Access information on Multilateral Environmental Agreements

Environmentally sound management of waste*

Submitted by the League of Arab States, Chile, Sri Lanka and Turkey

The United Nations Environment Assembly,​​​​​​​

Appreciating UNEA 4’s focus on Innovative Solutions for Environmental Challenges and Sustainable Consumption and Production,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 66/288 of 27 July 2012, on the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, entitled “The future we want” in particular those paragraphs relevant to sound management of chemicals and waste as well as those on sustainable consumption and production, and recognizing the relevance of encouraging changes in the patterns societies consume and produce as an important means for achieving global sustainable development,

Recalling also General Assembly resolution 70/1 of September 2015, entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”,

Recognizing the international community’s commitment to the sound management of waste and its significant contribution to the sustainable development goals (SDGs),

Recalling previous UNEA resolutions addressing the issue of solid waste management among other topics,

Recognizing that resource efficiency and waste management are relevant policy topics to achieve sustainable consumption and production, including but not limited to a circular economy and other sustainable economic models, and recognizing as well the co-benefits of a sound waste management policy in areas such as GHG emissions reduction, improving human health, appropriate food management, and marine environment protection;

Noting that solid waste management has yet to be given sufficient attention in many member states as a key environmental issue of concern,

Recognizing that 10% of the waste generated in the world are plastics, and 500 billion plastic bags are used within a year around the world, 

Realizing that challenges associated with solid waste management include, but are not limited to, prioritizing waste prevention adopting or selecting relevant technologies, establishing local institutional and/or regulatory frameworks, and developing and managing information and tracking systems and the particular needs of countries in post-conflict situations or countries affected by conflicts,

Acknowledging the success stories of member states in developing and implementing innovative solid waste management solutions, technologies and engagement of local constituents, including innovative projects/programmes such as national and local Zero Waste initiatives in some countries to foster environmentally sound management of waste, particularly minimization and where feasible prevention of waste,

Appreciating UNEP's International Environment Technology Centre (IETC) and its activities including the production of Global and Regional Waste Management Outlook and Global Mercury Waste Assessment and expecting its further works in the field of the environmentally sound waste management,

1. Invites member states, considering differing national circumstances, and in cooperation with relevant national, regional and international organizations and institutes to:

(a) Promote the integrated approaches of solid waste management through sustainable consumption and production, including but not limited to a circular economy and other sustainable economic models, as well as other innovative means, including the removal of hazardous substances from waste before recycling, as well as giving special attention to prepare waste for reuse and recycling, as well as the reduction of landfilling and application of the waste hierarchy for all waste;

(b) Prevent and reduce waste at source of origin through, inter alia, the minimisation of packaging materials and the discouragement of planned obsolescence of products, as well as improving products safety, reusability and recyclability and resource efficiency through, inter alia, better design of products, use of easy to recycle materials, and use of secondary raw material in replacement, where feasible of primary raw material;

(c) Effectively engage the private sector, civil society, waste producers, local authorities and the public, and promote public-private initiatives and alliances, in the sound management of solid waste including through market mechanisms and capacity building to promote sustainable consumption and production, including but not limited to a circular economy and other sustainable economic models;

(d) Support the development or, where appropriate, the enhancement of adequate institutional and regulatory frameworks to ensure that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined;

(e) Work towards establishing indicators and conducting on a regular basis assessment of impacts of selecting and implementing technological options to address waste management along the value chain with the objective of protection of health and environment;

(f) Promote the use of modern technologies, innovations and innovative policy alternatives to support the environmentally sound management of solid waste, and the development of economic instruments and other measures to support waste management, green entrepreneurship and generation of green jobs;

(g) Support the innovative waste management initiatives such as national and local zero waste initiatives in some countries to minimize and develop adequate infrastructure and other facilities for waste management;

(h) Promote public and private sector waste management innovative financing solutions such as:

(i) Development of innovative financial models and creation of enabling an environment for investment and market-based schemes

(ii) Support for job/income generation schemes

(iii) Cost recovery schemes;

(i) Implement and support innovative economic incentive schemes to promote sound management of waste such as extended producer/ trader responsibility, recycling incentives, deposit refund schemes, and other alternatives;

(j) Promote evidence-based research on environment and health benefits of environmentally sound waste management;

(k) Develop and/or encourage innovative programs and tools for raising awareness;

(l) Set standards for food grade plastics, to minimize toxins getting into food;

(m) Strengthen monitoring activities to avoid disposal of waste into the marine environment from all sectors;

(n) Reduce microplastics, including in wastewater treatment plants, and encourage producers to use alternatives for microbeads;

(o) Strengthen legislation to prohibit open burning of plastics to avoid air pollution and its associated health impacts;

(p) Support the recycling of plastics including the improvement of waste collection, transportation and recycling infrastructure;

2. Requests the Executive Director, subject to the availability of resources, and in cooperation with relevant international partners to:

(a) Strengthen UNEP’s International Environment Technology Centre (IETC) and its role in the provision of technological advice and capacity building on the environmentally sound waste management and enhance cooperation with Basel and Stockholm regional centers as appropriate;

