What went right this week: kicking the plastic habit, plus more

After a global treaty to end plastic pollution was derailed by petrostates in August, scientists have published their own roadmap for tackling it. 

Commissioned by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the report warns that plastic pollution will double by 2040 at the current rate. However, it says that existing solutions could “virtually eliminate” it, while supporting millions of jobs. 

Refill schemes are touted as a key solution. France is among the nations to have mandated them, obliging supermarkets to have dedicated spaces where customers can bring their own containers to stock up on items. 

The mass adoption of such schemes, the report says, could cut annual plastic pollution by 83%, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower the health impacts of plastic by more than half, all while supporting 8.6m jobs.

“This report shows a path to cut pollution by 83% by 2040. It’s ambitious, but achievable,” said Dr Costas Velis from Imperial College London, which contributed to the study.  

His colleague Dr Ed Cook added: “This report is a wake-up call. Progress on plastic pollution has stalled and is worsening, but we can make a big impact by shifting investment from single-use plastics to reuse and product system redesign.”

Image: Hermes Rivera