries follow mere voluntary guidelines, effectively allowing business as usual to continue.In Paris next year, negotiations on plastic pollution need to be both more efficient and more ambitious. Delegates must act as though they are saving the world. If they get this right, they will be.<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;">Olga Speranskaya is Co-Director of Health and Environment Justice Support. Alexandra Caterbow is Co-Director of Health and Environment Justice Support.<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;">Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2022. <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.project-syndicate.org/&source=gmail&ust=1671548582055000&usg=AOvVaw1VvG31cvAZUUkU2sBEvHWI" fr-original-style="" href="https://link.apos.to/c/Vqu4QDDMkmhc?c=_bYmC3TIyJo6RlmEm6QSR&sub=62b033905d379200061d8935&s=web" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">www.project-syndicate.org</a>

Aposto Science

Who's Ready to Fight Plastic Pollution?

The most important steps for the proper execution of circular economy are refuse, reduce and reuse. All stakeholders in society have a critical responsibility in these steps. But perhaps the most important one for consumers is reuse. But of course, producers and legislators need to develop incentives and facilitate the processes.Reuse can be applied in different ways for different product groups. But especially for the catastrophic point that plastic pollution has reached today, we will discuss refilling and returning steps that consumers are directly involved in, in parallel with the <a fr-original-style="" href="https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/reuse-rethinking-packaging?utm_source=aposto" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">"Reuse - rethinking packaging" report prepared by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.</a><h2 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Reuse models</h2>➡️ Home refilling is a method that has been used for many years, which, when you think about it, does not involve tremendous innovation, but is extremely effective due to its simplicity. When you think about what you can refill at home, you may immediately think of water bottles and coffee thermoses. But from personal care to household cleaning, you can use many product containers over and over again with a refill system.Let's take liquid soap as an example. You bought a normal size liquid soap container and used it for a while. When this liquid soap is completely finished, most consumers throw this container directly into the trash. But think about the liter liquid soap containers that we can now see in grocery stores or on websites. You can refill the same small liquid soap container with these liter liquid soaps over and over again, and you can use the same small container over and over again. The point to be considered here, of course, is what happens to the other liter containers. This is, of course, the responsibility of producers and legislators. Systems need to be established to collect these and similar containers from consumers. Although these systems may seem like extra costs at first glance, the positive effects such as reduced costs and less resource use are noteworthy, especially when manufacturers reclaim and reuse used containers instead of supplying new liter containers from scratch each time.In addition, such reuse models can also have a positive impact on companies' brands. Systems that enable consumers to easily place orders can increase consumer loyalty and positively affect consumer happiness.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/7/3/1660740906393.jpeg" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" ratio="0.67" width="550" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">unsplash.com<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;">➡️ Out-of-home refilling,&nbsp;as the name suggests, involves consumers refilling containers of certain product groups outside their homes, in a specific store or filling area. This refilling process, which is much more common especially in cities, covers many product groups such as home cleaning, personal care, coffee thermos, water bottle and even basic food products such as olive oil and flour. The process is basically carried out with consumers' own containers or with containers purchased from manufacturers on one time.As an example, let's look at olive oil. The bottle you bought from the market is completely empty after use. Under normal circumstances, the vast majority of consumers go to the market and buy a new bottle of olive oil. In a circular system with producers offering reuse opportunities, kiosks in stores or "mini" filling areas opened by olive oil brands can prevent these new purchases. By refilling their olive oil bottles in these refill areas, consumers only pay for the olive oil (packaging, bottle and container fees are completely eliminated) and it reduces the use of containers and prevents waste.In addition, of course, manufacturers can also showcase all their other products in refill centers, allowing consumers to try the products they wish with a single container, thus increasing brand value while reducing packaging and logistics costs.