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Standards as a Tool for Reducing Plastic Waste
Summary
This study analyzed 95 existing plastic standards within a circular economy framework, finding that most cover recycling and biodegradable plastics while significant gaps remain in standards addressing higher-level waste hierarchy strategies such as product design for longevity and reuse.
Standards are one avenue for addressing the problems caused by plastic pollution. By addressing quality and safety plus information and measurement, reducing variety and increasing compatibility, standards can help to drive the transition to a circular economy for plastic resources. The aim of this work was to classify existing plastic standards within a circular economy framework and to identify potential gaps and highlight where future standards development might be focused. Using desktop research on existing standards, 95 plastic standards were identified, only 9 of which are Australian standards. The majority of the standards cover recycling and compostable or biodegradable plastics. There are significant opportunities to develop standards pertaining to higher levels of the plastics waste hierarchy, such as design and reuse.