A recent study from the University of California, Santa Barbara has identified four policies that could reduce plastic waste pollution globally by more than 90 percent and cut associated carbon emissions by nearly a third by 2050. The findings highlight a comprehensive approach that includes an increase in recycled content, a limit on plastic production, increased waste management investment and packaging fees to effectively address the plastic waste crisis.
Proposed policies to deal with plastic waste
The study, titled “Pathways to reducing global plastic waste mismanagement and greenhouse gas emissions by 2050,” by researchers at the University of California Berkeley and the University of California Santa Barbara was published in Science. The study recommends mandating that new plastic products contain at least 40 percent post-consumer recycled content and limiting new plastic production to 2020 levels. It advocates significant investment in waste management infrastructure, including landfills and collection systems, particularly in deprived areas. Finally, imposing a nominal fee on plastic packaging has been suggested to discourage single-use items and promote sustainability.
According to Professor Douglas McCauley, an environmental science expert at UC Santa Barbara and UC Berkeley, plastic pollution can be reduced to a great extent if these policies are adopted globally. The potential impact is equivalent to taking 300 million gasoline-powered cars off the roads for a year, underscoring the significant climate benefits.
Busan summit to finalize global plastics treaty
The study comes just ahead of key talks for a global plastics treaty taking place in Busan, South Korea, from November 25 to December 1. This legally binding agreement aims to provide a framework to curb plastic pollution with over 190 countries. Expected to participate.
Researchers, including Dr. Roland Geyer, professor of industrial ecology at UC Santa Barbara, are optimistic that these policy recommendations will guide treaty negotiations, providing a data-driven approach to reducing plastic pollution and emissions. “This policy action shows that if we can act together, we can reach minimal mismanaged plastic waste,” said Dr. Nivedita Biyani, a researcher at the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory.
The study warns that without action, plastic consumption and emissions could increase by 37 percent by 2050. The research underlines the environmental and social costs of plastic waste, particularly for the Global South, which suffers from pollution due to limited waste management resources.
