Population growth rates are over 2% per year and the consequent increase in consumption of plastic packaging makes this the largest fraction of waste after organic, which brings more urgency to the waste management challenges. Most of Africa’s population has no access to kerbside collection nor a formal waste collection system and relies heavily on waste pickers in the informal sector for waste collection and sorting. According to industry estimates 90% of waste still ends up in landfill or illegal dumping sites, some even burned in the open. Thirty-four African governments have implemented or are planning to implement different types of plastic bans, many of these targeting plastic bags, to tackle the rise in plastic waste generation. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) initiatives in Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria are also encouraging, with the most recent EPR scheme being implemented in South Africa applied to all companies importing or manufacturing plastic packaging for distribution from 5 May 2021. Particular to the region, brands have often taken action and led these types of bans and EPR schemes. Recycled content targets for plastic packaging set by legislation in other regions, coupled with consumer pressure, have pushed brands who operate in multiple regions to set sustainability pledges at a global level. Now, these Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) brands are also looking for supplies of high-quality recycled plastic in Africa, particularly for polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) packaging. The ICIS Mechanical Recycling Supply Tracker has identified just under 50 mechanical plastic recycling plants for PET, PE and PP in the African region with a total capacity of over 370,000 tonnes/year for post-consumer and post-industrial waste feedstocks. 55% of the recycling capacity is allocated to recycling PET, and the majority of the polyolefin recycling capacity is allocated to PE. However, in 2020, production of recycled PET, PE and PP represented only 3% of total virgin and recycled PET, PE and PP consumption in the region. Source: https://www.recycling-magazine.com/2021/09/03/south-africa-leading-the-african-circular-plastics-industry/

The Spanish Congress has passed Law 7/2022 of 8 April 2022, which covers tax law on non-reusable plastic packaging and will enter into force on January 1, 2023. The Law intends to encourage the reduction of non-reusable plastic packaging waste as well as the recycling of plastic waste. It also aims to establish the concepts of the circular economy by basic waste regulation, as well as to contribute to climate change mitigation and marine environmental protection.     Scope    Non-reusable plastic containers   Products made of semi-finished plastic that will be used to create non-reusable packaging   Products made of plastic that are meant to be used to close, trade, or display non-reusable containers    Taxable Event    Production – when the first delivery is made to the purchaser. In the event of advance payments, the tax is due when the entire or a portion of the purchase price is actually collected.  Importation – when import duties are accrued. The plastic tax is required when the import is processed at customs, at the same time that the customs duties are due.  Intra-Community acquisition – when transport of the goods begins on the 15th day of the month after transport, or when the invoice is issued – whichever comes first.    Tax Rate     The new tax has a broad scope, with a tax rate of EUR 0.45 per kg of non-recycled plastic packaging. It is expected to generate around EUR 724 million in revenue for the country annually.     Taxable Person    In principle, sole proprietors and businesses that are manufacturers, intra-Community acquirers, or importers of plastic-taxable items. Foreign taxpayers subject to the Spanish plastic tax are required to designate a Spanish representative before engaging in their first taxable activity.     By no later than January 30, 2023, taxpayers subject to the Spanish plastic tax must register in the special register for plastic tax.    Source: https://www.globalvatcompliance.com/globalvatnews/spain-new-indirect-tax/

Some 11 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean every year, the equivalent of a garbage truck full of plastic every minute. A 2020 Pew-authored report, “Breaking the Plastic Wave,” projected that the inflow will increase to 29 million metric tons per year by 2040 without ambitious action. Unfortunately, the report showed that commitments made to date by governments and industry, such as bans on plastic bags and straws, will have only an incremental impact on those numbers. If humanity is serious about tackling this problem, we need large-scale, systemic change, with governments and businesses of all sizes doing their parts. Plastic is also now in our bodies, at least temporarily. It’s in the food we eat, the water we drink, and even the air we breathe. In a potentially ominous sign, a study published last year found traces of plastic in a human placenta, meaning that we are not only ingesting particles but potentially passing them on to the next generation. The human health implications of all of this are just beginning to be understood. Worldwide, only 9% of plastic makes it to a recycling plant. And for much plastic pollution—on land and in the sea—recycling was never an economically viable option to begin with. This includes microplastics, particles 5 millimeters or less in width, such as those generated from vehicle tires and some textiles or added to liquid soaps and shampoos. In fact, microplastics are a huge part of the marine plastic pollution problem because they can mimic fish eggs and other tiny organisms and are thus consumed by sea life. Once microplastics reach the ocean, they’re nearly impossible to filter out without great cost or damage to marine life, so they become a near-permanent feature of the ecosystem. But as noted in “Breaking the Plastic Wave,” humanity can reduce the flow of plastics into the ocean by up to 80% by 2040 through a set of actions led by governments and industry—the two entities with the most power to effect large-scale change. And, to reiterate an overarching finding of the report, there are no quick or simple fixes to this mass problem—but humanity can solve the ocean plastic puzzle in one generation with a concerted, broad-based, and long-term effort. For governments, the first step is grasping where the plastic is coming from and how it is moving from production to, eventually, the ocean. And this is one of the ways that Pew can help. In the coming months, we will launch the second generation of a tool that governments can use to determine the extent of their country’s plastic pollution problem and use that information to guide action. Source: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/trend/archive/winter-2022/our-ocean-is-choking-on-plastic-but-its-a-problem-we-can-solve

