By Saabira Chaudhuri
The amount of plastic flowing into the world's oceans is set to
surge and businesses' efforts to reduce plastic waste will do
little to stop it, according to a new study in the journal
Science.
The annual inflow of plastic could nearly triple from 2016 to
2040, the study found, and even if companies and governments meet
all their commitments to tackle plastic waste, it would reduce the
projection for 2040 by only 7%, still a more-than twofold increase
in volume.
The study's authors, the nonprofit Pew Charitable Trust and
sustainability consulting firm Systemiq Ltd., set out a range of
measures to stem the flow and called on businesses and governments
to do more to reduce the use of plastic. They developed what they
say is a first-of-its-kind model of the global plastics-supply
chain -- from production to consumption to disposal -- using data
and input from 17 experts from various regions.
Consumer and regulatory pressure has prompted many of the
world's biggest consumer-goods companies to commit to making all
their packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable within the next
five years. Businesses have also pledged to use more recycled
content in their packaging, often touting such promises to woo
shoppers.
Waste-reduction advocates say those commitments aren't enough
because they focus on recycling plastic, rather than making and
using less of it. Companies like Walmart Inc., Nestle SA and
Procter & Gamble Co. say they plan to eliminate unnecessary
packaging and use more refillable containers, but few have set
measurable targets for doing so.
"This is a dream we will have to give up that we can continue to
grow plastic output infinitely and see collection and recycling
systems easily pick up with it," said Martin Stuchtey, head of
Systemiq.
The study's ocean-plastic forecast for 2040, which is based on
the current trajectory, represents the equivalent of 50 kilograms
of plastic for every meter of coastline in the world.
The study attributes the surge to a growing global population
using more plastic per person. Other factors include greater use of
nonrecyclable plastics and an increasing share of consumption
occurring in countries with poor waste management.
China and Indonesia are likely the top sources of plastic
reaching the oceans, accounting for more than a third of the
plastic bottles, bags and other detritus washed out to sea,
according to a study published in 2015 by Jenna Jambeck, an
environmental engineer at the University of Georgia.
Over the past two years China has been making strides to improve
waste management, including banning the import of plastic and other
waste from developed countries like the U.S., which for decades
have shipped much of their trash overseas. Indonesia has
implemented its own restrictions on trash coming in from overseas,
while lawmakers in the U.S. are increasingly trying to find ways to
improve the country's domestic recycling rates as export markets
vanish.
Ocean plastics have gained mainstream attention since the 2017
documentary "Blue Planet," presented by British broadcaster David
Attenborough, showed how the material hurts birds and sea life. The
study in Science states that more than 800 species are known to be
affected by marine plastic pollution, including all sea turtle
species.
The report is the latest call for companies to do more to reduce
plastic waste. A recent analysis of 50 U.S. consumer, retail and
restaurant companies concluded that they showed "a lack of basic
goal setting, strategy, and planning" to address single-use plastic
waste.
The analysis by As You Sow, an investor-advocacy group, graded
companies' performance on reusable packaging and design. It
criticized a common strategy of making plastic packaging lighter,
saying thinner bottles are still harmful to sea life.
Governments so far have focused on banning a handful of products
like plastic bags, straws and stirrers, but such measures don't
meaningfully dent the amount of waste leaking into the environment,
the Pew-Systemiq researchers say.
They found that flexible plastic packaging -- particularly items
like potato-chip bags and food pouches, which are made of several
materials and typically aren't recycled -- accounts for a
disproportionate amount of ocean plastic. The As You Sow report
said companies should stop selling products in flexible plastic
until it is recycled or composted in significant amounts.
Companies, in response, have been redesigning flexible packaging
to promote recycling. For example, Nestle recently began selling a
line of Gerber baby-food pouches made from a single material. But
hurdles remain, particularly around collection and sorting of the
packaging.
The amount of plastic flowing into the oceans could be reduced
by as much as 80% over the next 20 years through a combination of
reduced plastic use, increased recycling, alternatives to
problematic packaging like plastic pouches and better waste
management, the Pew-Systemiq study said.
Dominic Hogg, chairman of environmental consulting firm Eunomia,
said the study offered many useful findings but lacked concrete
policy proposals to raise trash-collection rates. While companies
have promised to reduce unnecessary or problematic plastics, "if
plastic isn't collected in a country, it's all problematic," Mr.
Hogg said.
"They've been reasonably radical in their recommendations of
what needs to change, but not at all radical or clear enough about
what needs to happen on the public-policy side," said Mr. Hogg, who
thinks voluntary commitments by companies make little
difference.
The study considered government policies and plastics-related
pledges of roughly 150 companies, as compiled in an effort led by
the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. "We fully agree with the key
message being that current commitments aren't enough," said Sander
Defruyt, who organized the pledges for the nonprofit.
But he said the Pew-Systemiq study doesn't reflect progress on
land-based pollution and its projections for 2040 go beyond the
timeline of current corporate targets, which would likely be
updated.
Leaders of two major consumer companies, Mars Inc. and PepsiCo
Inc., said they supported the study's findings and the role of
companies in fighting pollution. In comments published alongside
the study, Pepsi Chief Executive Ramon Laguarta said "immediate
bold action" is required, while Mars's CEO Grant Reid said "we have
much to do."
--Graphics by Katherine Riley.
Write to Saabira Chaudhuri at saabira.chaudhuri@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 25, 2020 18:27 ET (22:27 GMT)
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