The Wicked Problem of Plastics and the Discourse Surrounding its Governance

This research network will look at the discourses about the problem of pollution from solid waste plastic materials - especially those with a short service life - and how these narratives translate into regulation, other governance initiatives and voluntary approaches - in other words, action. It will look at the way in which the story about plastics waste is told and how that leads to policy and regulation. Despite the popular call towards a 'no-plastics' future, a world without plastics is unimaginable. The challenge is to deal with the escape of waste plastics in a way which does not allow waste to escape into the environment but enhances a circular economy in plastics - a closed-loop system where end-of-service-life plastic objects become a resource and thus reduce waste plastics to as near zero as possible. The use of plastics since their rise in popularity over the past 50-60 years has now presented the world with what can only be described as a 'Wicked Problem' - a problem combining technical and social complexity where traditional solutions do not work and which are not solvable by any single discipline. Take, for example, the problem of wet wipes which are the cause of 93% of sewage blockages. A simple regulatory solution would be to ban them as in the recent UK ban on micro-plastic beads in cosmetics. But this would lose a valuable and useful commodity as shown by the example of bans on plastic bags which have been implemented in a number of African and other developing countries. Seeking a multidisciplinary solution which combines technical solutions, such as using a different material with all the properties of current wet wipes, driven by regulatory sanctions and changes in consumer behaviour can achieve a long-lasting result which has environmental advantages as well as societal gains. It is only through a truly multidisciplinary approach that a 'zero' plastic waste solution can be approached. It is the case that some reactions to the problem of single-use plastics and the way they affect the environment as graphically displayed, for example, in the BBC series, Blue Planet II, have been to ban plastics and to replace them by other materials which may also be abandoned once used and may be just as harmful to the environment in the long term. So why are some countries seeking solutions which miss the heart of the problem? The danger from such a reactive approach is to transfer the problems caused by our consumption and production patterns down the line while thinking that the problem of waste in the environment has been solved. Bans on the importation of certain plastics waste by DAC-listed countries may control the problem in the interim but not solve it for the future. Yet, at the same time, the public awareness escalated by such imagery on the media is good in that it raises the attention of policymakers and legislators to the need to find solutions. What is a problem about it is that it may cause such groups of regulators to take quick and easy steps which appear to solve this wicked problem. So this project intends to investigate the way in which the message about plastics pollution is being delivered around the world, especially in DAC-listed countries where particular problems arise from importation of plastics waste from high consuming countries, and how that translates into regulatory and governance action so that lessons can be learned as to how to deal effectively with such wicked problems as plastics waste. The network will share knowledge and experiences on the analysis of the way in which the message about plastics waste is developed and delivered so as to contribute to the long-term solution of this wicked problem.

This proposal will have direct relevance to international development policy and practice by demonstrating the way in which communication of the message about the problems caused by plastics pollution influences both governance and consumption habits. Sharing knowledge about the cultural ways in which communication of a global challenge takes place, and the way this can affect outcomes, will highlight the need for good practice to deal with the problem. LMICs are particularly impacted by the plastic waste problem as major importers of waste. Their responses to the problem are changing the way in which international trade in this resource operates. Examining the ways in which they develop a response to the problem and which factors have most impact on their decision-making will illuminate the issues surrounding this global challenge. International trade feeds into international development directly so changes in the supply chain will impact directly the businesses and workers (mainly women) involved. This will have economic, health and welfare effects. This proposal will engage with the network established under EPSRC/GCRF Plastics Pollution Governance Framework Network (REF EP/T003529/1) as a base and develop from there incorporating expertise on communications, culture, media and theory of governance. So, engagement with stakeholders in the plastics and waste industry, government (local and central), advocacy groups and NGOs and academics has already been made. Organisations include: the Kenyan Association of Manufacturers, Client Earth, the Product Life Institute, UK Environmental Law Association, UN Environment, The Ocean Foundation amongst others. Starting with this core of activists, the project will build the network and establish clear channels of communication to build a firm foundation for future growth and a clear pathway to impact in terms of meeting the global health challenge posed by the extensive use of plastics. Impact will be achieved by inclusion of key stakeholders in the network which, in the 2 years, will be the primary pathway to impact. The network will grow by bringing key players into membership so that channels of communication are opened within and across nations and regions. Key aspects of the work of the PI and Co-Is will be to engage key stakeholders facilitated by the 2 Co-ordinators in the global North and South. These stakeholders will have real-life examples to share and will also provide access to these organisations' networks of policy contacts. We plan targeted publications including industry journal articles and on-line materials and an instructional video on our website which present our findings in a format that is accessible to policy-makers. We will use the network to build 'champions' who will be in a position to engage in advisory roles, such as to government inquiries, reports, panels and committees. The general public is also an important group as ultimate actors to eliminate plastics waste. Through their behaviours such as consumer choice, waste management, and political voice, individuals have a vital role on the uptake and implementation of any intervention. Consequently, the general public will be involved by using social media. Schools and local colleges will be included so as to engage young people who are already highly committed worldwide to issues around climate change. We expect to be able to engage them in our network. Academic impact will be achieved through multidisciplinary team working alongside non-academic stakeholders to achieve excellence in advances in understanding, method, theory and application in communication theory linked with the theory of regulation and governance. Surrey's Environmental Regulatory Research Group, led by PI Malcolm, and Special Interest Group on Plastics in the Environment led by Advisory Board member, Prof Murphy will disseminate results using media, academic, professional and industrial contacts to maximise impact.