Page 36 - Plastics News November 2021

INTERNATIoNAL NEwS

New Global Policy Centre Launched During NY Governor Signs

COP26 To Tackle The World’s Plastic Pollution Legislation To Improve
Problem Waste Management

he University Revolution Plastics at the University of N ew York
Professor Steve Fletcher, Director of
To f
P or t smout h Portsmouth, said: “We know that plastic Governor,Kathy
launched its pollution is exacerbating the climate Hochul signed
Global Plastics crisis and reducing the resilience of two bills that
Policy Centre communities and the natural world to address recycling,
at the COP26 cope with the effects of climate change. c ompost ing
Climat e Half of all plastic becomes waste within a and single-use
Conference in year of being made and the vast majority plastics items at
Glasgow on 4th isn’t recycled. 11 million metric tons of State University
November, to help find sustainable plastic ends up in our oceans every year, of New York (SUNY) and City
solutions to tackle plastic pollution around a shocking figure which is estimated to University of New York campuses
the world. Designed to give governments triple to near 29 million metric tons by (CUNY). One bill will require local waste
and industry groups the evidence needed 2040, if nothing is done. Action needs management plans to consider waste
to make better decisions around plastic to be taken at the planning stage of diversion methods, and another bill will
policies, University researchers believe plastic policy.”Initially over 100 global reduce the use of single-use plastics on
this unique resource will ultimately help plastic policies will be assessed to create university campuses. According to a
reduce the negative impacts of plastics. what Professor Fletcher describes as “a news release from the governor’s office,
The Global Plastics Policy Centre is the one-stop shop of good advice around S.6334/A.5605 requires local waste
latest significant development from the plastic policy.” Explaining the evolution management plans to include methods
Revolutions Plastics initiative, which is of the GPPC, he said: “Through working to increase waste diversion. Hochul also
putting the University of Portsmouth on plastic policy projects for the G20, it passed S.6815/A.7564, which aims to
at the forefront of the plastics debate. became very obvious, very quickly, that eliminate single-use plastics on SUNY
The Centre will bring an evidence-based there was no source of independent and CUNY campuses by requiring
approach to plastic policy-making. A evidence-based advice on plastics policy. school trustees to collaborate with
framework has been developed to assess This is a problem. There is a real need students, faculty and staff. “With the
individual policies that are scored against for this type of advice. It seemed only fate of the planet at stake, New York
criteria and backed up by evidence. This logical to provide a much-needed service must continue to lead the way in the
Centre is the first of its kind and the team that independently evaluates plastic global fight against the climate crisis,”
believe that it will generate real change. policy, and other interventions, designed Gov. Hochul says. “This package of
to reduce the negative aspects legislation will make sure New Yorkers
of plastic. This crucial are recycling, composting and phasing
evidence will now be shared out wasteful plastic products, putting our
freely to the world.”Once the state on the path to a cleaner, greener
policies have been assessed, future.” Senator Rachel May said, "Far
the Global Plastics Policy too much waste that could be recycled
Centre will set up an online or composted ends up in landfills. New
platform, with resources, case York has made significant progress
studies and videos, be ready in reducing the amount of waste we
for use in Spring 2022. It will generate, but we can still do more. This
be used to host online events legislation asks municipalities to be sure
and workshops to showcase they consider how to increase recycling
the excellence found in global and composting as they manage
plastic policy. solid waste.

36 PLASTICS NEWS NOVEMBER 2021