New policy to reduce plastic waste and reduce CO2 emissions by 2050
A recent study from the University of California, Santa Barbara identified four policies that could reduce global plastic waste pollution by more than 90 percent and reduce related carbon emissions by almost a third by 2050. limiting plastic production, increased investment in waste management and a packaging fee to effectively tackle the plastic waste crisis.
Proposed policy to combat plastic waste
The study titled “Pathways to reduce global plastic waste mismanagement and greenhouse gas emissions by 2050,” by researchers from 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 materials and limiting new plastic production to 2020 levels. It calls for significant investments in waste management infrastructure, including landfills and collection systems, especially in underserved regions. Finally, a small charge for plastic packaging is proposed to discourage single-use items and promote sustainability.
According to Professor Douglas McCauley, an environmental scientist at UC Santa Barbara and UC Berkeley, these policies could substantially minimize plastic pollution if implemented globally. The potential impact is comparable to taking 300 million gasoline cars off the road for a year, underscoring the significant climate benefits.
Busan Summit to finalize the Global Plastics Treaty
The publication of the research comes just ahead of the critical negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty, which will take place from November 25 to December 1 in Busan, South Korea. This legally binding agreement aims to provide a framework to tackle plastic pollution, with more than 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 and provide a data-driven approach to reducing plastic pollution and emissions. “This policy work shows that if we act together, we can minimize mismanaged plastic waste,” said Dr. Nivedita Biyani, researcher at the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory.
Without action, the study warns, plastic consumption and emissions could rise by 37 percent by 2050. The research underlines the environmental and social costs of plastic waste, especially for the Global South, which suffers disproportionately from pollution due to limited waste management resources.
