Charter Aims to Help Create a Circular Economy for Plastics Through Reuse, Reduction & Recycling : Plastic Oceans Joins Oceans Plastics Charter to Reduce Waste Plastics in the Oceans
Plastic Oceans International (POI), a non-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness about plastic pollution, has joined the Ocean Plastics Charter (the Charter), a global pact that offers a five-part plan to reduce plastic pollution in marine environments worldwide.
The Charter, established in 2018, lays the foundation for ensuring that plastics are designed to be 100% reusable, recyclable, or recoverable (where viable alternatives do not exist) by 2030.
Championed by the government of Canada, the Charter calls for urgent action by all sectors of society, bringing together leading countries, sub-national governments, businesses, and civil society organizations to commit to a more resource-efficient and sustainable approach to including plastics in the economy, but not in the environment.
It is endorsed by over 100 partners, including 26 nations and corporate brands such as PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Walmart, Nestle, Unilever, Volvo and Ikea.
“We are honoured to join and contribute to the efforts being made by the Charter’s diverse group of partners,” said Julie Andersen, CEO of POI. “The issue of plastic pollution lies in the complex social and economic system in which we all take part. The Charter’s recognition and engagement of all stakeholders in the plastic value chain is the systemic shift in thinking needed to end plastic pollution.”
Through a circular lifecycle approach, the objective of the Charter is to promote innovation that results in sustainable solutions, technologies and alternatives that enable consumers and businesses to change their behaviour.
The Charter’s collaborative effort aligns with POI’s vision and strategic approach to end plastic pollution worldwide. POI focuses on both short-term solutions, to immediately slow the harmful impacts of today’s modes of production, distribution, and consumption, and long-term solutions supporting bottom-up approaches that engage and motivate local communities to influence policies and habits.
POI will work in collaboration with existing and future partners to communicate and act on the need for urgent action by all sectors of society to address and prevent the far-reaching devastating impacts of marine litter on the health and sustainability of our oceans, seas and coastal communities.
Read More
VIDEO: Short Documentary Series on Plastic Waste in the Oceans
The Plastic Oceans Foundation has published a series of videos explaining how plastic waste gets into the oceans, breaks down into microplastics and enters the food chains.
