5-fractions coalition

Poland is developing a roadmap for the transition to a circular economy, the CLE Map. The document identifies, in particular, measures to increase the efficiency of resource use and reduce waste generation. The roadmap is an instruction manual for the subsequent stages of introducing a circular economy in Poland. It is also a strategic document to guide a responsible and sustainable development. The purpose of the roadmap is to interlink all stages of the waste life cycle. It is an attempt to approach the topic of the circular economy very broadly, as to focus on all elements of the product life cycle including the acquisition of raw materials, processing, eco-design, sustainable consumption, and waste management.

One interesting example of a project that has been developed out of the CLE map is the 5-fractions coalition, an initiative by stakeholders in Partnership for the realization of SDGs, coordinated by the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology. The first system solution for increasing the percentage of separate waste collection in Poland.

Challenge

The growing amount of municipal waste in Poland largely comes from different kinds of packaging, a lack of clear labels and symbols for consumers on how to sort packaging waste makes it difficult to recycle correctly.

Good practices and solutions

The 5-factions coalition is an intersectoral initiative based on several companies and institutions that together have acknowledged a huge gap in the field of education and tools needed to achieve the environmental goals in Poland. Their goal is to disseminate knowledge and practice in the field of waste sorting, recovery, and recycling among consumers. In order to do so, the coalition has developed an infographic system to ease the task of sorting waste. They rely on a coherent and uniform system of pictograms that entrepreneurs and local governments can use to mark their products by waste type, thus simplifying the task of sorting the waste by consumers and waste managers.

Outcomes & Opportunities

The 5-factions coalition has prepared pictograms for packaging manufacturers to place on packaging products for local governments and companies to place on their waste containers. All actors involved in recycling, packaging recovery or environmental education can join the joint educational projects of the 5-factions coalition, promoting the labeling and proper waste separation.

Related SDG targets

• 12.6 Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle.
• 12.8 By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature.
• 17. 6 Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism.

 

Photo: © Joshua Fuller/Unsplash

Project: Circular Baltic 2030