WT/MIN(24)/ 14 
23 February 2024  
(24-1663) Page: 1/14 
Ministerial Conference  
Thirteenth  Session  
Abu Dhabi, 26 -29 February 2024  Original: English  
 
 
DIALOGUE ON PLASTIC POLLUTION AND ENVIRONMENTALLY  
SUSTAINABLE PLASTICS TRADE (DPP)  
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ON PLASTIC POLLUTION AND ENVIRONMENTALLY  
SUSTAINABLE PLASTICS TRADE  
The following communication, dated 23 February  2024, is being circulated at the request of the 
Ministers of the coordinators of the Dialogue on Plastic Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable 
Plastics Trade (DPP): Australia, Barbados, China, Ecuador, Fij i and Morocco . 
 
_______________  
 
 
Recalling  that the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the WTO recognizes the role of trade in 
achieving the objective of sustainable development and the need to protect and preserve the 
environment and to enhance the means f or doing so in a manner consistent with WTO Member s 
respective needs and concerns at different levels of economic development.  
Expressing  our deep concern about the triple global environmental challenges of biodiversity loss, 
pollution, and climate change and its related disasters, and recognizing  that these challenges are 
interlinked , mutually reinforcing, and driven largely by unsustainable patterns of consumpti on, 
production and disposal and their related economic and health costs.  
Acknowledging the negative impact that plastic pollution has on the environment, particularly in 
small, vulnerable economies (SVE) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), as well a s on all 
economies, including the blue economy, and on human health while recognizing the important role 
plastics play in society.  
Recognizing  the transboundary nature of plastic pollution, plastic waste and plastics trade, making 
it crucial for Members to  cooperate and coordinate their efforts to address the plastic pollution crisis 
and its adverse effects on the environment and human health, and acknowledging the growing 
urgent need to tackle this crisis, the need for coordinated action across policy area s and to regularly  
evaluate and assess approaches consistent with developments in science, technology and 
knowledge.  
Welcoming  the timely conclusion of an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, 
including in the marine environment, t o protect human health and the  environment , pursuant to the 
United Nations  Environment Assembly resolution 5/14 : End plastic pollution , recognizing the efforts 
of the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee (INC)  to complete their work by the end of 2024 
and without prejudice to the ongoing negotiations, and noting the resolution’s call to continue and 
step up activities, and adopt voluntary  measures, to combat plastic pollution.  
Acknowledging  the efforts under the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions and 
commending the successful adoption  under the Basel Convention,  of the Technical Guidelines on the 
Environmentally Sound Management of Plastic  Wastes , and the decision under the Sto ckholm 
Convention to update Annex A with  the addition of two chemicals used as plastic additives, fostering 
international cooperation and progress towards environmentally sound and safe plastic waste  
management.  WT/MIN(24)/ 14 
 
