INF/TE/IDP/RD/85/Rev.1* 
8 December 2022  
(22-9133) Page: 1/9 
 Original:  English/anglais/inglés  
 
  
UNOFFICIAL ROOM DOCUMENT1 
 
DIALOGUE ON PLASTICS POLLUTION  
AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE PLASTICS TRADE  
SUBMISSIONS BY BRS 
Workshop 6 December 2022  
Revision  
 
 
DOCUMENT DE S ÉANCE NON OFFICIEL1 
 
DIALOGUE ON PLASTICS POLLUTION  
AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE PLASTICS TRADE  
SUBMISSIONS BY BRS 
Workshop 6 December 2022  
Révision  
 
 
DOCUMENTO DE SALA NO OF ICIAL1 
 
DIALOGUE ON PLASTICS POLLUTION  
AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE PLASTICS TRADE  
SUBMISSIONS BY BRS 
Workshop 6 December 2022  
Revisión  
 
_______________  
  
 
* In Original language only/En langue originale seulement/En el idioma original solamente.  
1 Documents issued in the RD series are not official WTO documents. They usually appear in their 
language of submission and will not be translated systematically into the  working languages of the WTO. They 
are intended for use in WTO meeting rooms and are attributed an unofficial symbol for archiving purposes only.  
Les documents de la série RD ne sont pas des documents officiels de l 'OMC. Ils ne paraissent 
généralement qu e dans la langue dans laquelle ils ont été communiqués et ne seront pas systématiquement 
traduits dans les langues de travail de l'OMC. Ils sont destinés aux salles de réunion de l'OMC et une cote non 
officielle leur est attribuée à des fins d'archivage.  
Los documentos de la serie RD no son documentos oficiales de la OMC. Por lo general se distribuyen en 
el idioma en que han sido presentados y no se traduce n sistemáticamente a los idiomas de trabajo de la 
Organización. Se distribuyen para su uso en las sala s de reunión de la OMC y se les asigna una signatura no 
oficial a efectos de archivo únicamente.  INF/TE/IDP/RD/85/Rev.1  
 
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ANNEX – Questions for written submissions by delegations and stakeholders  
 
Break -out sessions will focus on the guiding questions below. Delegations and invited stakeholders 
are kindly invited to send written answers to these questions prior to the event to idp@wto.org . 
 
1) Working definitions  
 
Q. What are the concepts for which a "working definition" could help the identification of 
"environmentally sustainable and effective substitutes and alternatives"  (please select all that 
apply). For each, what are the key elements that should be included in a working definition?  
 
Secretariat of the BRS Conventions. Resources mentioned below:  
 
- Decision BC-14/13: Further actions to address plastic waste under the Ba sel Convention  
 
- Framework for the environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes and other 
wastes 
(http://www .basel.int/Implementation/CountryLedInitiative/EnvironmentallySoundManage
ment/ESMFramework/tabid/3616/Default.aspx )  
 
 
- Environmentally sound management (ESM) toolkit (e.g. Practical manual for the promotion 
of the environmentally sound management of waste:  terminology) 
(http://www.basel.int/Implementation/CountryLedInitiative/EnvironmentallySoundManage
ment/ESMToolkit/Overview/tabid/5839/Default.aspx)  
 
- Glossary of terms 
(http://www.basel.int/Implementation/Publications/GuidanceManuals/tabid/2364/Default.a
spx#) 
 
- Technical guidelines for the identification and environmentally sound management (ESM) 
of plastic wastes and for their disposal 
(http://www.basel.int/Implementation/Plasticwaste/Technicalguidelines/Overview/tabid/79
92/Default.aspx)  
 
 
- Draft report on Global governance of plastics and associated chemicals, November 2022 
(http://www.basel.int/Implementation/Plasticwaste/Callforinforma tion/Globalgovernanceof
plasticsandassociatedchemi/tabid/9378/Default.aspx)  
 
 
 
 concept  Key elements   Potential source  
☐ plastic  Plastic is usually a synthetic 
material, either a polymer or 
combination of polymers of high 
molecular mass modified or 
compounded with additives such as 
fillers, plasticizers, stabilizers, 
lubricants, pigments. According to 
the International Organization for 
Standardization (ISO) “plastic is a 
material which contains as an 
essential ingredient a high polymer 
and which, at some stage in its 
processing into finished products, 
can be shaped by flow” (ISO, 
2013). Polymers are natural or 
synthetic substances co mposed of 
very large molecules, called 
macromolecules, that are multiples Draft technical guidelines on the 
environmentally sound 
management of ESM of plastic 
wastes (TG on ESM of plastic 
waste)  INF/TE/IDP/RD/85/Rev.1  
 
