A new ‘Plastic Drawdown’ tool, that is both efficient and affordable, has been developed by an international team, including scientists at Oxford University, with initial studies showing the exciting potential it has to reduce plastic waste.
The study used the rapid assessment tool in the Maldives, a country which has limited data, to help them to find solutions to minimise plastic pollution. Once implemented correctly, an analysis from the researchers showed how just five policy solutions could prevent up to 85% of plastic pollution by the year 2030. On the flip side, if no policies were implemented, plastic pollution would rise by 45%.
This analysis shows the positive impact the tool could have to reduce plastic waste if countries implemented the correct actions and policies, as well as showing how it can install confidence in leaders to make the correct decisions based on data.
Common Seas, the social enterprise that developed the programme, is now seeking to scale this work throughout 2022 to help phase out single-use plastics across the globe.
A spokesperson for the President of the Maldives said: ‘Plastic Drawdown was critical in building the case for phasing out single-use plastics across the Maldives. The model gave the Maldivian government the confidence to set an ambitious target to phase out single-use plastics by 2023.”
‘Common Seas delivered not only solid evidence for what we could achieve, but also practical advice on how to achieve it. In 2022 we are excited to see the Plastic Drawdown model rolled out across the world.’