The meta-analysis study on single-use plastic bottles developed with IVL has passed through stakeholder consultation and is now published and available for download.
Plastics is used for producing some of the most common types of beverage bottles. It has been estimated that about one million plastic bottles are sold globally every minute (Plastic Soup Foundation, 2020). The environmental impact of single-use plastic bottles has been widely discussed in society. For example, they are among the top single- use plastic products that have been found on beaches (DIRECTIVE (EU) 2019/904, 2019).
The report summarises current knowledge about single-use plastic bottles and alternatives that could potentially replace them from a functional and transportation point of view. The following alternatives are considered: glass bottle (single-use), aluminium can (single-use), carton laminated packaging systems (single-use), reusable steel and aluminium bottles, as well as non-container means for providing drinking water (see table below). Reusable glass bottles were considered in one study only as part of sensitivity analysis.
A series of other studies on single-use plastic products will be published throughout the year including on take-away food packaging as well as beverage cups. A high-level summary report for policy makers integrating the findings in previous studies will be published in October 2020 as an information document to the Fifth UN Environment Assembly (UNEA5).
This publication has been developed with the kind financial contribution of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