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  Highlighting  the importance of the rules -based multilateral trading system and the WTO at its core  
and of trade -related cooperation as a contribution to global efforts to end plastic pollution, including 
through developing and implementing relevant trade -related plast ics measures  and increasing 
transparency  across the life cycle of plastics, in particular  to support  efforts by developing Member s 
to tackle plastic pollution.  
Acknowledging  the ongoing international, regional and domestic efforts to address plastic pollution 
and the contribution by many of these processes and relevant stakeholders to the Dialogue.  
Reaffirming  the Dialogue 's Ministerial Statement ( WT/MIN(21)/8 /Rev.2 ) issued on 
10 December  2021 which committed co -sponsors to work towards "concrete, pragmatic, and 
effective outcomes" on the trade -related aspects of plastics pollution in order to contribute to the 
global response to end plastic pollution on the areas of substantive focus further articulated by the 
Dialogue Plan ( INF/TE/IDP/W/5 ): Cross -cutting issues, including capacity building and technical 
assistance, international cooperation, and transparency and data;  Reduction  and circularity  to tackl e 
plastic pollution; and Promotion of trade to tackle plastic pollution.  
Highlighting  the progress of the collective work of the Dialogue since its launch, including:  
• The substantive technical work and discussions of the Dialogue, with the support of the 
expertise from delegations and relevant stakeholders, which has helped advance our collective 
knowledge of the intersection between trade, trade policies and plastic pollution, under each 
of the workstreams of the Dialogue, and supported the production of s everal outputs  from the 
Dialogue such as those reflected in the open, illustrative, non -exhaustive and evolving 
compilation of suggestions, practices, options, and opportunities attached to this statement,  
as well as information documents, factual summaries and reports, specialized workshops, 
surveys and communications.  
• The enhanced, close, and constructive cooperation with other international and regional efforts 
and institutions, such as with the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an 
international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine 
environment (INC), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Customs 
Organization (WCO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCT AD), 
the BRS Conventions, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health 
Organization (WHO), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the 
International Bamboo and Rattan Organi zation (INBAR), the World Bank Group, the Latin 
American Integration Association (ALADI), the Organization  for Economic Co -operation and 
Development (OECD) , the Asia -Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and a range of 
stakeholder organization s involved in the work of the Dialogue.  
We have accordingly rea ched the following shared understandings . 
We will continue to cooperate on the basis of the following shared principles : 
• Focusing on trade -related actions  within the rules and mechanisms of the WTO  that 
participating Member s could take collectively and individually to support global efforts to end 
plastic pollution . 
• Deepening cooperation and collaboration with other international organizations, secretariats 
and processes ; ensuring coherence and complementarity ; avoiding duplication ; and ensuring 
that our work is informed by and  supports the ongoing INC negotiations  as well as the  
implementation of relevant multilateral environmental agreements , and takes into  account 
relevant technical and scientific developments.  
• Deepening cooperation to  address challenges facing WTO Members,  in particular developing 
Member s, LDCs , SVEs, SIDS and land -locked developing countries (LLDCs),  in the trade -
related aspects of plastic pollution and sustainable development goals.  
• Emphasizing the role of multilater al trade -related cooperation including in promoting 
transparency and  sustainable practices  to tackle plastic pollution.  WT/MIN(24)/ 14 
 
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  • Continuing open, inclusive, and transparent engagement with all WTO Member s, relevant WTO 
Committees,  and all relevant stakeholders.  
• Continuing our efforts in further exploring the interlinkages of plastic pollution and trade . 
We agree on the importance of international cooperation on the following actions  and pursu ing such 
actions , including  on a voluntary basis, individually and collectively, in the spirit of international 
cooperation while recogni zing different domestic challenges  and priorities for action : 
• Improve transparency, monitoring and understanding of trade flows throughout the val ue 
chain of plastics, including flows of  single -use plastics , plastic films  and hard-to-recycle 
plastics . 
• Address trade -related capacity building and technical assistance needs of developing 
Member s, least -developed Member s, SVEs  and SIDS, including throug h the implementation 
of Aid for Trade and facilitate on going  efforts to better match existing funding opportunities 
with specific trade -related needs identified by developing Members to tackle plastic pollution.  
• Promote cooperative and effective trade -related policies or measures implemented to support 
efforts to reduce plastics and plastic products that are harmful to the environment or human 
health, or unnecessary single -use plastics and plastics packaging, associated with 
international trade th at are not essential for medical or sanitary purposes.  
• Promote cooperative and effective trade -related policies or measures to address the 
environmental, social and human health impacts and leakages across the lifecycle of plastics, 
plastics products and their constituents.  
• Promote cooperation on trade  that contributes to ending plastic pollution, including trade  in 
environmentally  sound,  safe, and effective  non-plastic substitute s taking into account 
scientific evidence and knowledge; and environmentally s ound, safe and effective plastic 
alternatives ; as well as systems to reuse, repair and refill ; and services and technologies 
including for improving transparency, waste management and clean -up activities, in ways that 
consider the waste hierarchy and are appropriate to local development circumstances and 
needs, and in line with Basel Convention Technical Guidelines on Environmentally Sound 
Management  of Plastic Waste s. 
• Promote trade -related cooperation to contribute to the control of transboundary movement of 
plastic pollution, including through, for example, the  effective implementation by its Parties of 
the Basel Convention Plastic Waste Amendments and its Plastic Technical Guidelines, where 
relevant to international cooperation and progress towards enviro nmentally sound and safe 
plastic waste management.  
Related to each of the actions noted above , a factual compilation  with actions, policies and measures 
identified through the Dialogue's discussions and surveys, as being undertaken or proposed by 
Members to reduce plastic pollution , is attached to this declaration . 
This compilation will be updated periodically based on global, regional and domestic efforts  and 
outcomes including means of implementation, as well as on  technical and scientific develo pments . 
We will continue to hold dedicated discussions with a view to identify best practices and share 
experiences regarding all topics identified by the Dialogue. The Dialogue will work to update a 
forward p lan in the months following MC13. We will look for further concrete, pragmatic, and 
effective outcomes on these actions and understandings at the latest by MC14. In this process, we 
will reflect the results of the INC negotiations on the international legally binding instrument on 
plastic pollution , including in updating the compilation . 
 