(b) Maintain inventories of environmentally sound waste management technologies and practices including those which have been introduced in the global and regional waste management outlook to share with member states;

(c) Assist member states in use of BAT/BEP (Best Available Techniques and Best Environmental Practices) in solid waste management;

(d) Continue to foster sharing experiences, lessons learned and success stories amongst Member States and key stakeholders through existing global and regional platforms;

(e) Coordinate with member states and relevant UN and humanitarian agencies to incorporating, as appropriate and feasible, waste management in humanitarian recovery and response plans “building back better”;

(f) Assist countries, in particular developing countries and countries with economies in transition, in their efforts to strengthen and enhance national and local implementation of environmentally sound management of waste, through the regional waste management outlooks, improving information on environmentally sound technologies to integrate waste management;

3. Call upon member states in the position to do so, especially developed countries, international organizations and international financial institutions to provide developing countries and countries with economies in transition, in particular those in conflict, financial assistance, capacity building and promotion of technology transfer based on mutually agreed terms for the purposes of implementation of this resolution.

Marine plastic litter and microplastics*

The United Nations Environment Assembly,

Noting with concern that the high and rapidly increasing levels of marine litter, including plastic litter and microplastics, represent a serious environmental problem at a global scale, negatively affecting marine biodiversity, ecosystems, animal well-being, societies, livelihoods, fisheries, maritime transport, recreation and tourism, and economies,

Noting also that microplastics added into products or generated during their lifecycle are found along the food chain and that there is concern about their potential to negatively affect human health including food safety and that, hence, those aspects require further examination,

Stressing the importance of long-term elimination of the discharge of litter and microplastics to the oceans and of avoiding detriment to marine ecosystems and the human activities dependent on them from marine litter and microplastics, as stated by the United Nations Environment Assembly in its resolution 3/7,

Stressing also the importance of the prevention and reduction of marine litter including plastic litter and microplastics from both land and sea-based sources to Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals,

Stressing further the importance of a more sustainable management of plastics throughout their lifecycle in order to increase sustainable consumption and production patterns, including but not limited to circular economy and other sustainable economic models1 , and the importance of environmentally sound waste management, resource efficiency, the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), sustainable materials management innovation of related technologies, environmentally sound clean-up of marine plastic litter, and international cooperation, to most effectively prevent pollution from marine litter including plastic litter and microplastics,

Stressing as well the urgent need to strengthen the science-policy interface at all levels and to do more to support science-based approaches, improve understanding of the fate, distribution and impacts of marine litter including plastic litter and microplastics on the marine environment and promote local, national, regional and global action on preventing and eliminating discharge of litter, including plastic litter and microplastics into the marine environment,

Underlining the urgent need to consider strengthened science/policy interface, global coordination, cooperation and governance to more effectively implement the United Nations Environment Assembly resolutions 1/6, 2/11 and 3/7,

Noting important developments to explore options within the mandates of relevant existing international agreements and organizations to address marine litter, in particular;

(a) The recommendations of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) under the Basel Convention to its Conference of the Parties at its 14th meeting to consider further options under the Convention including establishing a Partnership on Plastic Waste;

(b) The adoption of an action plan by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee, supported by the London Protocol and London Convention, to reduce marine plastic litter from ships;

Recognizing the work of Regional Seas Conventions and Programmes for the protection of the marine and coastal environment and reiterating its invitation on relevant international and regional organizations and conventions to increase their action to prevent and reduce marine litter, including plastic litter and microplastics and their harmful effects, and coordinate where appropriate to achieve this end,

Acknowledging the need for quality data and effective monitoring of land and sea-based sources, quantities, fate, and impact of marine litter including plastic litter and microplastics, as well as the potential impact on human health, through harmonized methodologies, which enables better and more effective actions,

Noting the framework document for the Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML) decided by its Steering Committee October 2018, outlining the purpose, function and organization of the GPML as a platform for all stakeholders for bottom-up, voluntary cooperation on activities such as sharing of experiences, information and match-making for project cooperation,

Taking into account the outcome of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Expert Group on Marine Litter and Microplastics established by the third session of the United Nations Environment Assembly pursuant to resolution UNEP/EA/3/7 operative paragraph 10, particularly the need for increasing coherence, coordination and synergies between existing mechanisms and to enhance cooperation and governance with a view to better address marine litter and microplastics challenges at local, national, regional and global levels,

Mindful of the particular responsibility of United Nations Environment Programme pursuant to its 1972 mandate to keep under review the world environmental situation in order to ensure that emerging environmental problems with international significance receive appropriate and adequate consideration by Governments,

1. Calls upon Member States and other actors at local, national, regional and international levels, private sector, civil society, academia, and other stakeholders to address the problem of marine litter and microplastics prioritizing a whole life cycle approach and resource efficiency, building on appropriate existing initiatives and instruments, and supported by and grounded in science, international cooperation, and multi-stakeholder engagement;

2. Requests the UNEP Executive Director, within available resources and benefiting from the work of relevant existing mechanisms, to immediately strengthen scientific and technological knowledge with regard to marine litter including marine plastic litter and microplastics through the following activities:

(a) Convening existing relevant science advisory initiatives with input from the Member States, as appropriate, to provide input into the activities under paragraph 3 and 7;

(b) Compiling available scientific and other relevant data and information to prepare an assessment of sources, pathways, and hazards of litter including plastic litter and microplastic pollution and its presence in the rivers and oceans, scientific knowledge about adverse effects on ecosystems, potential adverse effects on human health and environmentally sound technology innovations;

(c) Recommending indicators to harmonize monitoring, report and assess methodologies, taking into account the key sources of marine litter including plastic litter and microplastics in cooperation with relevant international organizations;

(d) Gathering information with a view to inform policies and action on environmentally sound technological innovations, options and measures for reducing risks of discharges of litter including plastic litter and microplastics to the marine environment taking into account the whole life-cycle of plastics, in support of local, national, regional and global action;

3. Decides to strengthen coordination and cooperation by establishing, within available resources, and building on existing initiatives, a multi-stakeholder platform within UNEP, to take immediate action towards the long-term elimination of discharges of litter and microplastics through a life-cycle approach, into the oceans. This may include the following functions:

(a) Serving as a forum for governments, industry, academia, civil society, and other stakeholders to share experiences and coordinate action, either on a regular or ad hoc basis;

(b) Serving as a repository for: assessments on how land and sea-based sources of marine litter including plastic litter and microplastics are addressed at national, regional and international levels, conceptual and practical guidance materials for governments, organizations, and private entities to address aspects of marine litter; and current action plans, management practices, and guidelines for enabling, enhancing and supporting action to prevent discharge of litter, including plastic litter and microplastics, into the marine environment;

(c) Raising global awareness of the issue with a wide variety of audiences, such as governments, policy-makers, resource managers, educators, private sector entities, and the public;

(d) Establishing and maintaining a database of technical and scientific information related to marine litter, such as inventories of discharges to the marine environment, scientific studies, and innovations to address marine litter;

(e) Promoting collaboration among relevant existing science mechanisms to facilitate access to available scientific data and information to disseminate sound scientific practices, such as guidelines for the sampling and analysis of marine macro-plastics and microplastics and to improve policy relevance of research;

(f) Promoting action in Regional Seas Conventions and Programmes, within available resources, to address marine litter through action plans, protocols, partnerships, and other activities;

4. Recalls its resolution on Marine plastic litter and microplastics (UNEP/EA.2/11) and further invite member states in close collaboration with the private sector to:

(a) Reduce the discharge of microplastics into the marine environment including through phase-out of products that contain microplastics, where possible;

(b) Foster innovation of product design to reduce secondary microplastic release from land- and sea-based sources and improve waste management where needed;

(c) Prevent losses of primary microplastics, especially pre-production pellets (flakes and powders), to prevent their spills into the environment, across the whole manufacturing and supply chain;

5. Requests the ED, through its 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, to elaborate guidelines on plastic use and production in order to inform consumers, including on standards and labels, to incentivize businesses and retailers to commit to sustainable practices and products, and to support governments to promote the use of information tools and incentives to foster sustainable consumption and production;

6. Invites all Member States, the relevant organizations of the United Nations system, and other relevant international and regional organizations, as well as, the private sector, civil society, non-governmental organizations and individuals, on every relevant occasion, including by utilizing the opportunities, such as the “World Environment Day” and “World Oceans Day”:

(a) To consider their role in the contribution to addressing marine litter including plastic litter and microplastics;

(b) To raise awareness of the importance of and to encourage sustainable consumption and production in line with resolution XX on Innovative Pathways to Achieve Sustainable Consumption and Production with regard to products likely to generate marine litter, including plastic litter and microplastics;

(c) To promote environmentally sound waste management and marine plastic litter recovery in line with resolution 3/7 paragraph 4h;

7. Decides to extend until UNEA-5 the mandate of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Expert Group on Marine Litter and Microplastics created by resolution UNEP/EA.3/res.7, building on its previous work, to:

(a) Take stock of existing activities and actions towards long-term elimination of discharges into the oceans, to reduce marine plastic litter and microplastics by governments, relevant global and regional instruments and international organizations, the private sector, Non-Governmental organizations and other relevant contributors;

(b) Identify technical and financial resources or mechanisms for supporting countries in addressing marine plastic litter and microplastics;

(c) Encourage partnerships as well as increased cooperation in relations to the prevention of marine litter including plastic litter and microplastics that undertake activities, such as the development of source inventories, improvement of waste management, awareness raising, and promotion of innovation;

(d) Analyze the effectiveness of existing and potential response options and activities on marine litter and microplastics at all levels to determine the contribution in solving the global problem;

8. Invites the Environment Management Group (EMG) to engage in and contribute to the Ad Hoc Open-ended Expert Group on Marine Litter and Microplastics by providing inter alia a mapping of all relevant United Nations agencies, programmes, initiatives and expertise with relevance to marine litter including plastic litter and microplastics;

9. Requests the Executive Director to report on the progress of the implementation of this resolution to the Fifth United Nations Environment Assembly.