Marine plastic pollution and extended producer responsibility in the G20

Marine plastic pollution is growing exponentially, presenting a major global challenge. G20 countries, responsible for a significant portion of global plastic production and consumption, are uniquely positioned to drive the transition toward more sustainable plastic management. They have an opportunity to strengthen legislative and market frameworks that address plastic across its entire life cycle, from design to disposal. While progress has been made particularly through the ongoing negotiations for the UNEA Resolution 5/14, “End Plastic Pollution: Towards an International Legally Binding Instrument”, much remains to be done to reduce marine plastic pollution. Against this backdrop we reviewed literature and policy documents on extended producer responsibility (EPR) and other measures on its potential to reduce marine plastic litter. Our systematic mapping of 100 academic and policy sources focused on the role of EPR in G20 countries, published between 2017 and 2023, looking for recommendations on how EPR policies could be strengthened and extended to further tackle the issue of marine plastic pollution. Our findings led to several key recommendations for G20 countries and beyond: (1) strengthening legislative frameworks; (2) incentivizing markets to provide economic opportunities for returned plastic products; (3) improvements in the life cycle of plastic, especially in production, consumption and disposal, through integrated waste management systems; and (4) coordination of the EPR strategies on different levels, ranging from globally binding conventions to regional, national and local implementation. In light of global plastic treaty negotiations and ongoing efforts in the G20, we provide a synopsis of current policy and research, based on our scoping review, and recommendations for policymakers to advance EPR and other complementary measures to prevent further growth of plastic pollution.