New guidance for countries to measure and eliminate plastic pollution

Introducing an exciting new resource designed to help countries, regions and cities to stop plastic pollution in its tracks: The National Guidance for Plastic Pollution Hotspotting and Shaping Action!

Co-developed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with technical support from Quantis and EA — Shaping Environmental Action and the Life Cycle Initiative, the Guidance provides a first-of-its-kind methodology for countries, regions and cities to identify plastic leakage hotspots and locate their impacts along the value chain. It will be invaluable in helping government and other stakeholders design, plan and implement policy instruments and actions to reduce plastic pollution.

A first-of-its-kind methodology for countries, regions and cities to make meaningful progress on tackling plastic pollution.

Similar to the business-focused Plastic Leak Project Guidelines, the Guidance takes a holistic approach, covering major types of plastic polymers and products, as well as their leakages. It also looks into impacts along the full value chain.

The Guidance aims to help countries, regions and cities answer three key questions:

Where to act? (Hotspots)
- Identify the predominant type of leakage and its impact along the plastic value chain
- Identify where the leakage is occurring at national, sub-national or local levels
- Identify the key drive of the leakage in the waste management system
What to do? (Interventions)
- Identify and prioritize interventions to address the hotspots, while also considering potential environmental or socio-economic trade-offs
How to do it? (Instruments)
- Identify and prioritize effective instruments, including regulatory, financial or informative measures, to implement relevant interventions