Global Plastic Profiles: How Well Do Countries Manage their Polymer Waste?

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): Effective waste management relies on robust policies and governance frameworks that incentivize sustainable practices, foster innovation, and ensure accountability among stakeholders. Collaborative efforts involving governments, local authorities, industries, and civil society are vital in developing and implementing integrated waste management strategies tailored to specific contexts and challenges. By prioritizing waste reduction, efficient collection and sorting, recycling, recovery, and responsible disposal, these approaches aim to mitigate the environmental impacts associated with plastic production and consumption while promoting a sustainable approach to managing plastic waste.

Plastic waste management enjoys a widespread concensus, as countries work toward solutions to the persistent problem of plastic pollution. The treaty emphasises establishing robust systems for waste collection, sorting, and recycling to minimise plastic leakage into the environment. Proposals include enhancing infrastructure for waste segregation, adopting advanced recycling techniques, and encouraging circular economy principles. Investments in waste management technologies and cross-border collaboration are also being explored to optimize resource use.

Brazil and Norway have been at the forefront of advancing proactive proposals to strengthen the draft agreement. Norway has emphasized the importance of recycling practices that yield high-quality, non-toxic recycled materials, while Brazil has stressed the need for a just transition for impacted communities, particularly waste pickers.

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantagemag.com