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  of simpler chemical units called 
monomers. There are a number of 
detailed definitions of the term 
“polymer”, such as by the OECD 
(OECD Definition of Polymer - 
OECD ) . 
☐ microplastics  Plastic particles up to 5 mm in 
diameter. Sources, challenges are 
related to its “behavior”: chemical 
(e.g.POPs), physical, and biological 
effects  UNEP Brochure Microplastics 
(https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/12079/brochure -
microplastics.pdf?sequence=1&amp%3BisAllowed=)  
☐ plastics 
substitutes    
☐ plastic 
alternatives  Parties to the Basel Convention and 
others are invited to significantly 
reduce single -use plastic products, 
notably through specific measures, 
such as the development of 
affordable and environmentally 
friendly  
altern atives, the use of substitutes 
for such products where 
alternatives are economically 
available, the  
reduction in their consumption  
 
 
 
Alternative materials with less 
environmental impact or by 
reducing the size of the products   
Decision BC-14/13: Further 
actions to address plastic waste 
under the Basel Convention 
(section II on Preventing and 
minimizing the generation of 
plastic waste, improving its 
environmentally  
sound management and 
controlling its transboundary 
movement)  
 
 
TG on ESM of plastic wastes 
(draft)  
☐ environmentally 
sustainable  See below “Environmentally sound 
management”   
☐ effective 
(including cost 
and functionally 
effective)  See below - See below 
“Environmentally sound 
management”   
☐ single use  UNEA -4 resolution 9 on 
“Addressing single -use plastic 
products pollution” encourages 
member states to develop and 
implement actions to address the 
environmental impacts of single -
use plastic products, identify 
environmentally friendly 
alternatives to single -use plastics, 
promote improved waste 
management and more resource -
efficient design, production, use 
and sound management of plastics 
across their life cycle  
 
  
☐ re-usable  Waste management hierarchy: 
recognized by decision BC -10/2 as 
prevention, minimization, reuse, 
recycling, other recovery including 
energy recovery, and final disposal; 
in doing so, encouraging treatment 
options that deliver the best overall 
environmental outcome, taking into 
account life -cycle thinking.  Practical manual for the promotion 
of the environmentally sound 
management of waste: 
terminology  INF/TE/IDP/RD/85/Rev.1  
 
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  Waste prevention (i.e. st rict 
avoidance, source reduction and 
direct reuse), while part of waste 
minimisation (that also covers 
reuse and recycling), is 
fundamentally different from all 
other activities within the waste 
management hierarchy as it is 
implemented before products or 
materials become wastes. Waste 
prevention measures occur prior to 
waste management, as part of 
strategies and actions promoting or 
even mandating environmentally 
sound production, trade and 
consumption.  
 
Waste prevention may involve the 
following strategi es:  
(a) Strict avoidance involves the 
prevention of waste generation by 
elimination of the need for a 
product, or material, or by a 
reduction of hazardous substances 
and inputs, or by reducing material 
or energy intensity in production, 
consumption, and d istribution.1 
Strict avoidance also includes 
designing products for prolonged 
life. Waste prevention in this latter 
context extends the life of products 
and acts as a diversion of waste 
flows;  
(b) Source reduction involves 
altering production processes to  
minimize the use of toxic or 
harmful substances and/or 
minimizing material or energy 
consumption and/or maximally 
substituting primary raw materials 
with secondary raw materials that 
result from high quality recycling. 
Waste prevention in this context 
reduces or eliminates waste and 
pollution at source through process 
changes;  
 (c) Direct reuse means the using 
again of a product, object or 
substance that is not waste for the 
same purpose for which it was 
conceived without the necessity of 
repair or refurbishment;  
 
 
☐ biodegradable  Plastics can also be classified 
considered as  biodegradable and 
non-biodegradable. Biodegradable 
plastics are broadly unde rstood to 
refer to plastics that can be 
degraded under certain conditions, 
such as temperature, UV, humidity, 
oxygen content and pH, by Draft TG on ESM of plastic wastes 
(this is in particular  the subject to 
ongoing discussions)  INF/TE/IDP/RD/85/Rev.1  
 
