Con t r o l l i n g t r a n s bounda r y t r a d e i n p l a s t i c w a s t e

M A R I A T S A K O N A W A S T E M A N A G E M E N T E X P E R T

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 9

http://www.grida.no/publications/443

1. Flaws in the current global recycling model

2. Impacts of plastic scrap transboundary movement

3. Recommendations

THE GLOBAL PLASTIC INDUSTRY

GLOBAL PLASTIC RECYCLING

ONLY 9%

Source: @ISWA MLTF

GLOBAL SYSTEMIC FAILURES

MARKET INDICATORS Low grade, mixed, unsorted and contaminated scrap

plastics are costly to process and have little or no market value.

Low oil and gas prices make virgin plastic cheap and undermine the market for secondary plastic feedstock.

Global trade deficit with China lowers return shipping costs.

Low demand for recycled feedstock and materials. Lower environmental controls, working standards

and cheaper labour make it cost effective to export waste to emerging economies.

FLAWS IN THE CURRENT GLOBALRECYCLING MODEL

COMPLIANCE

Existing international trade codes do not match control requirements. This promotes low accountability and transparency throughout the value chain.

Weak enforcement of pollution control in recipient countries.

Competent authorities in waste importing countries lack capacity to monitor the amount of waste entering their territories.

POLICY

High recycling targets in developed countries that heavily rely on transboundary movement.

Emerging trade restrictions in recipient countries starting with China and followed by other countries.

Under current regulations, scrap plastic does not require control for the transboundary movement.

Lack of traceability or obligation for exporters to demonstrate the environmental performance of exported waste recycling.

Dr i v e r s o f p l a s t i c l e a k a g e s f r om c o l l e c t e d w a s t e

CULTURE

Single-use plastic consumerism trends.

While some plastic products such as building materials have long lifecycles, the majority of plastic products have a short lifetime lasting between one day and two years.

FLAWS IN THE CURRENT GLOBALRECYCLING MODEL

WASTE MANAGEMENT, TRANSPORTATION AND TECHNOLOGY

Insufficient recycling and technological capacity along with high capital and operational costs in industrialized countries.

Despite advancing methodologies to recycle plastic, there are still technological shortfalls that make sorting scrap plastic challenging

Low-tech recycling at emerging economies

Delays in transportation trade hubs e.g., over-supply at ports in emerging scrap plastic markets.

Dr i v e r s o f p l a s t i c l e a k a g e s f r om c o l l e c t e d w a s t e

Chinese import restriction -2018

Asian countries drastically increased imports

Inadequate waste management systems

IMPACTS OF PLASTIC SCRAP

TRANSBOUNDARY MOVEMENT

IMPACTS OF PLASTIC SCRAP

TRANSBOUNDARY MOVEMENT

IMPACTS OF PLASTIC SCRAP

TRANSBOUNDARY MOVEMENT

IMPACTS OF PLASTIC SCRAP

TRANSBOUNDARY MOVEMENT

RECOMMENDATIONS

RECOMMENDATIONS

DESIGN OF PRODUCTS FOR

RECYCLABILITY & RECYCLING

ENHANCING SORTING IN EXPORTING COUNTRIES

ENHANCING END-MARKETS FOR SECONDARY MATERIALS

MONITOR TRANSBOUNDARY

MOVEMENT OF PLASTICS

ASSESS THE WHOLE VALUE CHAIN OF

PLASTICS

Products design focusing on easy separation of the different materials of a product at the endof their lives would enhance effective capture and recycling of plastics

Enhancing technologies or installing advanced sorting processes at plastic recycling facilities inexporting countries will increase the industry’s efficiency globally and minimize leakages intothe environment.

will motivate increased efforts to better collect and process scrap plastic. Strengthening globalcontamination standards, converting scrap plastic into granules for recycled products will be moreeconomically viable. Regulations that favour products manufactured from recycled materials can boost themarket of secondary materials.

Strengthening procedures under the Basel Convention would ensure scrap plastic exports aremonitored to increase environmental accountability of plastic recycling

The transboundary and complex nature of scrap plastic trade need to be better monitored and theeconomic, social and environmental impacts of the plastics recycling sector on local and global levels beanalyzed. Improved information and data gathering will promote informed decision making.

THANK YOU

MARIA TSAKONA

WASTE MANAGEMENT EXPERTmaria . tsakona@grida.no

© 2 0 1 9 B Y S E A c i r c u l a r