Environmental
Action

This comprehensive report offers a thorough assessment of the global impact of plastic pollution. By including identity cards for all countries, this report bridges a crucial knowledge gap and provides valuable insights that can enhance the prioritization research and actions related to marco- and micro-plastic leakage, as well as plastic pollution in general.

This white paper is published ahead of the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-2 in Paris, France, 29 May to 2 June 2023) with the aim to:

- Clarify the metrics that companies should use for plastic pollution accounting purposes, with a focus on the measurement of plastic leakage and circularity.
- Embed these metrics into a comprehensive corporate accountability system for plastic pollution that could help companies comply with the future International Legally Binding Instrument (ILBI) to end plastic pollution currently being negotiated by UN member states.

We are publishing this white paper ahead of the start of negotiations on an international legally binding
instrument on plastic pollution (INC-1 in Punta del Este, 28 Nov- 2 Dec, 2022), with the aim to:
• Understand the plastic-related metrics that companies are using (for plastic that is put on the
market and the fate of the plastic waste created) and for what purposes they are using them;
• Open the debate on the harmonization of plastic-related metrics for disclosure purposes – with
the goal to develop a global corporate accountability framework that will allow tracking of
corporate progress on their targets (adjacent to or integrated into country-level reporting)

The purpose of this report is to conduct a
review of the existing methodologies which assess
plastic waste flows and leakage into the environment
and more specifically, plastic leakage into
waterways and entering oceans and seas

The resulting report is not only
about whether the chemicals system can reach net zero Scope 1-3 but how. The
analysis suggests that the chemicals value chain has multiple pathways to reach
net zero if action is taken soon enough, but each of these pathways present varying
degrees of risk and opportunity

This report provides a global assessment of the level of plastic paint leakage worldwide.



It is based on the baseline year 2019 with a global paint demand of 52 Mt, that included 19.5 Mt of plastics and distributed across different sectors: Architectural, Marine, Road Marking, General Industrial, Automotive and Industrial Wood and Others.

The SPHERE framework
supports decision-makers
in navigating all aspects of
the environmental impact of
packaging design, aiming for
a net-zero and nature positive
future.

This volume examines the challenges and interlinkages between climate change and sustainable development across the Mediterranean, where the climate crisis is further aggravating pre-existing political, social, economic and environmental fragilities.

This Report showcases the use of the guidance
presented in the UNEP/IUCN National Guidance
for Plastic Pollution Hotspotting and Shaping
Action, in the context of eight pilot sites in Eastern and Southern Africa, the Mediterranean
and Southeast Asia. This
publication compares the three regions and
provides situational analyses in terms of hotspots
and interventions to address plastic pollution.

These Guidelines are the first integrated framework to comprise combined best practices for standardised accounting and reporting of plastic footprints, footprint mitigation methods and commitments to reducing plastic waste and achieving circularity.

Industry guidance for performing corporate and/or product plastic leakage assessment.
Includes calculation routes and generic data. Full dataset available in the "Data&Tool" section of this website.
This document constitutes the current state of the art for computing plastic footprints and intends to complement the LCA framework with a new plastic leakage indicator.
This work has been realised in partnership with Quantis.

Prospective modelling of plastic leakage by 2040.
Evaluation of plastic leakage mitigation showing that current commitment only allow 7% abatement when more systemic change could yield a 80% abatement of plastic pollution.
This work has been managed by Pew and Systemiq and in conjunctions with 20 other experts - this publication is linked to the full Breaking the Plastic Wave report.

Guidance for countries and cities on measuring plastic leakage and defining plastic pollution mitigation strategies.
9 tools and modules to guide the process from data-collection to action
Currently being tested in 10 countries in collaboration with Quantis for UNEP and IUCN. The full set of modules and tools is available from the "Data&Tool" section of this website.

Estimation of the stock of plastic accumulated in the Med Sea.
Modelling of the flows of plastic leaking in the Med Sea.
Comparison of both approaches shows that the stock and flow models are consistent.
Plastic leakage drawdown model shows current commitment are insufficient to solve the crisis.
This work has been prepared for the IUCN.

Prospective modeling of plastic leakage by 2040.
Evaluation of plastic leakage mitigation showing that current commitment only allow 7% abattement when more systemic change could yield a 80% abatement of plastic pollution.
This work has been managed by Pew and Systemiq and in conjunctions with 20 other experts - this publication is linked with the article published in Science Journal.

First guidance to compute plastic footprint at product or country level
Case study on the Baltic region.
This document was the starting point for developing the plastic leak project.
This report has been prepared for the IUCN.

This report summarises the current scientific gaps and challenge for developing actionable metrics to assess plastic leakage and impacts.

Assessment of plastic leakage in Lake Geneva
First study to compare top-down and bottom-up approaches for plastic leakage modelling
This publication has been prepared in collaboration with the EPFL and ASL.

Review of existing plastic footprint methodologies
Identification of existing gaps and track for action.
This report has been prepared for the IUCN.

First global assessment of microplastic leakage in the ocean and regional comparison with leakage from mismanaged waste
This report has been prepared for the IUCN.