Assessing Provisions and Requirements for the Sustainable Production of Plastics: Towards Achieving SDG 12 from the Consumers’ Perspective

Walter Leal Filho, Jelena Barbir (), Pınar Gökçin Özuyar, Enrique Nunez, Jose Manuel Diaz-Sarachaga, Bertrand Guillaume, Rosley Anholon, Izabela Simon Rampasso, Julia Swart, Luis Velazquez and Theam Foo Ng
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Walter Leal Filho: Research and Transfer Centre “Sustainable Development & Climate Change Management” (FTZ-NK), Faculty of Life Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Ulmenliet 20, 21033 Hamburg, Germany
Jelena Barbir: Research and Transfer Centre “Sustainable Development & Climate Change Management” (FTZ-NK), Faculty of Life Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Ulmenliet 20, 21033 Hamburg, Germany
Pınar Gökçin Özuyar: Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, Bahsesehir University, Istanbul 34349, Turkey
Enrique Nunez: Management Convening Group, Anisfield School of Business, Ramapo College of New Jersey, Mahwah, NJ 07430, USA
Jose Manuel Diaz-Sarachaga: GTDS Research Group, Universidad de Oviedo, C/Catedratico Valentin Alvarez s/n, 33006 Oviedo, Spain
Bertrand Guillaume: Interdisciplinary Research on Society-Technology-Environment Interactions (InSyTE), Troyes University of Technology, 10300 Troyes, France
Rosley Anholon: Department of Manufacturing Engineering and Materials, University of Campinas, São Paulo 13083-860, Brazil
Izabela Simon Rampasso: Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta 0610, Chile
Julia Swart: Utrecht School of Economics, Utrecht University, Kriekenpitplein 21–22, 3584 EC Utrecht, The Netherlands
Luis Velazquez: Industrial Engineering Department, University of Sonora, Blvd Luis Encinas y Rosales S/N, Hermosillo 83000, Mexico
Theam Foo Ng: Centre for Global Sustainability Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 24, 1-23

Abstract: Plastics are used widely, and modern civilization would have to behave differently without them. However, plastics pose a threat to sustainable life. This paper focuses on some of the provisions being made for sustainable production to date and focuses on one key sector-plastic manufacturing-where sustainable production patterns are urgently needed. The paper describes the latest trends related to plastic production, its environmental impacts, and how this sector is adjusting its processes in order to meet the current and forthcoming legal requirements and consumer demands. The methodological approach of the study has focused on both a literature review on the one hand and the consumers’ perspective obtained via a survey on the other. These two approaches were then crosschecked in order to assess current trends in plastic manufacturing and to understand how consumers see these trends as being consistent with the aims of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12. The results obtained suggest that a greater engagement of consumers is needed in supporting the efforts to manage plastic more sustainably. Based on its findings, the paper provides useful insights linked to principles and tools for sustainable plastic production and design, and it demonstrates the usefulness and urgency of a sound materials management in order to tackle plastic pollution, one of today’s major environmental problems.

Keywords: sustainable production; consumers; SDG 12; plastics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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