Talking Trash: the corporate playbook of false solutions to the plastic crisis

The Changing Markets Foundation warns that global plastic production is set to double by 2030 and could account for 15% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The letter argues that industry lobbying is currently undermining the EU's Single-Use Plastic Directive by seeking exemptions for bio-based, biodegradable, viscose, and cellophane plastics, and by jeopardising the implementation of deposit return systems (DRS). The foundation calls for the EU to reject voluntary corporate commitments in favour of mandatory measures to end overpackaging, regulate green claims, and clarify that incineration and chemical recycling are not substantive contributions to a circular economy.

• Global plastic production is projected to double by 2030, and if current rates continue, it will be responsible for 15% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
• Industry actors, including consumer brands, retailers, and trade associations, are using lobbying tactics to weaken the EU's Single-Use Plastic Directive, specifically by attempting to exempt bio-based, biodegradable, viscose, and cellophane plastics from the definition of single-use plastics.
• Brands, retailers, and producer responsibility organisations (PROs) are lobbying against deposit return systems (DRS) in EU member states, despite DRS being identified as the only viable method to achieve beverage bottle collection rates of over 90%.
• The Changing Markets Foundation argues that voluntary corporate commitments are insufficient, noting that some studies suggest plastic pollution rates will only decrease by up to 7.7% even with policies like the Single-Use Plastic Directive.
• The document identifies incineration, waste-to-energy, plastic-to-fuel, and chemical recycling as 'false solutions' that do not contribute substantively to a circular economy and instead undermine mechanical recycling and reuse.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (2020). Talking Trash: the corporate playbook of false solutions to the plastic crisis. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/CMF-Letter-VicePresidentTimmermans.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. Talking Trash: the corporate playbook of false solutions to the plastic crisis. 2020. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/CMF-Letter-VicePresidentTimmermans.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=Talking Trash: the corporate playbook of false solutions to the plastic crisis |date=29 October 2020 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/CMF-Letter-VicePresidentTimmermans.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{changingmarketsfoundation2020talking, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{Talking Trash: the corporate playbook of false solutions to the plastic crisis}}, publisher = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2020}, month = oct, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/CMF-Letter-VicePresidentTimmermans.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }