With global plastic production soaring over the last 50 years, it is more urgent than ever to continue developing sustainable plastic products from a chemicals perspective. Our new report “A Chemicals Perspective on Designing with Sustainable Plastics - Goals, Considerations and Trade-offs” and its four supporting case studies (biscuit wrappers, detergent bottles, flooring and insulation) look at the plastic material selection process from a chemicals perspective to enable the creation of inherently sustainable plastic products. Developed with country delegates, designers, industry stakeholders and NGOs, it will help designers and engineers select sustainable plastic for their products by equipping them with the right knowledge of chemicals. A webinar to discuss the key findings of the reports took place on 7 December. Watch the video replay below to hear perspectives from countries and industry on the value of the initiative.

2. • Enable the creation of inherently
sustainable plastic products by integrating
sustainable chemistry thinking in the design
process
• Equip designers and engineers with
knowledge of how to manage the complexity
of finding the most sustainable plastic for
their products with a view of relevant
chemical considerations and support better
outcomes.
A Chemicals Perspective on Designing with
Sustainable Plastics
Published 7 December, 2021

3. 3
Sustainable plastics design from a chemicals perspective
– Consider decision-making for trade-offs.
– Increase awareness of design teams of the chemical-related environmental
and health policy aspects that need to be considered for the design of
sustainable plastics, taking into account the material life cycle.

4. • Conducted case studies to inform the considerations
development
– plastic packaging (biscuit wrappers & detergent bottles) and
construction material (insulation & flooring)
• Draw more general learnings from the case studies to
inform the development of a considerations document
4
Sustainable Design of Plastics From Chemicals
Perspective

5. • Plastic packaging (biscuit wrappers & detergent bottles)
– Drafted by Partners for Innovation
• Construction material (insulation & flooring)
– Drafted by Healthy Building Network
• Start from the premise that plastic material will be used.
• Identify the key considerations regarding environmental/health
sustainability that should be examined along the product life cycle when
chemicals are selected at the design stage & potential trade-offs
• Developed in the context of the information gathered for the case studies
to exemplify the sustainable design process and to highlight key
considerations.
– To make actual decisions about material selection other factors would also need
to be considered and the analysis could be further informed by elements such as
life cycle assessment comparing alternatives and a full review of regulatory
restrictions.
4 Case Studies

6. • Design principles of sustainable chemistry and engineering (ACS):
– Maximize resource efficiency
– Eliminate and minimize hazards and pollution
– Design systems holistically and using life cycle thinking
• Sustainable design goals:
– Select materials with an inherently low risk/hazard
– Select materials that have a commercial ‘afterlife’
– Select materials that generate no waste
– Select materials that use secondary feedstock or biobased feedstock
• General considerations for sustainable design from a chemicals perspective were
identified as key elements for designers to take into account for each life-cycle phase
when selecting material composition culminating with whole product optimization.
A CHEMICALS PERSPECTIVE ON DESIGNING WITH SUSTAINBLE PLASTICS
Goals, considerations and trade-offs
Focused on embedding
sustainable chemistry
thinking at the design
stage
Draft Developed by Partners for Innovation

7. A. Select a manufacturing technique that:
– generates the least emissions.
– uses the least processing aids.
– uses non-hazardous or the least hazardous chemicals.
– minimises worker exposure.
B. Consider sustainable manufacturing on a systems level.
C. Ensure transparency in chemical composition
throughout the value chain
Example from Considerations During the
Manufacturing Phase and Potential Trade-Offs
Trade-Off Example 1
Trade-Off Example 2

8. • Complexity is high but can’t be ignored
• Systems level approach needed
• Requires involvement of many stakeholders
• Significant information needs
• Will lead to choices between different policy priorities
Reflections

9. Economic/Technical/Regulatory Barriers and Policy Approaches that Could
Help
• Examine from a specific sector viewpoint (flexible food grade packaging) the
economic, regulatory and technical barriers to implementing the
considerations
– Identify where sustainability choices become key trade-offs that impede progress to more
sustainable products.
– How can governments help? Identify what policies or approaches governments could put
into place to further incentivise sustainable design for flexible food grade packaging.
• Workshop planning has begun for Q2 2022.
9
Future work on sustainable plastics design from a
chemicals perspective