We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
The global governance of marine plastic pollution: rethinking the extended producer responsibility system
Summary
This paper analyzes the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system as a governance tool for tackling marine plastic pollution, comparing its implementation across the EU, US, and China. EPR requires plastic producers to take responsibility for the full lifecycle of their products, including waste management. The study identifies challenges in applying EPR internationally but argues it is essential for reducing the plastic waste that breaks down into the microplastics contaminating oceans and seafood.
The harm caused by marine plastic pollution to the wider environment highlights its importance as a governance issue. The Fifth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) adopted a resolution, “End Plastic Pollution: Towards an International Legally Binding Instrument”, which represents a shift towards globalism in the governance of marine plastic pollution. This resolution focuses on the circular economy of plastics and highlights the role of corporations in contributing to a more socially responsible society, thereby increasing emphasis has been placed on the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system that integrates the two factors referred to above. This paper provides a full technical explanation of the EPR system and its implementation in entities such as the European Union, the United States, and China. The challenges faced when integrating the EPR system into international legal instruments for plastic governance were identified, including the different national perspectives, the absence of a supervisor in the public domain, the obscurity of its application, and the lack of supporting measures for the implementation of the system. Therefore, new standards and requirements in the governance of marine plastic pollution and the advantages associated with implementing the full-life-cycle obligations under the EPR system on plastic producers should be fully considered. On this basis, the positioning and implications of the EPR system should be clarified by obligation-oriented regulation and extension-based interpretation. Moreover, the extended and prolonged applicability of the system, including the original sources of marine plastic wastes and considerations of the full-life-cycle of plastics, should be achieved in pursuit of improvements and upgrades in application and complementary policies. If this can be achieved, it is hoped that the goals of protecting human health and controlling plastic pollution can be achieved, contributing to the development of an ocean-based economy and a better world.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Concretising the role of extended producer responsibility in European Union waste law and policy through the lens of the circular economy
This review examines the evolution of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) within European Union waste law and policy, analyzing how EPR instruments can be strengthened to drive more effective plastic waste prevention and recycling across the product lifecycle. The authors argue for more ambitious, harmonized EPR frameworks to reduce plastic pollution at its source.
Governance Solutions to the Tragedy of the Commons That Marine Plastics Have Become
This paper examines marine plastic pollution as a "tragedy of the commons" and evaluates existing and proposed governance frameworks for addressing this shared environmental challenge. It argues that effective solutions will require international coordination, extended producer responsibility, and complementary regulatory and market-based instruments.
Global Plastic Pollution and the Transition Towards a Circular Economy: Lessons from the EU’s Legal Framework on Plastics
This paper reviews the EU legal framework on plastics and the transition toward a circular economy, examining how regulatory instruments including the Single-Use Plastics Directive and extended producer responsibility schemes can reduce the billions of tons of plastic waste generated annually.
Extended producer’s responsibility of companies using plastics for packaging commodities in India
This study examines extended producer responsibility (EPR) frameworks applicable to companies using plastic packaging in India, analyzing how EPR policies can close the gap between current plastic waste management capabilities and environmental targets. The authors discuss regulatory trajectories and the obligation for producers to take accountability for the end-of-life impacts of their plastic packaging.
What Shall We Do With a Sea of Plastics? A Systematic Literature Review on How to Pave the Road Toward a Global Comprehensive Plastic Governance Agreement
A systematic literature review of 64 peer-reviewed articles analyzed what a successful global plastic governance agreement would require, identifying key elements including binding reduction targets, extended producer responsibility, and a lifecycle approach that addresses plastic from production through disposal.