(422d) Global Plastic Pollution Policy Developments for Chemical Engineers

Plastic policy is rapidly development globally with better characterization of harm to human health and the environment from plastic pollution. In the context of the March 2, 2022 United Nations Resolution to End Plastic Pollution, this discussion will review the current status and developing future policy and regulation regarding plastic waste and plastic pollution in the United States and globally, including: a recent history of global plastic waste policy; how plastic waste management fails to prevent plastic pollution, including where United States federal legislation falls short; different approaches other nations, and some states within the United States, have adopted to mitigate plastic pollution; specific aspects of the post-use plastic feedstock that render recycling and reuse problematic, including plastic products that result in plastic pollution that has no route to capture at this time; and global efforts to develop an international agreement to end plastic pollution by 2024. Attendees should gain a better understanding of the potential for future regulation and insight into business risk management approaches for those entities relying significantly on plastic in their business models.

With this presentation you will:

• Learn the current status and potential future policy approaches that may govern plastic products in order to better manage plastic waste and mitigate plastic pollution;
• Understand the fundamental barriers posed by the current heterogenous nature of post-use plastic in reuse and recycling;
• Appreciate the business risk posed by failure to properly manage plastic waste and prevent plastic pollution arising from recent developments in characterizing risk from plastic pollution to human health and the environment.
• Gain insight helpful in developing new approaches that may insulate businesses from the uncertainty of future plastic regulation.