Knowns and unknowns of plastic waste flows in the Netherlands

Abstract

Plastic entering the environment is a growing threat for ecosystems. We estimate the annual mass of known Dutch plastic waste generated and littered and where it ends up. We use two methods: (1) a material flow analysis of plastic waste separately collected from 13 economic sectors (including households, industry and imports) and estimate the amount sent to processing plants or exported and (2) a mismanagement model from observations of litter (on Dutch beaches and riverbanks) plus estimates of inadequately managed exported plastic scraps entering the environment abroad. In 2017 (the most recent complete data set available), an estimate of 1990 (±111) kilotonnes [kt] of plastic waste was separately collected. The top three plastic waste generating sectors (74% of the total) were households, clothing and textiles, and importation. Our mismanagement model estimates that 4.3–21.2 kt enters the environment annually; almost all of which occurs in foreign countries after inadequate management of imported Dutch waste. We highlight unknowns, including the source and/or destination of imported (623 kt) and exported (514 kt) plastics, plastics in non-household mixed waste streams and the plastic fraction of some separately collected waste, for example, e-waste. Our results stress the need for improved monitoring and reporting of plastic waste. Beyond the Netherlands, our recommendations could also help other high-income countries’ decision-makers reach their circular economy goals.

A City-Wide Emissions Inventory of Plastic Pollution

“…A Netherlands-wide study estimated annual plastic emissions to be 4,300–21,200 T . Their per capita plastic emissions amount to 0.72 kg/person/year.…”

“…In general, emissions inventories help inform targeted source reduction, reduction targets, and the progress of signatories toward meeting those targets. Over the years, estimations of emissions or inputs of plastic pollution into the environment have evolved from crude, global estimates of one or two sources of plastic , to those accounting for emissions from multiple sources at the regional or national level. − Still, we lack comprehensive and standardized frameworks for measuring multiple emission sources across geographic scales like the climate field. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has mandated the compilation and reporting of emissions inventories of greenhouse gases by countries since the 1990s .…”