From discarded bags at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, to microscopic particles in human placentas, to debris in space, plastics are ubiquitous. This extremely useful material has permeated every facet of our lives, but at the same time, our current pattern of plastic production and consumption has driven a dramatic increase in plastic waste around the world.

Today, plastic pollution poses a serious threat not only to the environment, but also to human health. It damages critical habitats, injures and kills wildlife, fuels the climate crisis and contaminates the water we drink, the food we eat and the air we breathe. Nearly 80% of all plastics ever produced have accumulated in landfills or in the environment, where they will remain for hundreds of years before decomposing. Around 12% have been burned, releasing harmful fumes, and less than 10% have been recycled. As the United Nations has committed to delivering a legally binding agreement on plastic pollution by the end of 2024, it has become clear that we need to transform the way we produce, consume, and dispose of plastics. 

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP), implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), provides financial and technical support to civil society and community-based organizations at the local level to drive initiatives that address global environmental issues while improving livelihoods. SGP’s work on plastics spans not only the domains of chemicals and waste management, but also international waters and biodiversity conservation. SGP projects help local communities implement a circular economy approach, whether through recycling, reducing and reusing plastics for new products, influencing consumer use and behaviour, or developing better waste collection and management practices at the local level. Since 2021, SGP has been implementing the Plastics Innovation Programme to foster learning and knowledge-sharing among 14 participating countries, helping them achieve targeted results and bolstering impacts by promoting partnerships and leveraging resources.

Read the full story here for some examples of SGP projects that have successfully managed to address plastic waste through innovative, locally developed solutions.