2024/03/22 天下永續會 黃家慧

With the countdown to the release of the Global Plastics Pact, how should Taiwanese companies respond to this new industrial revolution? On March 21, the "World Sustainability Association" led more than 50 companies to Taiwan's sustainable materials center, and visited the "Plastic Industry Technology Development Center", a promoter of carbon reduction guidance for Taiwanese companies, to learn how to reduce plastics.

 

In another month, the first " Global Plastics Pact " to be formulated by the United Nations Environment Assembly will enter the fourth round of negotiations. As the negotiations are about to come to an end at the end of the year, it is becoming increasingly urgent for companies to reduce plastics.

 

To this end, the World Sustainability Association called on corporate members of the Sustainability Association on March 21 to learn from the experience of the Plastics Industry Technology Development Center (Plastics Center), a promoter of carbon reduction guidance for Taiwanese enterprises. At the same time, we also visited Taiwan’s first “Sustainable Materials Library” to find solutions for our various applications.

 

This trip can be called a gathering of cross-industry sustainability CEOs or executives, including Cathay Financial Chief Investment Officer Cheng Shufen, Zhongding Group CEO He Lixian, Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation Senior Vice President Zhang Wenxiang, Dunju Deputy General Manager Hong Dunyu, Uni-President Super Reduction Jiang Mingdao, Plastic Supervisor, Chen Danni, Assistant Manager of Xinyi Housing Sustainable Development Office, and Zhang Yiyi, Head of Lite-On Corporate Brand Value Development Center also happened to be wearing sunglasses made from recycled marine waste, which echoed the topic of the trip. Interesting.

The warm atmosphere highlights the importance and concern companies attach to plastic reduction and plastic restriction policies. "After the adoption of the Global Plastics Pact, the United Nations signatories will set a timetable that includes plastic reduction targets. Global brand chambers will soon follow up and actively demand the supply chain. The entire industry chain will follow," pointed out Xiao Yaogui, general manager of the Plastics Center The urgency for companies to reduce plastics. "Although Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations, Taiwan has followed every environmental policy promoted by the United Nations in the past."

After all, what are the key points of this "convention" that will reshuffle the industrial chain that these corporate sustainability leaders are so concerned about?

Focus 1: Master the strategic goals of the four major conventions
The "zero draft" of the Global Plastics Pact was announced in advance in September last year, which also means that there are traces of future regulations to follow. Xu Xiangrui, manager of the General Manager Office of the Plastic Industry Technology Development Center, analyzed that companies need to first grasp the four major strategic goals for the future, which are:

1.Reduce and replace plastic products and reduce the scale of waste
2.Set design goals for plastic products (reusable, recyclable, compostable) to ensure reuse and recyclability
3.Reuse plastics to transform into a circular economy, including physical recycling and chemical recycling practices
4.Manage existing pollution, such as reducing waste plastic disposal, restricting waste exports, strengthening management to reduce plastic leakage, developing technologies to suppress plastic leakage, etc.

Key 2: Pay attention to the eight key points of the draft
In addition, Xu Xiangrui also specially dismantled the draft and pointed out that there are eight key points that enterprises should focus on:

1. Take measures to reduce the demand and production of "virgin plastic polymers" and set reduction targets
2. 10 questionable substances will receive high attention, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phthalates... etc. The draft also mentions industries that will be given priority, including: toys and other children's products, furniture, packaging (including food contact materials), electrical and electronic equipment (EEE)...etc.
3. Adjust product design and performance to reduce plastic-related use and demand, improve durability and reusability, etc.
4. Problematic and avoidable plastic products
5. Plastic and plastic product reduction, reuse, refill and repair
6. Use of recycled plastic
7. Extended Producer Responsibility
8. Emissions and releases throughout the life cycle of plastics

Xiao Yaogui said that after the introduction of the Convention, the process of promoting plastic restriction in the global supply chain will accelerate, and companies must prepare in advance.Many companies present have actually taken action. For example, Meilu Industry cooperated with the Plastic Center as early as 20 years ago to produce headphones made of recycled materials for customers. Green Vine Life also uses waste fishing nets to make 100% recycled shampoo. bottle. The Plastics Center is also aware of the industry's growing demand for sustainable materials, and established the "Sustainable Materials Library" four years ago to help companies match sustainable materials.

Enterprises promoting ESG are no longer just in compliance with regulations, but also need to hone their core competitiveness. After the launch of the Global Plastics Pact, it is bound to promote the circular economy revolution in all walks of life. "Although we are not a manufacturing industry, this change is not only closely related to our customers, but also a responsibility in each of our lives, isn't it?" Cheng Shufen points out Plastic does not have the urgency of being an outsider.

圖片來源：天下永續會

Source：https://csr.cw.com.tw/article/43596