The vision for a circular economy for plastic

Summary

The video script addresses the urgent need for a circular economy in plastic usage, highlighting the current linear system's inefficiency with 95% material value loss post-single use. It emphasizes the projected doubling of plastic market volume by 2040 and the alarming increase in ocean plastic pollution. The script outlines a six-point vision for a circular economy, advocating for the elimination of unnecessary plastic, the exploration of reusable packaging, and the design of packaging that is either reusable, recyclable, or compostable. It calls for collective action, including infrastructure development, policy creation, and chemical transparency, to ensure all plastic is kept in use and out of the environment.

Takeaways

• 🚮 **Wasteful Use of Plastics**: The current linear system for plastic use is highly wasteful, with 95% of material value lost after a single use.
• 🌐 **Environmental Impact**: If current trends continue, by 2040, the volume of plastic in the market will double, and plastic flow into the ocean will nearly triple, leading to over 600 million tons of ocean plastic.
• 🔄 **Circular Economy Needed**: A shift towards a circular economy for plastics is essential to prevent plastic from becoming waste or pollution.
• ♻️ **Eliminate Unnecessary Plastic**: The most direct way to avoid plastic waste is to eliminate unnecessary plastic packaging.
• 🔄 **Scale Up Recycling**: While improving recycling is crucial, it's not enough to solve the plastic pollution problem alone due to infrastructure limitations.
• 🛍️ **Innovate Packaging**: Innovation in packaging design can eliminate waste by rethinking the product, its packaging, or the delivery system.
• 🔄 **Reusable Packaging**: Reusable packaging can help design waste out from the beginning, keeping materials in use and reducing environmental impact.
• 🌱 **Design for Reuse and Recycling**: Packaging should be designed to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable, fitting within existing infrastructure for effective waste management.
• 🏭 **Infrastructure and Policy**: Governments and businesses must collaborate to create the necessary infrastructure and policies to support a circular economy for plastics.
• ♾️ **Renewable Resources**: The plastic industry should transition to using renewable resources and renewable energy to fully decouple from finite resources.
• ⚠️ **Chemical Safety**: Research and transparency are needed on the chemicals used in plastics to ensure they are safe for human health and the environment in a circular economy.

Q & A

What is the current issue with the way we use plastics?

The current issue is that our usage of plastics is incredibly wasteful, with 95% of the material value being lost after a single use, leading to a broken linear packaging system that results in millions of tons of packaging waste ending up in landfills, incinerators, or the environment.

What is the projected increase in plastic volume and ocean plastic stocks by 2040 if we continue with the current practices?

If we continue with the current practices, the volume of plastic on the market is projected to double by 2040, and the flow of plastic into the ocean will almost triple, with ocean plastic stocks quadrupling, reaching over 600 million tons.

Why can't we solve plastic waste and pollution just by cleaning up and improving recycling?

Cleaning up and improving recycling alone won't solve the problem because it doesn't address the root cause of waste generation. We need to shift our focus to innovations and business models that design out waste, keep materials in use, and protect and restore our environment.

What are the six key points of the vision for a circular economy for plastic packaging?

The six key points are: 1) Eliminate plastic packaging we don't need, 2) Innovate to ensure all plastic packaging can be collected and reused, recycled, or composted, 3) Make sure that all used plastic is collected and reused, recycled, or composted in practice, 4) Eliminate the need for finite virgin plastic by maximizing the use of recycled plastic, 5) Power the entire plastic system using renewable energy, and 6) Ensure all plastic packaging is free of hazardous chemicals.

How can we eliminate unnecessary plastic packaging?

We can eliminate unnecessary plastic packaging by rethinking the packaging, the product, or the system to deliver products to consumers without generating packaging waste in the first place, while still delivering outstanding user experiences.

What is the role of reusable packaging in a circular economy?

Reusable packaging is designed to be used many times for the same purpose and is part of a dedicated system for reuse. It helps eliminate plastic waste and pollution, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and can offer customers increased quality and functionality.

How does the design of packaging affect its ability to be collected, sorted, reused, recycled, or composted?

Packaging design affects its ability to be collected, sorted, reused, recycled, or composted by considering not just the choice of format and materials but also all features that impact its interaction with existing infrastructure for collection, sorting, and processing.

What infrastructure is needed to ensure all used plastic is collected and reused, recycled, or composted?

We need much more and better infrastructure worldwide to collect, sort, and process used plastic. This includes policies that enable the establishment of this infrastructure and related self-sustaining funding mechanisms.

Why is it important to reduce the need for virgin plastics?

Reducing the need for virgin plastics is important because it drastically decreases the extraction of finite fossil resources and maximizes the use of recycled plastics, which is more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

How does the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy initiative contribute to a circular economy for plastic?

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy initiative is catalyzing change towards a circular economy for plastic by uniting over 1,000 organizations behind a shared vision and actionable 2025 targets, promoting global commitment and the Plastic Pack network.

