Environmental NGO Surfrider Foundation has denounced as “avoidance strategies” five tactics it believes are being deployed by some of the most influential companies in the world to delay action on plastic reduction. These include claims about recycled plastics in textiles and shoes, and the decomposability of biodegradable plastics. In a report released on July 4, the NGO illustrates these strategies using several Sporting Goods businesses as examples.
Five “avoidance strategies” deployed by many companies
The use of plastic worldwide has grown exponentially over the last decades, with 368 million tons of plastics produced in 2020, according to the report Plastic forever: A report on avoidance strategies to delay action on plastic reduction from the Surfrider Foundation.
Every year, the total global adult population produces more than its own weight in plastic. Given the current trend, plastic pollution could triple by 2040, according to data by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), cited in the report.
The five avoidance strategies deployed by companies “to continue polluting,” according to the Surfrider Foundation, include:
- Shifting the burden away – companies emphasize the role of consumers and local authorities in the plastic crisis in order to minimize their own role and duty to decrease their plastic use.
- Investing in the wrong direction – Investment and R&D expenses for plastic concerns currently focus on “technologies that knowingly fail to fully solve the crisis alone like improving recycling, incorporating recycled plastics or bioplastics,” and which cannot work unless they are accompanied by a strong deplastification strategy.
- Striking a chord with consumers – Communication strategies aim to persuade consumers, through slogans and logos, that products are part of the solution to save the planet even though these products’ properties “have in no way been proven to have any beneficial impacts on the ocean or the environment.”
- Smoke and mirrors strategy – Sustainability indicators act like beauty filters for polluting companies, masking the reality.
- Acting behind the scenes – A hidden agenda made of strategies to delay, distract and derail decisive plastic reduction regulations.
Are biodegradable plastics really biodegradable?
As an example of one of the “avoidance strategies,” the report questions the green credentials of “biobased” or “biodegradable” plastics, saying that biobased plastics are partly composed of organic materials (cane sugar, corn starch or potato starch) which may derive from intensive and polluting farming methods.
Surfrider Foundation also alleges that such products may contain a large proportion of virgin plastic, as well as questioning how clean is the production and end-of-life of biobased plastics.
The NGO adds that in order to biodegrade, many such plastics require industrial composting facilities with temperatures of more than 50 degrees, a high moisture rate and selected micro-organisms to degrade.
Reusing ocean-bound plastics not as green as claimed
In another criticism particularly relevant to the Apparel, Footwear and Accessories industries, the report addresses the use of ocean waste plastics to recycle into garments and footwear.
These programs and products, the report claims, remove so little of the plastic waste in the world’s waters that claims of “cleaning up” may mislead consumers.
Clothing items made in this way may also contribute to microplastic particles entering the water cycle (although new research by the sustainable textiles NGO The Microfibre Consortium (TMC) released this week has revealed that mechanically recycled polyester is no more likely than virgin polyester to lead to fiber fragmentation).
Ultimately, as Surfrider Foundation points out, these items are still plastic and become plastic waste at the end-of-life.
The report questions claims of infinite recycling possibilities in plastic-made items sold as circular, arguing that plastic cannot be recycled infinitely and often requires the addition of virgin plastic.
”A plastic item will inevitably become waste, and recycling is just a way of delaying the process. Recycling should be continued and even increased, but it should not be presented as a priority solution to tackle the issue.”
Instead, “Developing a functioning secondhand market for reparable and long-lasting shoes would contribute more efficiently to” the end of plastic waste.
Upcoming anti-greenwashing laws may curb false claims on plastics
The continued rise in existing and proposed anti-greenwashing legislation in France, Europe and beyond may do much to help clarify for consumers claims about recycled plastic.
The report cites slogans and campaigns across industries that have been criticized for the difference between message and the proportionality of positive impacts of a product.
Surfrider Foundation adds: “Citizens, with the support of NGOs, and governments, must keep on scrutinizing and denouncing companies’ avoidance strategies and false solutions.”
“Deplastification” is the solution
Surfrider Foundation’s ambitious goal for businesses and the planet is deplastification, which it defines as, “The action of planning and implementing the drastic reduction of the production and use of all plastics in economic activities throughout the entire value chain, in accordance with circular economy principles.”
Furthermore, “This process requires the transitioning from plastics (particularly linear / single use plastics) to sustainable alternative materials and systems of consumption, such as reuse and refill.”
To do this, Surfrider Foundation provides companies with many recommendations. These include
- getting the right diagnosis, in order to better understand and acknowledge their responsibility in the plastic crisis
- disclosing a full and verified plastic assessment that counts all plastics (virgin, recycled, biobased) used by the company in the course of its business, both upstream and downstream (packaging, product production, transport, logistics, promotion, marketing, etc.)
- defining a “deplastification pathway” that proves their actual commitment to plastic reduction, with enforceable commitments and adapted action plans
- enforcing and monitoring the company’s deplastification by setting up adequate budgets, R&D and human resources to comply with their commitments and monitor their efforts and results
- and finally, supporting plastic reduction regulations through active lobbying or membership in trade associations dedicated to help scaling down plastic use.
The report concludes: “We call on companies to embrace change and start deplastifying their activity now if they want to maintain their social license to operate and continue their activities in tomorrow’s world and in full respect of our people and planet.”
