Execution time 2022-2029
The message of the Plastics Roadmap 2.0 is summed up in the words, “reduce and refuse, recycle and replace”. A national programme will boost the sustainable circular economy of plastics across disciplines. The goal of the internationally unique Roadmap is to achieve a breakthrough in the circular economy of plastics in Finland by 2030.
The first phase of the Plastics Roadmap was launched in 2018 and it was updated in 2022. The starting point for the programme is, on the one hand, the problems arising from the steeply increasing consumption of plastics, such as littering and environmental damage, the single-use of plastics and low rate of recycling and, on the other hand, the many positive qualities of plastics, including environmental benefits.
The goal of the Plastics Roadmap is to reduce the negative impacts of plastics, avoid unnecessary consumption, improve the recycling of plastics and find substitutes for virgin plastic made from fossil-based raw materials.
PlastLIFE also contributes to achieving the goals of the Plastics Roadmap. The Plastics Roadmap works continuously with PlastLIFE.
Measures in the Plastics Roadmap will change the operations of the entire value chain
The measures in the Plastics Roadmap will boost the circular economy of plastics in a variety of ways. The following measures have been agreed upon:
- Reduce littering, avoid unnecessary consumption.
- Significantly increase the recovery of plastic waste.
- Introduce diverse and adequate recycling solutions for recovered plastics.
- Considerably improve the recyclability of plastic products and the use of recycled plastics.
- Invest in solutions that replace plastics.
- Accelerating the circular plastics economy in construction.
- Promote the recycling and replacement of plastics in agriculture and horticulture.
- Promote solutions to the plastics challenge in international cooperation.
- Export expertise and solutions.
- Enhance research knowledge on negative health and environmental impacts of plastics and solutions to these.
- Cross-cutting measures.
A dense network working together to tackle the plastic challenge
The Plastics Roadmap encourages cooperation and encounters. The Roadmap is implemented by an extensive network from businesses to research institutes, organisations to authorities. The network is coordinated by the Ministry of the Environment.
In addition to the Ministry of the Environment, the active actors of the Plastics Roadmap are Business Finland, Finnish Food and Drinks Industries’ Federation, Finnish Commerce Federation, Finnish Packaging Producers Ltd, Finnish Property Owners Rakli, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners MTK, Martha Association, Finnish Forest Industries Federation, Finnish Plastics Industries Federation, Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Cirkulärkraft Finland rf, Finnish Environment Institute, TT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Recycling Induestries of Finland, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of the Environment, and WWF Finland.
Besides these, the Plastics Jury composed of active private individuals takes part in the development and evaluation of the actions under the Plastics Roadmap.
The progress of the Plastics Roadmap can be followed at muovitiekartta.fi. The hashtag for social media is #muovitiekartta.
More information on the role of Muovipoli in the PlastLIFE project
- Programme Manager Merja Saarnilehto, Ministry of the Environment, tel. +358 295 250 259, merja.saarnilehto@gov.fi