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  microorganisms in nature, such as 
bacteria, mould, and algae, and 
turn into water or carbon dioxide 
and other small mole cules. The 
timeframe, the level of 
biodegradation, and the 
environment condition required for 
biodegradation need to be 
provided, along with claim of 
biodegradability of plastics 
(European Bioplastics, 2018). 
Standard specifications or protocols 
are requir ed for biodegradability of 
plastics.  
Some of the available standard 
protocols for assessment of 
biodegradation of plastics include 
ISO/17556 for aerobic 
biodegradability of plastic materials 
in soil, ISO/15985 for anaerobic 
biodegradation under high -solids 
anaerobic -digestion conditions. 
Both fossil -based plastic and bio -
based plastic can be biodegradable 
or non -biodegradable under certain 
conditions.  
 
 
See also “ Oxo-degradable plastics”  
 
Oxo-degradable plastic is made by 
blending a pro-degradant additive 
into the plastic during the extrusion 
process, which accelerates the 
fragmentation of plastics into 
plastic fragments under certain 
conditions. Once the product is 
buried in the soil, and out of 
sunlight, the degradation process 
stops and residual small plastic 
particles remain intact, causing the 
release of microplastics.  
 
 
☐ erodible    
☐ recyclable  Recycling:  
Plastic waste recycling  (operation 
R3) can be categorized as follows:  
(a) Mechanical recycling, with the 
processing of waste plastic through 
physical sorting, size reduction, 
cleaning and drying, thermal melt -
extrusion and pelletizing, and 
compounding;  
(b) Physical recycling, with the 
removal of constituents (e.g., 
flame -retardants) from plastic 
waste while keeping the plastic 
polymer molecules chain largely 
intact (solvent -based purification);  
c) Chemical recycling, where the 
plastic polymer molecules chains  
Draft TG on ESM of plastic wastes  INF/TE/IDP/RD/85/Rev.1  
 
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  are broken down ( recovery of 
chemical constituents that have 
been de -polymerized) and used as 
base chemicals, including feedstock 
for plastic manufacture (feedstock 
recycling).  
 
 
There are also specific aspects of 
recycling of common types of 
plastic waste (PE, PP, PS, ABS, PET, 
PC, PVC).  
 
“Recyclable” also could also be 
assumed as free of POPs  and other 
hazardous chemicals  
 
☐ recycled content  
Plastic polymers made from 
recycled material.  
 Draft report on Global 
governance of plasti cs 
and associated chemicals, 
November 2022  
 
☐ compostable  Compostable plastics are 
considered those plastics which 
have been tested and adhere to 
international standards, such as 
American Society for Testing and 
Materials ASTM D6400 -21 (ASTM, 
2001) (in the U.S.) or European 
Standard EN 13432:2001 
(European Standa rd, 2001) (in 
Europe), for biodegradation in an 
industrial composting facility: in 
addition, this may be certified by a 
third party. For compostable 
plastics to be fully composted, 
disposal must happen under 
specific conditions of temperature, 
moisture, ox ygen level and 
microbial activity, normally found 
in controlled composting.   
Draft TG on ESM of plastic wastes  
☐ plastic -related 
emissions / 
plastic pollution  Landfilling of plastic wastes can 
have impacts on human health and 
the environment, in partic ular in 
non-engineered landfills or open 
dumpsites such as the potential 
leaching of plastics additives, 
particles and items into the wider 
environment. Gasification, 
pyrolysis and combustion, in 
particular open burning, of plastic 
wastes, can also have im pacts on 
human health and the environment 
due to emissions and releases of 
greenhouse gases; and pollutants,  
Draft TG on ESM of plastic wastes  INF/TE/IDP/RD/85/Rev.1  
 
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  such as unintentionally produced 
POPs and mercury.  
 
