THE PROBLEM

You can’t manage and effectively reduce, what you don’t measure. Companies around the world have been pressured to reduce reliance on plastics, particularly single-use plastics, but in order for plastic reductions to be realized, baseline scenarios must be obtained and disclosed to parties of interest. Public disclosure can help to bring about accountability across industries.

THE SOLUTION

The Plastic Disclosure Project (PDP) was modeled after both carbon and water reporting programs, and allows manufacturers, businesses and municipalities to measure their plastic baselines. This baseline information can be leveraged to make important and significant gains on plastic pollution reduction, while moving toward a Circular Economy system. 

The PDP seeks annual reporting and transparency regarding the production, use and handling of plastic and plastic waste by valued stakeholders. By measuring the amount of plastic that flows through an organization or municipality, efficiencies can be gained in cost reduction, wastage reduction, new design, new materials, and better recycling.

PDP provides the following services:

• Tools to gather baseline data, assess annual progress and publish annual reports
• Encourage efficiencies in plastic use, reuse and recycling with best practice management strategies
• Broaden awareness of risks to brands and investors associated with the use of inefficient plastic in products and packaging, while also highlighting the positive opportunities that come from better management and focus on bringing value to plastic in its second-life

The PDP was announced at the 2010 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). The work of the PDP is overseen by a global Steering Committee, drawn from investors and other stakeholders who support PDP's mission. The Steering Committee oversees the development of the project, and provides advice to the management team. PDP's Management Team is based in Hong Kong and San Francisco.

ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS

Plastic monitoring data collection and disclosure solutions are now being developed smart sensor and waste management digitalization sectors, some examples include Literatti, Ecube Labs, Nordsense, Bin-e Smart Waste Bin, Sensoneo, Smartbin, among others.

CASE STUDY EXAMPLES

In addition to addressing the needs of manufactures, businesses and municipalities, the PDP has also launched PDP Sport and PDP Events. These lay out guidelines to assist event organizers in pre-managing their plastic waste impacts, including a checklist and a scorecard to help evaluate progress before and after the event.  

For a list of case examples, please see: https://www.plasticdisclosure.org/activities/all