Outlines

00:00

🌿 Transition to a Circular Economy for Plastics

The script highlights the urgent need to transition from a linear, wasteful use of plastics to a circular economy model. It emphasizes that 95% of material value is lost after a single use, leading to millions of tons of packaging waste. By 2040, plastic volume is projected to double, and ocean plastic pollution could triple. The script advocates for innovations and business models that eliminate waste, keep materials in use, and protect the environment. It outlines a vision for a circular economy with six key points, including eliminating unnecessary plastic packaging, promoting reuse, and ensuring all packaging is designed to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable. The script also discusses the need for infrastructure and policy support to achieve this vision.

05:00

🔄 Achieving a Plastic-Positive Circular Economy

This paragraph delves into the practical steps required to achieve a circular economy for plastics. It stresses the importance of collecting and properly managing all used plastics through reuse, recycling, or composting. The script calls for improved global infrastructure and government policies to support these processes. It also highlights the responsibility of businesses in contributing to the collection and reprocessing of their packaging. The paragraph outlines the need to reduce virgin plastic production by using more recycled plastics and transitioning to renewable resource-based plastics. It also addresses the use of chemicals in plastics, advocating for research and transparency to ensure all packaging is free of hazardous chemicals. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy initiative is mentioned as a catalyst for change, with over 1,000 organizations committed to realizing this vision by 2025.

Keywords

💡Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution refers to the accumulation of plastic products in the environment, causing harm to ecosystems and wildlife. In the video, it is highlighted as a significant issue with the potential to worsen by 2040 if current practices continue. The script emphasizes the need to shift from a linear 'take, make, waste' system to a circular economy where plastic never becomes waste or pollution.

💡Circular Economy

A circular economy is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continuous use of resources. In the context of the video, it is presented as a solution to plastic pollution, where plastic is designed to be used, reused, recycled, or composted, thus never becoming waste or pollution. The video outlines a vision for a circular economy for plastic packaging with six key points.

💡Single-Use Plastics

Single-use plastics are plastic products designed to be used once before they are thrown away. The script points out that 95% of the material value is lost after a single use, contributing to waste and pollution. The video advocates for the elimination of unnecessary plastic packaging and the exploration of reusable alternatives.

💡Elimination

In the script, elimination refers to the process of removing unnecessary plastic packaging to reduce waste. It is presented as a broad innovation opportunity where rethinking packaging, products, or systems can lead to the delivery of products without generating packaging waste, thus contributing to a circular economy.

💡Reusable Packaging

Reusable packaging is designed to be used multiple times for the same purpose, often as part of a dedicated system for reuse. The video highlights the benefits of reusable packaging, such as keeping materials in the economy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and offering potential business benefits like increased brand loyalty.

💡Recyclable

Recyclable materials are those that can be collected, processed, and used to make new products. The video stresses the importance of designing packaging to be recyclable in practice and at scale, which requires a combination of redesign, innovation in business models, and improvements in infrastructure.

💡Compostable

Compostable materials are those that can break down into compost, often used in the context of biodegradable packaging. The script mentions that compostable packaging must be designed to fit within real-world systems, implying the need for infrastructure that can handle such materials effectively.

💡Infrastructure

Infrastructure, in the context of the video, refers to the systems and facilities needed to collect, sort, reuse, recycle, or compost plastic packaging. The video emphasizes the need for improved and more widespread infrastructure to support a circular economy for plastic.

💡Virgin Plastics

Virgin plastics are plastics that are made from raw materials, as opposed to recycled plastics. The script calls for a drastic reduction in the need for virgin plastics by eliminating unnecessary plastics and maximizing the use of recycled plastics, aligning with the circular economy's goals.

💡Renewable Resources

Renewable resources are those that can be replenished naturally over a short period. The video suggests that any remaining virgin plastic used should be sourced from renewable resources, ensuring they are managed responsibly and are environmentally beneficial.

💡Hazardous Chemicals

Hazardous chemicals in plastics are substances that may have negative effects on human health or the environment. The script emphasizes the need for research and transparency regarding these chemicals and advocates for all plastic packaging to be free of hazardous chemicals, respecting the health and safety of all involved.

Highlights

95% of the material value is lost after one single use of plastics.

The current linear packaging system results in millions of tons of packaging waste.

By 2040, the volume of plastic on the market is expected to double.

Ocean plastic stocks could quadruple, reaching over 600 million tons by 2040.

A circular economy for plastic is needed where it never becomes waste or pollution.

Eliminating unnecessary plastic packaging is the most direct way to avoid waste.

Scaling collection and recycling is limited by the speed of infrastructure development.

Elimination of packaging should be a broad innovation opportunity.

Reusable packaging should be explored as a way of designing out waste.

Reusable packaging can offer increased quality and functionality.

Reusability can reduce costs of production and logistics through standardized formats.

Innovative reuse models can drive sales by increasing brand loyalty.

Packaging must be designed to fit within a real-world system for reuse, recycling, or composting.

No plastics should end up in the environment; collection and proper disposal are key.

Governments must create policies that enable the establishment of circular economy infrastructure.

The need for virgin plastics must be drastically reduced by using more recycled plastics.

Any remaining virgin plastic used should not be made from finite fossil resources.

The entire plastic system should be powered by renewable energy.

