Reduce, Reuse, Reshape - Evaluating EU Policies on plastic for sustainable transition of plastic packaging system to align with the 3Rs

Abstract: The global surge in plastic production, particularly single-use packaging, has triggered pressing environmental and health concerns. Addressing this crisis necessitates transformative shifts within the plastic packaging system, prioritizing the reduction, reuse, and recycling of plastic packaging. The European Union (EU) has initiated a Plastic Strategy to combat the plastic issue. This study evaluates whether these policies promote the 3Rs and instigate transformative changes in the plastic packaging sector. The result reveals that current policies predominantly emphasize recycling, sidelining reduction and reuse strategies. Policy measures primarily encourage incremental innovations, rather than initiating comprehensive systemic changes. Transformation-inducing policies like taxation and regulatory bans receive less attention, requiring further research to gauge their potential impact. The study recommends four areas for enhancement for policy: prioritizing consumption reduction, developing robust reuse programs, diversifying policy instruments, and introducing more disruptive policy measures.