Ethical issues related to recycling of German plastics in Asia.
Hofer, Kai (2021)
Hofer, Kai
2021
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021052410696
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021052410696
Tiivistelmä
Plastic recycling is a topic very present in the global media. However, German consumers are not very aware what happens to their plastic trash after being placed in the recycling bin. Germany has developed several recycling systems which proof to be highly efficient for example with PET bottles, but other plastic materials are still not treated properly or not being processed at all. On a national, as well as European level, there have been plenty of efforts to tackle the plastic crisis, we are facing right now, but these efforts are not helping countries, which are receiving the excess trash from Germany.
This thesis is based on qualitative research and analysis of secondary data such as professional literature, online publications, and statistics. With the theoretical framework based on international trade theory, this thesis aims to analyse how nations are interacting in the international trade of plastic waste.
The main target of this thesis is to explain the causes that have led to this ethical problem and to provide solutions how to lessen and change the negative impact. Three research questions were formulated to support the study. Firstly, what impact did the Chinese import restrictions for plastic waste in 2018 have on the global plastic recycling industry? Secondly, how trading of plastic scrap is failing in matters of social, environmental, and ethical issues internationally and especially in Germany and finally how bioplastics and a circular economy present a viable solution to the global plastic crisis.
Mainly Southeast Asian countries, except China, were the destination for German and European plastic scrap in 2021. These developing countries are struggling to integrate the foreign trash into their recycling system since environmental issues have not been as urgent as other problems, such as poverty, that these countries are facing. However, the governments in these nations are gradually realizing that importing plastic scrap is causing environmental, health and socio-economic problems and have therefore either announced immediate restrictions to stop the import of trash or set a timeline to eliminate this mechanism in the next years.
Main findings and conclusions of this thesis are that unfortunately Southeast Asian countries will remain the main importer of excess scrap of developed countries in the near future. It cannot be clearly said which country will take over the place of China as the world’s biggest recycler. Inadequate handling of plastic scrap from Germany in Southeast Asian countries is a main contributor of the huge amount of maritime plastic pollution these countries are emitting. However, there are solutions like encouraging economies to switch from the current linear consumption model to a more sustainable circular economy system moreover, bioplastics could provide a sustainable alternative to the current petroleum-based plastics which cause our recent environmental crisis.
This thesis is based on qualitative research and analysis of secondary data such as professional literature, online publications, and statistics. With the theoretical framework based on international trade theory, this thesis aims to analyse how nations are interacting in the international trade of plastic waste.
The main target of this thesis is to explain the causes that have led to this ethical problem and to provide solutions how to lessen and change the negative impact. Three research questions were formulated to support the study. Firstly, what impact did the Chinese import restrictions for plastic waste in 2018 have on the global plastic recycling industry? Secondly, how trading of plastic scrap is failing in matters of social, environmental, and ethical issues internationally and especially in Germany and finally how bioplastics and a circular economy present a viable solution to the global plastic crisis.
Mainly Southeast Asian countries, except China, were the destination for German and European plastic scrap in 2021. These developing countries are struggling to integrate the foreign trash into their recycling system since environmental issues have not been as urgent as other problems, such as poverty, that these countries are facing. However, the governments in these nations are gradually realizing that importing plastic scrap is causing environmental, health and socio-economic problems and have therefore either announced immediate restrictions to stop the import of trash or set a timeline to eliminate this mechanism in the next years.
Main findings and conclusions of this thesis are that unfortunately Southeast Asian countries will remain the main importer of excess scrap of developed countries in the near future. It cannot be clearly said which country will take over the place of China as the world’s biggest recycler. Inadequate handling of plastic scrap from Germany in Southeast Asian countries is a main contributor of the huge amount of maritime plastic pollution these countries are emitting. However, there are solutions like encouraging economies to switch from the current linear consumption model to a more sustainable circular economy system moreover, bioplastics could provide a sustainable alternative to the current petroleum-based plastics which cause our recent environmental crisis.