By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Inger Andersen, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has called for the elimination of unnecessary, problematic and avoidable plastic products to protect the environment.
She said this in an article published at the 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum with theme “Rebuilding Trust”.
She said “Viewed through a narrow lens, plastics have been a roaring success. The industry is worth around $700 billion annually, provides millions of jobs, and has benefited societies, economies and people. But on this interconnected and fragile planet, we must look through a wider lens at a bigger picture: how humanity produces, uses and disposes of plastics is harming the environment, people, economies and, in the long term, businesses themselves.
“First, we must eliminate unnecessary, problematic and avoidable plastic products. It makes no sense to use a material so durable and versatile for items that are discarded after a single use or a few uses – particularly when these items frequently end up polluting our environment.
“Second, we must redesign products, including packaging, to use less plastic and be more easily reused, refilled, repaired, repurposed and recycled. One simple example is moving from liquefied soaps, shampoos and detergents to solids delivered in non-plastic packaging.
“Third, we must deploy innovation to switch to non-plastic substitutes, alternative plastics and plastic products that do not create negative environmental, health and social impacts. This includes dealing with microplastics and chemicals harmful to human health.
“Fourth, we must invest in better systems to reduce, reuse, refill, repair, recycle, and manage and dispose of waste in an environmentally sound manner. Doing so will incentivise products designed to be used multiple times and ensure that all resources can be made circular. All of this must happen while delivering a just transition and decent jobs for communities such as waste-pickers.”
“Ending plastic pollution is a no-regrets pathway. If we solve this problem, we will protect nature, human health and the climate, all while creating a more prosperous economy and fair jobs. This is what the plastics agreement can help to achieve, if we deliver a strong push across the finishing line and get going on creating new markets, now.”
