A key priority for us in the long term is to reduce plastic pollution by designing plastic products to be reusable, recyclable, and compostable. This position was expressed by the Minister of Environment and Water Rositsa Karamfilova during a discussion today in the framework of the informal meeting of EU Environment Ministers in Stockholm. She highlighted the issue as important in the context of increasing production and use of plastics and the serious negative impact on the environment and human health.

Minister Karamfilova presented the main three priorities for the European Union in the new global agreement. First of all, measures to tackle the already existing plastic pollution at global level are a priority. “I will highlight the sensitive topic of microplastics, an increasing amount of which we find in the sea, food, and drinking water. It is therefore important that we implement measures to limit deliberately added plastic microparticles and further investigate their risks in our environment,” said Rositsa Karamfilova.

She also pointed out that the need for a global effort to move to a new plastics economy should be seen as a priority: “We need to incentivise reuse, reduce unnecessary plastic packaging and products, ensure investment in recycling infrastructure and engage in partnerships to tackle existing plastic pollution. Raising awareness and promoting circular principles are also key.”

The new global agreement will strengthen the interaction of institutions with academia, preserve the value of plastic products by sharing, borrowing, reusing and recycling them for as long as possible. “I recognise the important role of the business in ending pollution. It can actively engage in the transition by funding innovations aimed at making plastic products more durable and sustainable. By ensuring eco-design, we will help produce products that are easier to repair, more durable and easier to recycle,” said the Minister. She mentioned businesses should be involved in running campaigns to make consumers aware of possible alternatives to plastic products and this would bring about “a change in the bias towards the status quo”. The benefits will be for everyone - for the business, which will save valuable resources, for consumers, who will be offered products that are more efficient to use, and most importantly for the environment, which will be spared the harmful effects of plastic.