7. Reduction and policy interventions

Reduction strategies focus on minimizing the use of plastics and promoting alternatives that are more sustainable. This shift can be supported by the creation and implementation of policies and regulations that ban or restrict the production and sale of certain plastics and plastic items.

The ‘purest’ form of plastic reduction is to eliminate plastic use. This means, for example, redesigning products to eliminate plastic components, and reducing overpackaging. In these cases innovations to the design mean that the product or packaging functions without plastic and no alternative material is required to fill the gap.

Substitution is another form of plastic reduction. Materials like paper, coated paper, and industrially compostable or home-compostable materials can replace plastics but are more easily recyclable or compostable after use.

Designing products and packaging for consumer reuse - such as shifting from a single-use plastic bag to a multi-use bag, or producing products and services that allow for packaging to be refilled, is another way to reduce plastic use.

Before proceeding, let's acknowledge that finding alternatives to plastics is often more complex than it sounds. Currently, there isn't a single miraculous material available that can fully replace the multifunctionality of plastics, especially at a cost that makes substitution decisions straightforward for most consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands. We often say, there is no “silver bullet” packaging option - otherwise we are confident we’d all be using it. Additionally, while Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) serve as valuable tools, they sometimes reveal that using lightweight plastic packaging, as opposed to non-plastic alternatives, results in lower greenhouse gas emissions—unless the alternative material is recycled multiple times. This consideration is crucial for organizations committed to decarbonizing their supply chains and achieving 'net zero' carbon goals. Similarly, compostable plastics typically require specific conditions required in industrial composting facilities to break down efficiently. These facilities are far less accessible at the moment and the specific composting conditions necessitate higher temperatures, adequate moisture, and proper aeration. In a landfill, where these conditions are generally not present, industrial compostable plastics may not compost effectively and can persist for a long time without breaking down. Instead, they often behave similarly to traditional plastics, contributing to landfill waste.

As you’ve seen, the situation is intricate, and there often aren’t immediate economic motivations for brands to implement changes, leading to a worsening plastic waste crisis. Governments are being called to act. Introducing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies (where producer’s responsibility for a product is extended to the post-consumer stage of the product’s life cycle) or banning certain plastics or plastic products are options. While this is now happening, with both EPR and plastic bans rippling around the globe, some governments can be reluctant to make changes that will present short-term challenges or increased costs for businesses. Cooperation and international agreements are therefore an important part of driving change at a global scale. The UNEP has convened a Global Plastic Pollution Treaty, to be signed in 2025 that hopes to accelerate this, and set targets and guidelines for reducing plastic pollution and promoting sustainable waste management practices.