ECOS | Environmental Coalition on Standards

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Circular economy & sustainable products

Plastics & Packaging

Global demand for plastics has nearly doubled since 2000. Every year approximately 20 million tonnes of plastic waste enter our water systems and ocean plastic pollution is expected to triple by 2040. With growing concern over the impacts of plastic production, use, and pollution we need policies, laws, and standards that rethink plastic’s role and applications in our society and push for an absolute reduction of our plastic footprint. The entire plastics value chain must undergo a deep transformation, including an absolute reduction of plastic production and reduce demand from plastic using sectors. ECOS works to reduce the global plastic footprint and ensure clean material loops in a circular economy by engaging in international policy and standards development.

What we are working on

  • ECOS supports a strong international Plastics Treaty to end plastic pollution and we advocate an overall reduction of virgin plastic production. We work to reduce plastic pollution throughout the supply chain – avoiding regrettable substitutions, e.g. single use, bio-based plastics.
  • We advocate ecodesign principles for plastic products and promote upstream solutions (prevention, minimisation and re-use).
  • We push for strong legislative frameworks and ambitious standards that promote circularity and reduce overall plastic use, hazardous substances, waste, and environmental pollution, microplastic emissions, e.g. packaging, fishing gear, tyres, textiles, or paints.
  • We promote easy-to-use reuse systems and support widely available reuse and refill options for packaging that are based on interoperable systems and corresponding infrastructure.
  • ECOS contributes to standardisation work to foster environmental benefits – standards play a crucial role in global markets for plastics.
  • We debunk industry narratives on false solutions such as chemical recycling and misleading/unsubstantiated green claims, including recycled content and biodegradable or bio-based plastics.
Who we work with

Alliances and campaigns

Related news

  • Unpacking EU packaging rules: The good, the bad, and the single use

    The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) provides a foundation for more sustainable packaging but leaves too much room for voluntary adoption. For a stronger commitment to reducing packaging waste, we need Member States to go beyond the minimum requirements of the regulation. It will be crucial to adopt ambitious secondary legislation and standards that will address sustainable waste management, helping the much-needed shift towards more sustainable packaging.

  • UN Plastics Treaty: A defining moment in the global fight against plastic pollution

    World leaders are on their way to Busan, South Korea, for a historic negotiation: INC-5, the final round of negotiations for a UN treaty to end plastic pollution. What can we expect? How can a plastics treaty confront plastic pollution at its root, protect health, and preserve the environment? Read our blog to find out.

  • Reeling in the gear: New standards to reduce plastic waste from fishing

    ECOS has been an active participant in the development of new European standards for the ‘Circular design of fishing gear and aquaculture equipment’. These standards will help to reduce plastics, microplastics, and other waste in our oceans that harm wildlife.

Contact person
Mathias Falkenberg
Programme Manager Mathias.Falkenberg@ecostandard.org

ECOS is co-funded by the European Commission and EFTA Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EISMEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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