Following the start of a new law in Japan on April 1 that aims to increase the circularity of plastic throughout its lifecycle, we look at one of Japan’s big areas of plastic use – food packaging.   For many people, their image of Japanese food includes strict hygiene standards, freshness, and convenient access to ready-to-eat meals and bottled drinks. For others, copious amounts of packaging to ensure those high standards may be what comes to mind.   Food packaging and environmental issues On the upside, packaging does help maintain the quality of food and sustain its longevity. But there’s a significant downside, too: plastic production emits a large amount of carbon dioxide. For instance, the carbon footprint of just five plastic bags is 1 kg of CO2.   Data shows that the packaging industry accounts for 42% of global plastic waste. Since CO2 is one of the greenhouse gases that are raising global temperatures, plastic packaging plays a considerable role in causing climate change. That is why Japan is trying to reduce plastic production by increasing the circularity of it as a resource.   The shift to package-free & biodegradable materials In the EU, there is already a big movement to reduce food packaging and invent new and more environmentally friendly packaging. For example, at the beginning of this year, the French government banned the packaging of 30 types of fruit and vegetables at supermarkets and other retail shops. This will greatly reduce the amount of single-use plastic packaging. Consumers might find the change inconvenient, or feel it to be unhygienic in some cases, but such issues are likely to be resolved in time as shoppers adjust.   Japan’s New Plastic Resource Circulation Act In April, the Ministry of the Environment implemented a new law, “The Plastic Resource Circulation Act.” The main principle of it is to use subsidies to encourage companies to reduce the production of single-use plastic and develop and adopt more circular product designs and systems. Examples include refill products that use less voluminous packaging and product-collection points run by the companies for recycling purposes.   The new law encourages municipalities and manufacturers to collect and recycle plastic products. Companies that conform to the principles receive 150,000 yen from the ministry. That acts as an incentive for them to transit toward a circular business model, and that shift leads consumers to adopt the new style of packaging.   The new act also adjusts legislation to make it easier for companies to implement recycling plans, and allows government ministers to issue orders to companies that generate large amounts of plastics.   Source: https://zenbird.media/food-packaging-new-plastic-recycling-law-in-japan/

Virgin Atlantic will operate the world’s first 'net-zero' transatlantic flight in 2023. The UK-US flight will be powered by 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a low-emissions fuel made from waste materials like used cooking oil. Virgin secured a £1 million UK government contract - announced in May - to fly a Boeing 787 jet from London Heathrow to New York JFK. The flight will be a key step to "sustainable" aviation, the Department of transport claims. But what does it mean exactly, and just how green is it really? What are SAFs? SAFs are produced from feedstocks like used cooking oil, agricultural waste, and household trash such as packaging, food scraps, and textiles. SAFs still give off carbon emissions when burnt. However the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that they curb emissions by roughly 70-80 per cent over the course of the “fuel life-cycle.” This is because they are made from waste products, where the carbon has already been emitted, or from plants that absorb carbon dioxide while they grow. SAFs are currently mixed - at a 50 per cent ratio - with traditional fossil fuels. Combined with “greenhouse gas removals, 100 per cent SAF will enable the delivery of a net zero flight”, a government spokesperson said. Transport secretary Grant Shapps promised to fast-track testing and approvals for SAF technology. “This trailblazing net zero emissions flight, a world first, will demonstrate the vital role that sustainable aviation fuel can play in decarbonising aviation in line with our ambitious net zero targets,” he said.   Source: https://www.euronews.com/travel/2022/12/16/trailblazing-net-zero-transatlantic-flight-powered-by-cooking-oil-to-take-off-in-2023

