Alliance to End Plastic Waste
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| Alliance to End Plastic Waste | |
|---|---|
| Name | Alliance to End Plastic Waste |
| Formation | 2019 |
| Type | Nonprofit organization |
| Headquarters | Singapore |
| Region served | Global |
| Leader title | President and CEO |
| Leader name | Jacob Duer |
Alliance to End Plastic Waste is an industry-funded nonprofit focused on reducing plastic pollution through investment in waste management, recycling, and innovation. It brings together firms from the chemical industry, consumer goods companies, and plastic manufacturing corporations to coordinate projects across Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The group emphasizes public–private collaboration involving corporations, development banks, and governments such as Singapore and multilateral institutions.
Overview
The Alliance engages corporations like Dow Chemical Company, ExxonMobil, Shell plc, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever alongside investors such as The Blackstone Group, Bain Capital, and institutions like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. It funds programs spanning material recovery, infrastructure for municipal solid waste, and circular economy pilots inspired by initiatives in Japan, Germany, and South Korea. The organization positions itself amid global policy frameworks including the Basel Convention, the United Nations Environment Programme, and discussions at the United Nations Environment Assembly and links with advocacy efforts from groups such as Ocean Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, and Greenpeace International.
History and Formation
Launched in 2019, the Alliance was announced at forums attended by executives from Royal Dutch Shell, TotalEnergies, BASF, Chevron Corporation, Coca-Cola Company, and representatives from development organizations including the International Finance Corporation and African Development Bank. Its founding coincided with high-profile events like the G20 summits and followed advocacy campaigns by The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and scientific reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Early strategy drew on models from municipal reforms in San Francisco, deposit return systems in Norway, and waste-to-energy projects in Denmark.
Organization and Governance
The Alliance is governed by a board comprising executives from corporations such as Société Générale partners, Dow, and Samsung SDI alongside advisors from institutions like the World Bank Group and representatives from national agencies including officials previously associated with Ministry of the Environment (Japan) and United States Environmental Protection Agency. Its leadership structure includes a President and CEO, regional directors for Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Americas, and technical advisory panels with experts from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Imperial College London, University of Cape Town, and National University of Singapore. The governance charter references collaboration with treaty bodies such as the Basel Convention contacts and aligns reporting expectations to standards advocated by International Organization for Standardization committees and the Global Reporting Initiative.
Programs and Initiatives
Initiatives include infrastructure investments in municipal solid waste systems modeled after projects by Veolia, material recovery facility upgrades akin to operations run by SUEZ, and pilot projects for chemical recycling similar to efforts by LyondellBasell and INEOS. The Alliance supports community collection programs influenced by informal sector integration strategies used in India and Philippines partnerships and funds research with laboratories at ETH Zurich, Columbia University, and CSIRO. Project examples cite collaboration with city authorities in Manila, river cleanup campaigns echoing work on the Ganges and Yangtze, and efforts to reduce marine debris alongside NGOs like The Ocean Cleanup. It also backs innovation challenges reminiscent of competitions hosted by XPRIZE and venture investments comparable to funds managed by Sequoia Capital and Temasek Holdings.
Funding and Partnerships
Funding comes from member companies such as Dow Chemical Company, ExxonMobil, Shell plc, Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola Company, and PepsiCo through pledged capital, matched grants, and in-kind technical assistance. The Alliance co-finances projects with multilateral lenders like the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Investment Bank, and philanthropic organizations including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Partnerships include collaborations with academic institutions like Stanford University, Yale University, and University of Oxford and with civil society organizations such as Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy. It also coordinates with trade associations including American Chemistry Council and European Chemical Industry Council.
Criticism and Controversy
Critics point to conflicts highlighted in reports by Greenpeace International, Friends of the Earth, and investigative journalism from outlets like The Guardian, Reuters, and Bloomberg that question industry-led efforts tied to companies such as ExxonMobil and Dow given historical responsibility debates traced to cases like Chevron v. Ecuador and controversies involving Big Oil. Environmental advocates compare the Alliance to previous industry coalitions that faced scrutiny, citing parallels with lobbying activities by the Tobacco industry and skepticism documented in analyses by Harvard University scholars and think tanks including Center for International Environmental Law and Brookings Institution. Debates focus on transparency, adequacy of funding relative to pledged sums, the efficacy of chemical recycling technologies championed by members like Braskem and Eastman Chemical Company, and whether voluntary measures suffice compared to regulatory instruments such as proposed global treaties discussed at the United Nations Environment Assembly.