In a concerted effort to combat the global plastic pollution crisis, the Alliance to End Plastic Waste has unveiled the first two in a series of ‘Solution Model’ playbooks. These comprehensive guides aim to provide stakeholders across the plastic value chain with actionable strategies to drive systemic change, end plastic waste, and foster a circular economy for plastics.
Recognizing the multifaceted nature of the plastic pollution challenge, the Alliance’s Solution Models offer tailored approaches to address various sources of plastic waste in diverse contexts. These models are the culmination of rigorous testing, collaboration, and innovation, with projects implemented worldwide.
The first playbook focuses on Engaging Households in Segregated Municipal Waste Collection. By encouraging households to separate waste at the source, this strategy aims to enhance the volume and quality of recyclable materials while reducing sorting costs and landfill disposal. Drawing on successful initiatives in Argentina, China, India, and Indonesia, the playbook provides a roadmap for effective implementation.
The second playbook, Unlocking Value Through Basic Manual Sorting of Municipal Waste, emphasizes the importance of improving value recovery from plastic waste through simple and low-cost sorting techniques. Particularly relevant for regions with limited infrastructure, this playbook showcases projects in Brazil, China, Indonesia, and Kenya, demonstrating the feasibility and impact of manual sorting solutions.
Each playbook meticulously documents the challenges encountered, strategies deployed, lessons learned, and successes achieved. Moreover, they outline the essential conditions for successful implementation, ranging from policy frameworks to business models and innovation ecosystems.
Collaborating with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the Alliance has produced these playbooks as practical guides for organizations seeking to replicate and scale effective solutions. By disseminating these insights, the Alliance aims to accelerate the transition to a circular economy for plastics while preventing further environmental degradation from plastic waste.
Jacob Duer, President and CEO of the Alliance, emphasized the need for environmentally beneficial, socially responsible, and economically viable solutions, urging collaboration across sectors to drive systemic change. He highlighted the complexity of the plastic waste challenge and the imperative to invest in waste management, behaviour change, and innovation.
Marc Schmidt, Managing Director and Partner at BCG Singapore, underscored the urgency of addressing plastic waste leakage into the environment and emphasized the importance of practical, locally adaptable solutions. He encouraged project developers to utilize the playbooks as a foundation for impactful interventions tailored to specific community needs.
Accompanying the release of the playbooks is a whitepaper introducing the concept of Solution Models and providing a framework for documenting solutions. Additional playbooks are slated for release later this year, further expanding the Alliance’s arsenal of tools for combating plastic pollution.
