An article published on January 14, 2019 by news provider Plastic News Europe informed that a new alliance of industry members has raised $1 billion in commitments from members to work on the issue of plastic waste. Named the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, the founding members include over two dozen companies including BASF, Shell, DSM, and Proctor & Gamble. The alliance is quoted as saying that they aim to help with the issue of plastic waste through the design of systems in “large urban areas where infrastructure is lacking, especially along rivers which transport vast amounts of unmanaged plastic waste from land to ocean.” Rivers in Asia are noted as contributing the largest amounts of plastic to the oceans, and the alliance aims to “create repeatable programs and solutions that can be applied in multiple locations, especially in areas with ‘high plastic leakage.’”
Planned outcomes of the alliance’s work are reported to include setting up an incubator to support investment in and development of “technology, business models and entrepreneurs to tackle the issue”, the creation of an “‘open source, science-based global information’ system to support plastic waste management”, and physical cleanup of “concentrated areas of plastic waste already in the environment.”
With $1 billion in commitment already received from alliance members, a target to reach a total of $1.5 billion in commitments has been set for within the next five years.
The article notes that the environmental group Greenpeace “sees the new alliance as a way to keep the ‘status quo’ and allow for the continued production of single-use plastics rather than prioritizing reduction.” The organization goes on to say “the truth is we will never escape this plastic pollution crisis through better recycling and waste management efforts.” Critical comments voiced by several other non-governmental organizations have been summarized in an article published on January 15, 2018 by Break Free From Plastic.
Read more
Plastics News (January 14, 2019). “Industry group pledges $1B to end plastic waste.”
Alliance to End Plastic Waste. “Addressing an Issue of Global Proportions.”
Break Free From Plastic (January 15, 2019). “Industry group seeks to maintain single-use plastic status quo.”
Plastic Pollution Coalition (January 15, 2019). “Industry group pledges $1B to stop plastic pollution but fails to address single-use plastic production.”
Packaging Europe (January 16, 2019). “Global alliance to end plastic waste launches with $1BN commitment.”
Plastics Europe (January 16, 2019). “New global alliance commits over $1.0 billion USD to help end plastic waste in the environment.”
Cefic (January 17, 2019). “New global alliance commits over $1.0 billion USD to help end plastic waste in the environment; sets goal of investing $1.5 billion USD.”
Anne Marie Mohan (January 18, 2019). “Global alliance formed, commits $1 billion to end plastic waste.” Greener Package
Chemical Watch (January 22, 2019). “Global industry alliance to fight plastic waste.”
Steve Russel (January 29, 2019). “Can a new global alliance catalyze investments and models to end plastic waste? We think it can.” American Chemistry Matters
