Elisa Tonda
Chief of the Resources and Markets Branch of UNEP’s Industry and Economy Division
Dead albatross chicks with plastic in their guts. A whale full of fishing gear. Beaches and rivers are covered in plastic waste. Microplastics are detected everywhere, from human placentas to the Himalayas.
People are clearly appalled by what they see and what they now know. Surveys have consistently revealed strong support for reducing plastic production and shifting from a ‘use-and-throw’ culture to reusable, refillable, recyclable products. Phasing out single-use plastic products like coffee cups, sachets, wet wipes and other short-lived items has been popular for years.
Global shift on plastic pollution
Plastic production has doubled in less than 20 years, but less than 10% of plastic waste gets recycled. Heartbreaking images of animals tangled in or eating plastic have sparked a global movement to reduce waste. Today, over 90 countries have banned or restricted plastic bags. In 2021, the EU banned many single-use plastic items. In response, new, practical alternatives are quickly emerging.
All of this has marked a shift in public awareness and attitude, with real-life consequences for businesses. Large-scale market changes, strong consumer sentiment, and an ever-tighter policy landscape mean businesses must reinvent themselves.
Today, the concept of circularity is
no longer theoretical. It’s attracting
investment from major brands.
Designing out plastic waste
In 2018, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) launched the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. It brings together over 500 signatories — including businesses, governments and organisations worldwide — committed to a shared vision of a circular economy, in which plastics never become waste or pollution.
Today, the concept of circularity is no longer theoretical. It’s attracting investment from major brands like Adidas, Burger King, IKEA and big names in the fashion industry, which is beginning to transform the use-and-dispose fast fashion model. Businesses designing products for sustainability through reuse, refill, repairability and recyclability are reducing waste and aligning with global policy trends.
Policy shift toward sustainability
Governments are working hard to deliver a global treaty to end plastic pollution at the next round of negotiations, this August. Industry and civil society — including NGOs, academia and communities — will also be focused on these negotiations. For consumers, an international legally binding agreement on plastic pollution would prioritise quality over quantity, offering consumers greater safety and reduced health risks. For businesses, it would provide clear, predictable rules within a fair regulatory framework.
It is vital that business leaders, from the C-suite to the enabling financial institutions, actively engage in ending plastic pollution. They must get ahead of the curve with their policies, responding not only to public concerns but to the ecological emergency that continued plastic pollution presents.
