This Thursday, 5th June, we will be celebrating World Environment Day, which calls for collective action to tackle plastic pollution. Plastic pollution not only has an impact on the environment but also core areas of human welfare such as physical health, mental, social and economic well-being. Despite attempts through legislative action, the problem persists, and it is not being resolved at the pace required. In this article, we will explore the key impacts and issues of plastic pollution, how international and national policies have sought to combat them, and those schemes and initiatives that have had success in Germany that could be implemented within the UK.
Impacts & Main Issues
Every day, 19-23 million tonnes of plastic are dumped into the world’s largest oceans, rivers and lakes. Research shows that plastic is not biodegradable and can take up to 1000+ years to fully decompose. Once it has entered the environment, plastic breaks down into smaller pieces, creating microplastics. These can now be found within every ecosystem across the globe, from the Antarctic, the deserts of the Sahara and tropical coral reefs.
The environmental impact of plastic pollution poses a dramatic risk for wildlife, including ingestion and entanglement issues for animals, habitat destruction and toxic impacts. Approximately 1,557 species worldwide (including many that are endangered) can digest plastic. Where in the past this was considered most common among marine animals, research has revealed this also extends to terrestrial animals. If plastic ingestion doesn’t solely lead to changes in the digestive tracts, it can also go as far as to make animals choke and starve to death. Animals can easily get entangled in the plastic trash, and it may cause severe injuries, such as cuts or drowning. There is also a case of habitat degradation; for example, large pieces of plastic can easily destroy coral reef habitats.
Plastic pollution is linked to multiple health risks to humans. Microplastics can enter the body through multiple pathways, such as inhalation or ingestion. Research conducted by WWF shows that the average person can ingest up to 5 grams of plastic every week. The existence of microplastics in the body can lead to serious diseases such as cancer, changes in the hormonal activity and respiratory diseases. Health impacts are also noticed at plenty of stages of the supply chain, such as pollution at extraction sites, air pollution from waste incineration and water and soil contamination. This leads to communities and workers’ exposure to the waste sectors being more exposed to the risks of plastic pollution.
Guidance and Policies on Plastic Waste Internationally and within the UK
Considering the scale and impact of plastic pollution, global collaboration is imperative for driving meaningful change. In a landmark move in 2022, 175 nations came together to adopt a resolution pledging to establish a legally binding international agreement by 2024 to combat plastic pollution. Leading this effort, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) has been actively working toward this goal, with the next round of talks scheduled for August 5-14 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Beyond this initiative, the UN Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and their Disposal plays an important role in regulating plastic waste by requiring prior consent for cross-border shipments, which is a measure the UK is obligated to comply with. These collective efforts highlight the growing recognition that only through coordinated action can we turn the tide on plastic waste.
The UK has introduced a range of policies and guidance to tackle plastic waste, aligning with broader environmental goals. The EU-derived Waste Framework Directive (WFD) establishes the foundational waste hierarchy, which prioritises prevention, reuse, recycling, and recovery over disposal and underpins other UK strategies.
A key measure is the Plastic Packaging Tax, implemented in April 2022, to encourage manufacturers to adopt more sustainable practices and utilise more recycled materials over new plastic. Additionally, England has banned several single-use plastic items, including cutlery, plates, and polystyrene cups, with similar restrictions in place across Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Further efforts include the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, which shifts the cost of recycling and disposing of packaging waste onto producers, incentivising reduced plastic use and improved recyclability. The UK is also preparing to launch a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers by October 2025.
Together, these measures reflect a multifaceted approach to reducing plastic pollution, combining legislation, economic tools, and collaboration.
How Germany is leading the field in the Waste Management and Recycling of Plastics
To improve plastic waste management and recycling practices, Germany has introduced a series of strategies, including the mandatory sorting of waste and a deposit refund scheme, to increase its recycling rates. This is at the forefront of the Energiewende (“energy turnaround”) – Germany’s roadmap to its low-carbon and renewable energy transition, which has enjoyed broad public support and cross-party backing.
As of 2002, municipal waste recycling rates in Germany were relatively high at 56%. When an EU-wide target of 50% by 2020 was established by the EU Waste Framework Directive in 2008, Germany had long surpassed this. In 2018, the Waste Framework Directive set new recycling targets for municipal waste of 55% by 2025, 60% by 2030 and 65% by 2035. Germany has already comfortably met all three goals, with 2019 its recycling rate reaching approximately 67%. Today it continues to maintain the highest recycling rate within the EU.
Germany, alongside up to 10 EU nations, has implemented a Deposit Refund System (DRS). These schemes embody the principles of the polluter pays principle, with customers paying a deposit when purchasing certain items, including glass and plastic bottles. In Germany, this typically ranges between €0.08 and €0.25 per item. While the higher price challenges the decision of consumers, an incentive is created to return items, as well as for others to collect litter for a small monetary reward. This has led to a return rate up to approximately 98.4% in Germany since the implementation of the DRS. This undeniable success has led the German Government to continue to explore the potential for further expansion, in 2024 adding plastic milk and dairy product containers to the scheme.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to beating plastic pollution. Initiatives such as World Environment Day are key to stirring global discussion and collaboration to drive and inspire collective action to reduce the issue at its source.