UN Environment Programme highlights importance of redesign to reduce plastics

        Recently, the second meeting (INC-2) of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC) hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was held in Paris, with a total of five meetings planned to reach a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution (including the marine environment) by the end of 2024.

        "Our recycling system is like people running around with cans, capturing only a small fraction of them and putting them back into the system," said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), speaking at the opening plenary session. "To solve this problem, we can only significantly reduce the flow of virgin plastic by eliminating unnecessary plastics, redesigning products and changing markets," she said. Inger Andersen believes that unnecessary plastics need to be eliminated, calling for redesign: product design, packaging and transportation, as well as repair and recycling measures.

        Redesigning Products

         "Do so many daily chemical products really need plastic? Do shampoo, soap and detergent have to be in liquid form in plastic containers?" Inger Anderson asked in her speech. "Why not transport solid, dry powder or compressed solid products?" She advocated the use of alternatives in packaging, whether it is recycled paper, compostable materials or other organic materials.

        Reduce product transportation packaging

        How to reduce plastic in transportation is also a question that needs to be considered. Inger Andersen proposed changing the design of the product itself or the way it is transported so that it does not need so much plastic protection.

        Redesigning packaging for reuse and recyclability

        Inger Andersen also stressed the importance of expanding legislation and incentives, such as refillable bottles, bulk dispensing devices and deposit return schemes. “We have to move away from the idea that raw materials extracted from the depths of the earth are cheaper than recycled materials. Recycled materials must be a valuable material that is valued by businesses, households and governments,” she said.

        The broader legal system

        Inger Andersen noted that we must ensure that the legal system is reassessed while redesigning waste management systems and expanding extended producer responsibility. She expressed hope that INC-2 would result in a draft ILBI for discussion at INC-3 to demonstrate the ambition of countries to complete the negotiations.