Natura & Co is a global purpose-driven personal care group comprising Avon, Natura, The Body Shop and Aesop. In 2020, the group unveiled Commitment to Life, a ten-year plan designed to help tackle some of the world’s most pressing issues, one of which is the dramatic rise in plastic usage.   Multiple targets to reduce plastic usage   Natura &Co aims to achieve full circularity of packaging by 2030. It has committed to decreasing packaging material by 20% (or more) in weight, and for 50% of all plastic used to be made of recycled content. In addition, 100% of packaging material will be either reusable, recyclable or compostable. Finally, the group plans to offset plastic use through ‘collection and reuse’ programs, which will help reach 100% responsible disposal where recycling infrastructure is not available. To achieve this, Natura &Co has committed to investing a minimum of $100m by 2030 in developing solutions, such as biotechnology to transform waste to plastics.   Impact so far and future outlook   Natura &Co has made advances in its mission to include recycled plastics in products and packaging. The Body Shop are now using 68% recyclable plastic in packaging, and Natura are using 50%. In 2020, 70% of Aesop’s plastic bottles were made from at least 97% recycled PET. Further, The Body Shop’s Community Fair Trade Program continues to have an impact, resulting in 250 tonnes of recycled plastic being incorporated into packaging in one year. This figure is growing, with hope that it will rise to over 900 tonnes by the end of 2021. Progress has also been made through initiatives designed to reduce the use of plastic. Avon has re-launched several products in bottles which contain 30% PCR plastic. These new bottles save 45 and 33.5 tonnes of virgin plastic per year respectively. In addition, by introducing the option of purchasing hand wash products as a refill without a pump, Aesop has saved 12g of plastic per bottle. The Body Shop’s refill scheme, reintroduced in 2019, removed 21 tonnes of plastic from Christmas gifts alone and is continuing to reduce plastic further.   Source: https://cosmeticseurope.eu/green-action-case-studies-environmental-sustainability-cosmetics-industry/natura-co/

The European Commission wants to reduce the environmental impact of packaging by mandating that producers use a minimum amount of recycled plastic in new packaging placed on the market. Only 5% of plastic in packaging came from recycled sources in 2019, according to industry group Plastics Europe. And recyclers face an uphill battle to sell secondary materials in a market dominated by cheaper and higher-quality virgin supplies. To tackle this, Brussels is expected to boost the demand for recycled plastic by broadening recycled content targets from plastic bottles to all plastic packaging. A proposal in that direction will be put forward as part of the revision of the EU’s packaging and packaging waste directive, which is expected on 30 November. A leaked draft of the proposal, seen by EURACTIV, requires all plastic packaging placed on the EU market to “contain certain minimum amount of recycled content recovered from post-consumer plastic waste” as of January 2030.  The 2030 targets, which are tentative and could still change before the proposal is published, would increase again by 2040 in the following way: 25% for contact sensitive plastic packaging like food wraps (50% as of 2040) 50% for single use plastic beverage bottles (65% as of 2040) 45% for other plastic packaging (65% as of 2040) Whatever targets are eventually adopted, the intention is clear – Brussels wants to boost the market for recycled plastics by mandating a minimum amount of recycled material in new packaging. The move is also expected to push up collection rates and drive companies to design products in line with the recycling process as it becomes in their interest to do so, according to the recycling industry association, EuRIC. “If you want to have recycled content, you must have eco-design,” said EuRIC secretary general Emmanuel Katrakis. “You must have proper collection. You must have recycling. You must have industries that are going to buy recycled materials. Then it’s the responsibility of everyone to make sure that it works,” he told EURACTIV. Source: https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/news/eu-set-to-adopt-mandatory-recycled-content-targets-in-new-packaging-law/

April 28, 2022. Amsterdam, Netherlands – The European Commission has selected 100 European cities (plus 12 additional cities coming from H2020 associated countries) to join its Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities. The cities selected for this Mission will receive comprehensive support from the  Net Zero Cities  program led by EIT Climate-KIC and work on reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and achieving climate neutrality. Home to 75 per cent of Europeans and responsible for more than 70 per cent of global CO2 emissions, cities can lead the European Union’s pathway to a zero-carbon world. The main goal of the NetZeroCities program is to engage local authorities and other stakeholders to deliver over 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030, and to ensure that these cities serve as test-beds for innovation to enable all European cities to follow suit by 2050.   “This Mission represents the most aggressive and ambitious effort among cities to lead the way in responding to the global climate emergency. Europe is seeking to do its part and invest in learning how to achieve climate neutrality quickly and to share what we learn across all of Europe and the world. Reaching climate neutrality will be difficult for any municipalities, and our job is to help them on that journey, especially with innovation and learning that touch every aspect of a city,”  said Thomas Osdoba, Director of NetZeroCities.   A total of 377 cities applied to be part of the Mission and work with NetZeroCities to overcome the current structural, institutional and cultural barriers they face in order to achieve net-zero by 2030. The European Commission selected 100 EU cities coming from all 27 Member States, as well as 12 additional cities coming from countries associated or with the potential of being associated to Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation program. (2021-2027).   The Cities Mission will receive €360 million of Horizon Europe funding covering the period 2022-23, to start the innovation paths towards climate neutrality by 2030. The research and innovation actions will address clean mobility, energy efficiency and green urban planning, and offer the possibility to share best practices to build joint initiatives and extend collaborations with other EU program.    Source: https://www.climate-kic.org/press-releases/cities-climate-neutrality/