This World Environment Day, Garnier decided to go beyond token sustainability posts and do something real. We organised a massive beach cleanup drive across coastal India. This one brought together students, volunteers, influencers, everyday folks, and even celebrities.
India’s plastic credit market is poised for significant growth, projected to expand by 70% to reach $1.7 billion by 2030. This surge is primarily driven by the implementation of stricter rules under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework, which mandates plastic producers, importers, and brand owners to incorporate recycled content in their packaging materials.
Through sustainable innovations like E-Tricycles for waste collectors in Chennai, this initiative empowers the informal recycling sector with tools that improve livelihoods, health, and dignity of labor. As part of a growing movement towards ethical recycling systems, the project addresses core challenges in plastic waste management, while promoting fair trade plastic, ocean-bound plastic solutions, and eco-friendly innovations in India.
Crispian understood what few did, that the real transformation comes from aligning policy, industry, and informal ecosystems. That we can’t build a future of responsible consumption unless we recognize every player who makes recycling possible, especially the ones at the margins.
A new OECD report confirms what many in the industry already suspected: less than 10% of plastic is recycled globally. The number has barely moved in decades. That’s despite billions spent on recycling programs, public awareness campaigns, and corporate sustainability commitments.
Over the last decade, we’ve worked to connect those waste collectors who are often unrecognized, underpaid, and excluded from the formal economy to some of the biggest brands in the world. We built this through a fully traceable, Fair Trade-verified supply chain that offers dignity, income stability, and transparency.
In India, an estimated 1.5 to 4 million people work in the informal waste sector; over 70% of them are women. These women are the backbone of urban waste management, often starting their day before sunrise, walking miles to segregate and collect plastic, glass, and other recyclables without recognition, dignity, or safety.
Plastic is one of the most versatile and cost-effective packaging materials ever developed. It’s lightweight, durable, and scalable. But we’re managing it like a single-use liability rather than a long-term asset.
Currently, less than 20% of global plastic waste is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills, incinerators, or worse leaking into the environment. That’s more than a sustainability issue; it’s a glaring failure in resource utilization and material recovery.
The last session in Busan revealed a deep divide among nations. On one side, over 100 countries including EU members and small island states advocated for bold, binding measures like plastic production caps and chemical bans. On the other, oil-producing nations and industry-heavy economies resisted, citing economic dependencies and feasibility concerns.
Sustainability commitments are driving a surge in rPET usage across industries. The European Union now requires all PET beverage bottles to contain at least 25% recycled plastic by 2025. Meanwhile, major brands have set ambitious targets of incorporating up to 50% recycled plastic into their packaging.
India’s scrap shops are vital to the country’s informal recycling sector, yet many face challenges such as unstable income, unsafe working conditions, and limited market access. Plastics for Change bridges this gap by offering scrap shop owners and entrepreneurs a scalable, ethical business model that integrates fair-trade practices with advanced recycling processes. Our franchise model empowers you to transform your scrap shop into a certified aggregation centre, increasing profitability while driving social and environmental impact.
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is a complete overhaul of the way brands design, source, and manage packaging materials. Replacing the outdated Packaging Directive, PPWR enforces stricter, standardized rules across all EU member states. With just 18 months to comply, the time for action is now.
EPR is a policy approach that makes producers responsible for the environmental footprint of their products from creation to disposal. It compels companies to actively manage, collect, and recycle waste from their products, fostering sustainable production and consumption patterns. Key components of EPR include lifecycle accountability, encouraging sustainable product design, and reducing environmental impact through a circular economy approach.
The key to unlocking the benefits of this regulation lies in EN 15343 certification. This standard ensures the traceability and compliance of recycled materials, addressing both legal obligations and stakeholder expectations.
Slow fashion is an umbrella term encompassing garments made from ethically sourced, organic, or recycled materials. These producers often use natural dyes, reducing pollution, and commit to fair labor practices, ensuring their workers are paid fair wages and operate in safe environments.
With fossil fuels a major source of plastic pollution, renewable energy could be the answer to bringing levels of plastic waste down and preventing carbon emissions. Involving renewable energy in recycling processes significantly lowers the carbon footprint associated with plastic waste management. It also provides economic advantages, creating new jobs and encouraging innovative technologies in the green energy sector.
Waste collectors are indispensable in managing urban waste. They ensure that materials are collected, sorted, and recycled, preventing vast amounts of waste from ending up in landfills and polluting our environment. Yet, for decades, their work has gone unnoticed and undervalued. With their inclusion in the NAMASTE scheme, the government is taking a significant step toward recognizing their efforts and improving their livelihoods.
The fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) took place in Busan, South Korea, from November 25 to December 1, 2024. It brought together representatives from over 170 countries to work on a global treaty to tackle plastic pollution. While there was progress, many challenges still need to be addressed. Here’s a simple breakdown of what happened.
Imagine a future where we produce 40% less virgin plastic by 2040. This is exactly what the “40x40” target aims to achieve, using 2025 as a baseline. Reducing plastic production on this scale would prevent 371 million tonnes of primary plastic from entering the market each year, totalling a 2.7 billion tonne reduction over 25 years. Such a bold target could fundamentally alter how we think about plastics and climate action, aligning the Global Plastics Treaty with international climate commitments like the Paris Agreement.
Today, brands must prioritise sustainable practices. Zero Plastic Oceans (ZPO), a recognized non-profit, provides standards like Ocean Bound Plastic (OBP) and Social+ OBP, which help companies meet high social and environmental benchmarks. By partnering with ZPO-certified organisations, brands can ensure accountability and earn consumer trust.
