Plastic governance
This work package explores transition pathways for sustainable plastics and how such transitions can be governed. A transition towards a more sustainable plastics production and consumption system involves multiple and interrelated changes in feedstock, technologies, behaviour and norms of producers and consumers, organization of production networks and regulation. An overall aim is to develop research-based advice on policy and industrial strategies for the development and adoption of a sustainable plastic system.
The transition involves interrelated changes in feedstock, technologies, behaviour and norms of producers and consumers, organization of production networks and regulation.
There is no general agreement on what constitutes a sustainable plastics system but some general features are widely accepted. It involves an increase in the resource and material efficiency of plastic consumption, a significant increase in the reuse and recycling of plastics, a shift to new plastic additives with low environmental and health impacts, and a switch to renewable feedstock.
We map the existing plastic system in its many dimensions, and explore and assess plastic pathways. Our work include strategizing and analysing policy options as well as striving to understand what needs to happen to instigate and speed up the transition.