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  WT/MIN(24)/ 14 
 
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  COMPILATIONS ATTACHED TO THE MINISTERIAL  STATEMENT  
 
 
_______________  
 
 
The factual compilations  below  do not imply  an endorsement of any particular Member practice  and 
do not affect the regulatory framework  and practices of each Member.  
 
 
_______________  
 
 
FACTUAL COMPILATION I – OPEN, ILLUSTRATIVE, NON -EXHAUSTIVE AND EVOLVING 
COMPILATION OF TRADE -RELATED TRANSPARENCY  EFFORTS AND POTENTIAL ACTIONS 
IDENTIFIED  
1. Across the work of the Dialogue, delegations and relevant stakeholders have extensively 
shared their trade -related plastics policies and approaches to tackle plastic pollution, including their 
efforts to improve tr ansparency, monitoring and understanding of trade flows across the full life 
cycle of plastics, including flows of plastics embedded in or associated with internationally traded 
goods, as well as of  alternative  plastics and non -plastic substitutes and rela ted trade measures. 
These discussions have been reflected in the Dialogue's Informal Summaries and Aide Memoires 
prepared by coordinators and facilitators, in the room documents (RDs) containing studies and 
presentations produced for the meetings, as well as in the Factual Summaries of technical 
discussions under the reduction ( INF/TE/IDP/RD/125 ) and promotion workstreams 
(INF/TE/IDP/RD/88 /Rev.1 ).1 Delegations have further shared their trade -related plastics measures 
(TrPMs) through a dedicated Survey, whose results have been compiled in the Dialogue TrPMs Report 
(INF/TE/IDP/W/11 ). 
2. Reflecting such work, and recognizing the need to periodically update this compilation based 
on global, regional and domestic efforts  and outcomes , including those of other international 
processes, as well as on technical and scientific developments, the open, illustrativ e, non -exhaustive 
and evolving compilation of suggestions and practices below has been developed based on the trade -
related transparency efforts and approaches identified in the Survey and in Dialogue discussions:  
a. Support efforts undertaken at the WCO to i mprove international cooperation on the 
classifications of plastics  and plastic products , and of potential alternative plastics and 
non-plastic substitutes, in order to support monitoring and regulation of trade across 
their life cycles . 
b. Improve precise identification of targeted goods/products in domestic customs 
classification to facilitate better monitoring, evaluation, reporting and regulation of trade 
in polymers, chemicals, additives, plastics and plastic products, and explore 
opportunities for individual and collective actions to improve this transparency in the 
plastics economy . 
c. Identify customs and related technological solutions that can support transparency of 
trade flows across the life cycle of plastics . 
d. Promote cooperation, including with the private sector, on standards, product identifiers 
and other applications that can support transparency of trade flows across the life cycle 
of plastics . 
e. Improve the understanding and transparency of TrPMs and enhance cooperation and 
peer-learning,  including by:  
 
1 These documents are available at the Dialogue's dedicated website: 
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/ppesp_e/ppesp_e.htm .  WT/MIN(24)/ 14 
 
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  o Updating the Survey of TrPMs on a regular basis, including with draft or proposed 
measures .  
o Sharing domestic, regional and international experiences leading to, whenever 
appropriate and practical, compilations of specific trade policy appro aches . 
o Enhancing efforts to identify and share TrPMs which are not currently well 
captured in the Survey, including subsidies, support measures, internal taxes, 
and extended producer responsibility ( EPR) schemes . 
o Providing structured information on TrPMs a nd related issues in trade policy 
reviews . 
 
