Re-thinking plastics in a sustainable circular economy

Introduction

The global production of virgin plastics has increased 20-fold since the 1960s. Despite the many benefits of plastics, they cause major environmental and health problems. There is an urgent need for a global transition into a safe and sustainable circular economy of plastics.

Project Overview

PlastLIFE tackles the plastic challenge by implementing the four objectives of the Plastic Roadmap for Finland (PRfF, 2019 - 2031):

1. Reduce littering and other negative impacts caused by plastics.
2. Refuse unnecessary consumption of plastics.
3. Increase recycling of all types of plastics.
4. Replace fossil plastics with bio-based materials and/or other solutions.

These objectives are achieved through nine work packages designed to directly respond to the measures proposed by the PRfF.

Goals and Implementation

PlastLIFE will identify and implement safe and sustainable solutions for plastic production, consumption, and recycling. Additionally, the project aims to develop policy tools and reliable indicators to sustain and upscale the results beyond the project.

The 17 project beneficiaries and stakeholder networks bring together all the most relevant actors needed for the change. Together with complementary measures, PlastLIFE aims at the full implementation of the PRfF in all geographical regions of Finland by 2035.

Ambitious Targets

The project has set ambitious quantitative targets for:

• Increasing recycling.
• Reducing littering and demand for primary fossil-based plastic.
• Mobilizing funding.
• Achieving a measurable change in the mindset of the Finnish public, industry, and decision-making.

Alignment with EU and Global Strategies

PlastLIFE and PRfF implement the EU and global plastics and circular economy strategies, action plans, and targets. The project supports the targets of the LIFE programme by facilitating the transition into a sustainable, circular, toxic-free, energy-efficient, and climate-resilient economy. Furthermore, it helps improve the quality of the environment and natural resources such as soil and water, which are increasingly polluted and harmed by plastics.