Pollutant emissions related to 
disposal and treatment of plastic 
wastes at respective facilitie s can 
include liquids, solids, gases, and 
others, which can be determined 
following the specific national 
legislation or international 
regulations and standards.  
☐ waste 
management 
technologies  Technologies are closely linked to 
the operations which are applied for 
the ESM of plastic wastes. There 
can be technologies for sorting, 
mechanic recycling, etc. Detailed 
information on the technologies is 
available  
 
 
Plastics technologies that are 
relev ant to the environment 
including technologies for 
prevention, recycling, conversion or 
disposal of waste; for leakage 
removal; and for biobased 
feedstock.  
 Draft TG on ESM of plastic wastes  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Draft report on Global 
governance of plastics  
and associated chemicals, 
November 2022  
 
☐ Other  
 
 Environmentally 
sound 
management  Environmentally sound 
management means taking all 
practicable steps to ensure that 
hazardous wastes or other wastes 
are managed in a manner which will 
protect human health a nd the 
environment against the adverse 
effects which may result from such 
wastes.  Basel Convention, Article 2 (8)  
 
ESM Framework  
 Environmental 
management 
system  A set of processes and practices 
that enable an organization to 
reduce its environmental impa cts 
and increase its operating 
efficiency. A waste facility should 
have an environmental 
management system (EMS) in 
place, taking into account the size 
of the enterprise, the level of risk 
associated with the operation of the 
facility and other factors rel evant to 
implementation. An EMS is often 
designed to be integrated into the 
“plan, do, check and act” model for 
continuous improvement and many 
existing systems already use this 
approach. It helps to ensure that 
environmental issues are 
systematically iden tified, controlled 
and monitored in the context of the 
need to reinforce continuous 
improvement. Several applicable Practical manual for the promotion 
of the environmentally sound 
management of waste: 
terminology  INF/TE/IDP/RD/85/Rev.1  
 
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  EMS already exist in countries 
which are members of the 
Organization for Economic 
Cooperation and Development 
(OECD): ISO 14001, which is 
worldwide; the Eco -Management 
and Audit Scheme (EMAS), which is 
specific to European countries and 
has somewhat more ambitious 
requirements than ISO 14001. Also 
considered to be applicable EMS 
are those that are tailor --made for 
individual circumstances – for 
example, systems designed for the 
purpose of specific industrial 
sectors or enterprises.  
 Oxo-degradable 
plastics  Oxo-degradable plastic is made by 
blending a pro -degradant additive 
into the plastic during the extrusion 
process, which accelerates the 
fragmentation of plastics into 
plastic fragments under certain 
conditions. Once the product is 
buried in the soil, and out of 
sunlight, the degradation p rocess 
stops and residual small plastic 
particles remain intact, causing the 
release of microplastics.  Draft TG on ESM of plastic wastes  
 End-of-waste  The Basel Convention does not 
clarify when a waste ceases to be a 
waste. The Glossary of Terms of the 
Basel Convention provides 
explanatory notes in this regard 
(UNEP, 2017f). Possibilities for 
waste to cease to be waste 
referenced in the Glossary of terms 
include when:  
(i) It has been prepared 
for reuse;  
(ii)  It has undergone a 
recycling operation and 
that operati on is 
completed;  
(iii) It has otherwise gained 
end-of-waste status as 
a result of a recovery 
operation.  
 
 Some Parties have adopted 
conditions in their national 
legislation that can determine the 
point at which a material need no 
longer be classified as waste,  such 
as the European Union (European 
Union, 2008) and the UK (English 
Environment Agency, 2016).  Draft TG on ESM of plastic wastes  
 
2) HS code identification exercise, and trade -related measures enabling substitution of 
single -use plastic products (SUPP) and other “problematic” goods by sustainable 
materials.  
 INF/TE/IDP/RD/85/Rev.1  
 
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  Q. Please indicate what " environmentally sustainable and effective substitutes and alternatives" are 
already being traded – even if not perfect/ideal solutions – and their identification codes under the 
Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) – even if those codes currently cover 
other products.  
 
 
3) Illustrative and extended list of material substitutes and material identification 
exercise  
 
Q. Please indicat e the key criteria to be considered when identifying environmentally sustainable 
and effective substitute materials. Please provide examples of such materials as well as relevant HS 
codes if available.  
 
See chapter 4.1.2.  Proposal for sustainability criter ia for plastics and associated chemicals of the 
draft report “ Global governance of plastics and associa ted chemicals ”.  
 
 
4) Minimum criteria for life cycle analysis, including other considerations such as 
tradability, non -toxicity, affordability, accessibility, and availability.  
 
Q. What are the key criteria that should be included in the life cycle analys is (and other 
considerations such as tradability, non -toxicity, affordability, accessibility, and availability)  of 
plastics, their alternatives, and substitutes.  
 
 
 
__________