SCP/RAC joined global efforts to tackle the plastic waste crisis

The centre participated to the first meeting of the Basel Convention Plastic Waste Partnership working group, established through the Decision BC-14/13 adopted at the COP14 to the Basel Convention (2019).

The objective of the Plastic Waste Partnership (PWP) is to improve and promote the environmentally sound management of plastic waste at the global, regional and national levels and prevent and minimize their generation so as to, among other things, reduce significantly and in the long-term eliminate the discharge of plastic waste and microplastics into the environment, in particular the marine environment.

The Partnership promotes action and encourages dialogue between governments, regional and local authorities, Regional Seas Programmes, intergovernmental organizations, the private sector, non-governmental organizations and academia towards the ultimate goal of reducing significantly and, in the long-term, eliminating the discharge of plastic waste and microplastics into the environment, in particular the marine environment.

This first meeting was hosted by the Government of the Seychelles and was organized by the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions in collaboration with the Africa Institute for Environmentally Sound Management of Hazardous and Other Wastes, as the Basel Convention Regional Centre for English-speaking countries in South Africa (BCRC South Africa) (02 March to 05 March 2020).

During the meeting participants could agree on main themes to be tackled by the partnership. They agree to structure the word around the following project groups:

-        Project group1: Prevention and minimization

-        Project group 2: Plastic waste collection, recycling and other recovery including financing and related markets

-        Project Group 3: Transboundary movements

-        Project Group 4: Outreach, education and awareness raising

For each of the group, a list of activities to be implemented during the 2020/2021 biennium was agreed. The main mechanism for the implementation of the work plan will be through pilot projects. The meeting also agreed on the modalities for those pilot projects and the calls will be launched this year.

Members of the partnership will have until the 20^th of March to indicate which project group they wish to join.

SCP/RAC already expressed its interested to join the project groups on Prevention and minimization as well as on Plastic waste collection, recycling and other recovery including financing and related markets.

SCP/RAC as center acting under both the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean, a regional seas convention, is interested in joining forces to put in motion the partnership. The center is willing to share its experience in the preparation of guidelines to prevent plastic pollution, in the support of countries to develop measures to phase out Single Use Plastics and in the support to the development of new business models offering solutions to the plastic waste crisis. Furthermore, the Centre could also contribute to activities aiming at reducing the hazardous content of plastic. Plastic products are made of polymers but also contain a number chemicals and I particular additives. Some of them are POPs and EDCs. There is still a huge lack of information on the chemicals used in plastics and their impacts on environment and health.

Stay tuned to follow the progress of the partnership. We will keep you informed!

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