Welcome to Higginson Strategy’s weekly round-up of international news relating to plastic pollution.
This week, Chilean Ambassador Julio Cordano was elected to lead the UN Global Plastics Treaty talks. The Alliance to End Plastic Waste report mapped recycling challenges and circularity enablers for flexible packaging across Europe and North America, proposing dedicated large-scale sorting facilities as a foundation for systems change. Finland’s two largest retail chains, S Group and K Group, are raising the price of plastic shopping bags to discourage the use of plastics. The University of São Paulo (USP) and the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) has found that biofilm made from fish skin could be a sustainable alternative for food packaging. Finally, Ethiopia enforces nationwide single-use plastic bag ban.
New chair elected to lead UN Global Plastic Treaty talks
The Committee tasked with the development of an internationally binding Global Plastics Treaty has elected Chilean Ambassador Julio Cordano as the new chair, in a bid to resume negotiations after a four-month-long deadlock. In accepting the position, Cordano said: “Plastic pollution is a planetary problem that affects every country, community and individual.”
The Treaty has been promoted as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to establish a binding international framework to end plastic pollution by 2040.
Read more here.
Report calls for large-scale secondary sorting to address flexible packaging recycling gap
An Alliance to End Plastic Waste report has mapped recycling challenges and circularity enablers for flexible packaging across Europe and North America, proposing dedicated large-scale sorting facilities as a foundation for systems change.
The report argues that flexibles remain stuck in low-value downcycling into plastic lumber and bin liners, with the economics of closed-loop recycling undermined by feedstock variability, sorting costs and the price gap against virgin polymer.
Read more here.
Finnish retailers increase plastic bag prices to curb use of plastics
As the EU aims to reduce annual consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags to no more than 40 per person Finland’s two largest retail chains, S Group and K Group stores, are raising the price of plastic shopping bags this month to discourage the use of plastics.
They have decided to increase the price of plastic bags from €0.35 to €0.50. Both chains have said that since they introduced a price last spring only about 20% of shoppers buy a plastic bag on a typical visit.
Read more here.
Biofilm made from fish skin could be a sustainable alternative for food packaging
The University of São Paulo and the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation has used the skin of an Amazonian fish known as the Tambatinga to develop a biofilm which can be used in food packaging.
The first step of the experiment was to clean the fish skins and subject them to a gelatin extraction process using hot water and acetic acid to remove impurities. Next, films were made from the material, using two grams of gelatin for every 100 grams of film-forming solution. The result was a transparent, flexible material with uniform surfaces.
Read more here.
Ethiopia enforces nationwide single-use plastic bag ban
Ethiopia’s Solid Waste Management and Disposal Proclamation has taken effect after a six-month grace period, banning single-use plastic bags. The ban imposed fines and prison terms for commercial violations.
Researchers indicate that enforcement alone will not ensure success, highlighting the need for socio-cultural adaptation, accessible alternatives, education, and inclusive policy design.
Read more here.