➡️ Home collection&nbsp;is a reuse model where the responsibility of consumers is slightly smaller, and manufacturers take responsibility for the entire infrastructure. It is basically based on the processes that enable consumers to deliver the product containers they use to the producers from their own homes, closing the loop and reusing, renewing or utilizing these containers in different ways.As an example, we can think of daily shopping on e-commerce sites. Imagine that all the products you buy are delivered to you in durable containers that preserve the quality of those products. After placing the products that come in durable containers instead of plastic or cloth bags in the cabinets, consumers can use these containers for different purposes if they wish, while the main purpose of the system is based on the return of these containers to the manufacturer/distributor.This reuse model basically follows the same logic as the deposit system often used for glass bottles. However, this model can include not only glass bottles, but any packaging/carrying containers you can think of. The biggest advantage of this model for businesses is that they can increase sales by delivering new products when they go to collect the containers, create an extra revenue model from the deposit system and reduce existing packaging costs such as plastic bags. This model, which offers a much more efficient usage area for monthly membership models, can especially allow consumers to contribute to preventing waste with very little effort.➡️ Returns, as the name suggests, is exactly the same system as the deposit system. In this system, which will be much easier to transition as it will not change existing purchasing habits too much, consumers purchase a product in containers with a deposit. After consumption is completed, the container is collected in the collection areas designated by the manufacturers or in the collection areas of the municipalities. For this process, the low return fees in existing deposit systems may not be functional. Instead, it is important to develop alternatives to incentivize consumers to return these containers (e.g. a free subway ride per container, discounts on monthly gas and water bills, etc.)Especially in the European Union, Latin America and Japan, this practice is very important for closing the loops. Especially the "reward system" offered by the deposit system is an important factor that facilitates the inclusion of consumers in the process. Therefore, it is likely that all stakeholders will be involved more quickly than the other reuse models mentioned above.Finally, with the regulations and standards to be set, it is actually possible that these containers will turn into products that can be reused for many brands, not just for one brand. While a single design for an olive oil bottle may not seem feasible in today's free market economy, it may be a circular design process that can be realized in innovative ways.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/7/3/1660741023915.jpeg" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" ratio="0.67" width="550" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">unsplash.com<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;"><h2 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">🔻&nbsp;Barriers to reuse</h2>Before concluding this article, it is worth mentioning the obstacles that consumers and producers will face with these reuse models.<ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">By design, reusable product containers need to be reusable, recyclable and even compostable. This means that almost all packaging designs will have to change from top to bottom.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Incentivizing consumers for processes such as out-of-home refills or returning to deposit sites is another critical hurdle. Changing consumption habits, especially with COVID-19, have completely changed the processes that consumers spend outside the home for shopping. Increased e-commerce opportunities and consumers getting used to "what is easy" at some point may cause disruption in return and refill processes.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Another critical obstacle is the ability of brands to refill their own products correctly and in accordance with the standards, especially in refilling processes. When consumers try to refill the container of olive oil from brand X with olive oil from brand Y, this can create problems for brands. This may also lead to other problems such as the control of the content of the refilled product, its quality, and its compliance with health standards.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">The proper functioning of the reward systems used in deposit systems, especially for incentive purposes, and the accessibility of consumers to the promised reward at each reuse is also a concern that needs to be taken into consideration. Digital infrastructure systems that need to be established for the correct tracking of returned products are also important for the correct management of the processes.</li></ul>🔎&nbsp;Circular Economy 101’s take: It is not realistic to expect all circular economy principles to be integrated into our lives at once. However, learning what such alternatives can be, trying to live as connected to these principles as possible in our daily lives and ensuring that these principles spread to our entire environment is the most critical step in the process of transition to circular economy. For this reason, we should consider circular economy as a system of thought and try to change our daily lives first by teaching it to ourselves, and then by teaching it to those around us to change the lives of those around us. Unforeseen problems will of course arise during the renewal of systems. But the circular transformation journey is a long journey based on dealing with these problems with innovative solutions in the process...

How can we adapt reuse practices?

♻️ <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.science.org/content/article/world-s-nations-start-hammer-out-first-global-treaty-plastic-pollution" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Environment</a>: A global treaty on plastic pollution is coming.

plastic pollution ile ilgili hikayeler