Research and transparency on chemicals used in plastic are urgently needed for a circular economy.

All plastic packaging should be free of hazardous chemicals to respect health and safety.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy initiative is catalyzing change towards a circular economy.

Transcripts

plastics are versatile materials

but the way we use them is incredibly

wasteful

95 of the material value is lost after

one single use

our linear packaging system is broken

the take make waste

system we operate in results in millions

of tons of packaging ending up in

landfills

incinerators or worse the environment

if we continue like this by 2040 the

volume of plastic on the market will

have doubled

and the flow of plastic into the ocean

will have almost

tripled with ocean plastic stocks

quadrupling

reaching over 600 million tons more

cleanups and better recycling alone

won't solve plastic waste and pollution

we must shift our focus to innovations

and business models

that design out waste keep materials in

use

and protect and restore our environment

we need a circular economy for plastic

in which it never becomes waste or

pollution

the circular economy is an economic

system in which materials are designed

to be used

not used up the vision for a circular

economy for plastic packaging

has six key points

the most direct way to avoid plastic

packaging waste is to eliminate the

plastic packaging we don't need if

plastic usage increases as currently

projected

it will be impossible to keep it all in

circulation

scaling collection and recycling for

everyone on this planet is limited by

the realistic speed of

infrastructure development it would

require connecting more than half

a million people to formal collection

systems every single day between now and

2040.

so while improving recycling is crucial

we cannot simply recycle our way out of

plastic pollution

where we can without unintended

consequences we should eliminate

packaging in the first place

and this can be done for a lot of

existing plastic packaging

while maintaining utility elimination

should go far beyond simply removing

single-use carrier bags or straws it is

a broad innovation opportunity

by rethinking the packaging

the product or the system

many products can be delivered to

consumers without generating packaging

waste in the first place

while still delivering outstanding user

experiences

and products

where we do use packaging reusable

packaging should be explored as a way of

designing out waste

from the outset reusable packaging is

designed to be used many times

for the same purpose and importantly as

part of a dedicated system for reuse

unlike recycling reuse models not only

keep the material in the economy

but the entire packaging and its

embedded energy and value

so moving from single use to reuse

models helps eliminate plastic waste and

pollution

while it can reduce greenhouse gas

emissions

innovative reuse models also have the

potential to unlock

significant business benefits reusable

packaging can

one be designed to offer customers

increased quality and functionality

as the initial production cost is

divided over many uses

two reduces costs of production and

logistics through standardizing

packaging formats

and packaging and transportation by

supplying compact refills for reusable

containers

three drive sales by increasing brand

loyalty

through deposit and reward schemes and

allowing customers to personalize

products or packaging

[Music]

the reuse recycling or composting of

packaging shouldn't just be

technically possible or possible in

theory it needs to work in practice

and at scale that means reusable

recyclable

and compostable packaging must all be

designed to fit within

a real world system packaging design

isn't just about choice of format and

materials but all the features that

affect its ability to be collected

sorted reused recycled or composted

by existing infrastructure designing all

packaging to be reusable

recyclable or compostable requires a

combination of redesign

and innovation in business models

materials

packaging design and reprocessing

technologies

no plastics should end up in the

environment

landfill incineration and waste to

energy

are linear and often polluting practices

where the material is lost after only

one use

they are not part of the circular

economy for plastic

we need to make sure that all used

plastic is collected

then reused recycled or composted in

practice

this requires much more and better

infrastructure all around the world

governments are essential to create

policies that enable the establishment

of this infrastructure

and related self-sustaining funding

mechanisms

also businesses have a responsibility

beyond

the design and use of their packaging

that includes contributing to its

collection

and its reuse recycling or composting

in a circular economy for plastic all

plastic packaging is circulated through

being reused recycled or composted

in practice staying in the economy

and out of the environment

[Music]

first and foremost the need for virgin

plastics must be drastically reduced

by eliminating the plastics we don't

need and maximizing the use of recycled

plastics where we do use them

secondly over time any remaining virgin

plastic used

should not be made from finite fossil

resources but from renewable resources

ensuring they are responsibly managed

and environmentally beneficial

on top of this to fully decouple the

whole plastic system from finite

resources

the entire system production transport

cleaning and recycling should be powered

solely by

renewable energy

plastic contains many chemicals besides

the plastic polymers

some are added on purpose for example to

improve flexibility or durability

while others are unintentionally formed

during the manufacturing process

among these we know some chemicals raise

concerns because of potential negative

effects on human health and the

environment

we urgently need research and greater

transparency on the chemicals used in

plastic

and their effects in a circular economy

all plastic packaging is free of

hazardous chemicals

and it's essential to respect the health

safety

and rights of all people involved in all

parts of the plastic system

especially those in the informal waste

picker sectors

the ellen macarthur foundation's new

plastics economy initiative

is catalyzing change towards this vision

for a circular economy for plastic

through its global commitment and the

plastic pack network

more than 1 000 organizations have

united behind this vision

and actionable 2025 targets to realize

it

join us on our journey to make plastic

waste and pollution

a thing of the past the question is not

whether a world without plastic

pollution is possible

but what we will do together to make it

happen