BRITA, IKEA, The Lego Group, Samsonite Group, and Schneider Electric

We recognise the shortcomings of today’s largely linear model of plastic production and quick consumption, which has led to a proliferation of environmentally damaging, short-lived products. This has led to a broad ‘anti-plastic’ sentiment from both the public and policymakers.   

The risk is that little distinction is made by policymakers between short lived single-use plastics (SUPs) and durable applications for which plastic often is the best material from a safety, cost, or sustainability perspective. While we recognise that these products can bring environmental and social challenges for which we do not yet have all the solutions, we believe there is an important role for these products to play in a more sustainable future. 

The Coalition brings a collective voice around durable plastic to add nuance, credibility and weight to policymaking discussions.  Specifically, we have identified two main objectives: 

1.     Enhanced recognition of the different use cases of plastic and materials choice

Drive a better understanding by policymakers about why manufacturers and brand owners make certain choices about their materials and why plastic might be the best choice from an environmental perspective (such as carbon emissions, safety, weight or longevity).  

2.     An enabling regulatory environment for safe and durable plastic 

Identify what is needed to produce durable plastic more sustainably and what policy action is required to accelerate that aim. This could cover a range of areas, including recycling infrastructure, innovation and new technologies, building markets for scaling the use of new materials or feedstocks, industry supply chain issues such as pellet loss and fibre design, recycling and end of life, or raising consumer awareness. 

We in the Coalition will reach our aims when there is a broad understanding by policymakers, NGOs, governments, and other stakeholders that there is difference between durable plastic and short-lived plastic, and that there can be use cases when plastic is the preferred option, including from a sustainability perspective. We would also like to see relevant legislation developed in a way that takes durability into account.  

We’re open to bringing in any other companies with shared interests and a shared commitment to the highest sustainability standards. We also welcome dialogue with relevant NGOs and policy makers to ensure balanced regulation. 

We are fully supportive of the global treaty process and its objectives. We have observed a lack of nuance on the distinctions between different types of plastics and, particularly, the specific attributes of durable plastics. There is a risk of unintended consequences if the specific factors that underpin the use of durables, for example durability, performance, reuse, safety, and more, are not considered; we seek to advocate for and raise awareness of these attributes through the Coalition.  

We believe there is an essential space for durable plastics where no viable alternative exists, and while they are not ‘essential use’, they do have an essential role to play in a materials hierarchy.

No – we are fully supportive of the work and objectives of the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty; it is focused largely on the flows of recyclable packaging waste and so addresses a different remit to our core agenda. By establishing a separate Coalition, we signal the importance of durable plastics as a subset of the overarching plastics category.   

Several factors distinguish durable plastic from other forms of plastic, namely: 

1.     Lifespan: Durable plastic can remain in use for an extended period while retaining its functionality and quality. Specifically, durable plastic does not have a high risk of environmental degradation (e.g. the proliferation of microplastics) and can have a lower carbon footprint over the entire duration of its life and significantly reducing waste compared to short-lived plastic products.  

2.   Reusability: Linked to its lifespan, durable plastic has the scope to be reused many times; something that is a key principle to a functioning circular economy.  

3.     Adherence to high safety standards and product performance: The properties of durable plastic means it can uphold rigorous quality and safety standards and ensure better performance for the consumer. This can cover a range of areas, from classical product safety and chemical compliance to general quality. Durable plastic is often of a higher grade, supporting applications like medical use and food contact. 

Durable plastics can be difficult to recycle at scale or through existing household recycling schemes, presenting clear challenges for manufacturers and consumers alike; consumers typically view ‘recyclability’ as the key unlock for sustainability. We see ‘durability’ is one of the biggest assets of our products, but also as presenting some of our biggest challenges – as addressing end of life issues with durable plastics will require system-wide change. Though we recognise we need to do more to promote the availability and applicability of recycled and renewable feedstocks, all Coalition Members have made commitments to using more sustainable materials, including finding more renewable resources, investing in bio-based, bio-circular solutions, and incorporating post-consumer recycled content in products. 

Each of the Coalition members is publicly committed to ambitious and evidence-based sustainability strategies; we believe in reducing virgin plastic production where viable and ensuring durability where it remains an integral material. We acknowledge the complexity of this issue and the necessity for broad collaboration to ensure progress, which is a central motivation of establishing the Coalition. 

There is a clear gap in consumer awareness of the wider question around material choice, and there is future scope for the Durable Plastics Coalition to play a role in informing the public of the different use cases of plastic to support and empower more informed choices.