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  FACTUAL COMPILATION II – OPEN, ILLUSTRATIVE, NON -EXHAUSTIVE AND EVOLVING 
COMPILATION OF TRADE -RELATED CAPACITY BUILDING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 
NEEDS OF DEVELOPING MEMBERS, LEAST DEVELOPED MEMBE RS AND VULNERABLE SMALL 
ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES (SIDS) IDENTIFIED IN DIALOGUE DISCUSSIONS . 
1. Across the work of the Dialogue, delegations and relevant stakeholders have extensively 
shared their trade -related plastics policies and approaches to address pollu tion, including their trade -
related capacity building and technical assistance needs. These discussions have been reflected in 
the Dialogue's Informal Summaries and Aide Memoires prepared by coordinators and facilitators, in 
the room documents (RDs) contai ning studies and presentations produced for the meetings, as well 
as in the Factual Summaries of technical discussions under the reduction ( INF/TE/IDP/RD/125 ) and 
promotion workstreams ( INF/TE/IDP/RD/88/Rev.1 ).2 Delegations have further shared their Aid for 
Trade (AfT) needs assessments, approaches and suggestions through a dedicated Survey, whose 
results have been compiled in the Dialogue's AfT Assessment Report ( INF/TE/IDP/W/12 ). 
2. Reflecting such work, and recognizing the need to periodically update this compilation based 
on global, regional and domestic efforts  and outcomes , including those of other international 
processes, as well as on technical and scientific dev elopments, the open, illustrative, non -exhaustive 
and evolving compilation below of suggestions and practices has been developed based on the needs 
and approaches most often identified in the Survey and in Dialogue discussions:  
a. Enhance cooperation with ins titutions identified in discussions so far who lead or support 
technical assistance and capacity building projects to tackle plastic pollution with 
trade -related elements, including: UNCTAD; UNEP; BRS; WCO; World Bank; GEF; WHO; 
FAO; ISO; UNIDO; UNDP; IMO;  INTERPOL; UNODC; OECD; ALADI; Inter -American 
Development Bank; European Investment Bank; Pacific Regional Infrastructure Facility; 
Oceania Customs Organisations; Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment 
Programme; WEF; IUCN and WWF . 
b. Involve relevan t stakeholders in technical assistance and capacity building discussions 
and actions, including representatives of the: civil society; academia; businesses; 
industry associations; chambers of commerce; regional and international organi zations; 
financial in stitutions; and research institutions . 
c. Pursue the following actions to help better identify AfT plastic -related projects and needs 
in the AfT Global Review and increase Members' engagement in the process:  
o Prior categorisation of existing plastic -related programmes to better identify their 
nature, scope and linkages to trade . 
o Exchange of case studies, experiences and challenges in the implementation of 
domestic programmes, policies, activities, and efforts and establish a public 
platform co ntaining good practices from Members . 
o Increase discussions on the topic in the Dialogue, feed findings into the AfT review 
process and prioriti ze plastic pollution in AfT strategies . 
o Introduce questions allowing for inputs on Members' priorities and needs on 
technical assistance and capacity building programmes specific or complementary 
to plastics and plastic pollution . 
o Introduce questions allowing Members and regional and international donor 
institutions and organi zations to share specific information on existing AfT 
programmes targeted at tackling plastic pollution . 
o Organi ze Training and capacity building workshops (technical and non -technical) 
for delegates . 
o WTO Secretariat to work closely with the OECD and other institutions, including 
regional organi zations, identified in the discussions to enhance transparency of 
plastic pollution -related AfT information, while avoiding duplication of work . 
d. Priority areas in addressing trade -related aspects of plastic pollution identified by 
respondents of the AfT Surv ey (in order of response frequency):  
 
2 These documents are available at the Dialogue's dedicated website: 
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/ppesp_e/ppesp_e.htm .  WT/MIN(24)/ 14 
 
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  o Improve the environmentally sound management, recovery and recycling of 
plastics . 
o Move towards more circular economies of plastics . 
o Design and implement trade policies to address plastic pollution . 
o Facilitate access to key technologies . 
o Expand trade in environmentally sustainable and effective non -plastic substitutes 
and alternative plastics . 
o Develop and strengthen local capacities to produce environmentally sustainable 
and effective non -plastic substitutes and alternati ve plastics to single -use 
plastics . 
o Encourage collaboration with the relevant stakeholders through, inter alia , the 
exchange of knowledge and experience relating to the development of and access 
to environmentally sustainable and effective (including cost and functionally 
effective) non -plastic substitutes and alternative plastic to single -use plastics . 
e. Specific needs and challenges in addressing trade -related aspects of plastic pollution 
identified by respondents of the AfT and TrPM Surveys (in order of re sponse frequency):  
o Domestic private sector engagement and partnerships  
o Access to technology  
o Civil society engagement, including local and domestic stakeholders  
o Technical assistance on policy implementation  
o Financial and investment assistance  
o Technical assistance on policy development  
o Cooperation from value chain actors (incl. exporters)  
o Certification, testing and metrology  
o Regional cooperation  
o Cooperation from exporting and importing Members  
o Customs challenges  
 
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  WT/MIN(24)/ 14 
 
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  FACTUAL COMPILATION III – OPEN, ILLUSTRATIVE, NON -EXHAUSTIVE AND EVOLVING 
COMPILATION OF PRODUCTS MOST OFTEN ADDRESSED BY TRPMS AND IDENTIFIED IN 
DIALOGUE DISCUSSIONS  
1. Across the work of the Dialogue, delegations and stakeholders have extensively shared the ir 
trade -related plastics policies and approaches to address pollution. These discussions have been 
reflected in the Dialogue's Informal Summaries and Aide Memoires prepared by coordinators and 
facilitators, in the room documents (RDs) containing studies a nd presentations produced for the 
meetings, as well as in the Factual Summary of technical discussions under the reduction workstream 
(INF/TE/IDP/RD/125 ).3 Delegations have further shared their trade -related plastics measures 
(TrPMs) through a dedicated Survey, whose results have been compiled in the Dialogue TrPMs Report 
(INF/TE/IDP/W/11 ). 
2. Reflecting such work, and recognizing the need to periodically update this compilation based 
on global, regional and domestic efforts  and outcomes , including those of other international 
processes, as well as on technical and scientific developments, the open, illustrative, non -exhaustive 
and evolving compilation below has been developed based on the specific plastic and plastic products 
that have most often been identified in TrPMs and in Dialogue discussions:  
a. Specific goods most often targeted by TrPMs and raised in Dialogue discussions (in order 
of frequency):  
o Packaging  
o Single -use plastic products (in general)  
o Wastes and scraps  
o (Single-use) Plastic bags  
o Tableware  
o Food containers  
o (Products containing) Recycled plastics (e.g. to ensure food safety)  
o Straws  
o Cups 
o (Expanded) Polystyrene  
o Bottles  
o Film 
o (Microbeads in) Care products  
o Cotton buds  
o Beverage stirrers  
o Plastic lids  
o Sachets  
o Tyres  
o (Plastics com ponent in) Electronics  
o Textiles  
o PVC 
o Fishing Gear  
 
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3 These documents are available at the Dialogue's dedicated website: 
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/ppesp_e/ppesp_e.htm . WT/MIN(24)/ 14 
 
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  FACTUAL COMPILATION IV – OPEN, ILLUSTRATIVE, NON -EXHAUSTIVE AND EVOLVING 
COMPILATION OF TRPMS ON REDUCTION AND OTHER APPROACHES  
1. Across the work of the Dialogue, delegations and stakeholders have extensively shared their 
trade -related plastics policies and approaches to address pollution. These discussions have been 
reflected in the Dialogue's Informal Summaries and Aide Memoires prepared by coordinators and 
facilitators, in the r oom documents (RDs) containing studies and presentations produced for the 
meetings, as well as in the Factual Summary of technical discussions under the reduction workstream 
(INF/TE/IDP/RD/125 ).4 Delegations have further shared their trade -related plastics measures 
(TrPMs) through a dedicated Survey, whose results have been compiled in the Dialogue TrPMs Report 
(INF/TE/IDP/W/11 ). 
2. Reflecting such work, and recognizing the need to periodically update this compilation based 
on global, region al and domestic efforts  and outcomes , including those of other international 
processes, as well as on technical and scientific developments, the open, illustrative, non -exhaustive 
and evolving compilation below has been developed based on the specific TrPM s that have most 
often been identified in the TrPMs Survey and in Dialogue discussions, as well as options for trade -
related actions:  
a. Types of TrPMs most often identified in the Survey and raised in Dialogue discussions 
(in order of frequency):  
o Technical r egulations or specifications (and related conformity assessment 
procedures), usually pursuing the following objectives:  
▪ Eco-design and labelling requirements (e.g. to facilitate recycling, reuse, 
reduce unnecessary packing, material composition , additives  and 
transparency) . 
▪ Recycling targets and/or recyclability requirements . 
▪ Waste management (including its trans boundary  movement) and leakage 
avoidance (e.g. degradability/compostability requirements) . 
▪ Chemical, toxic, and hazardous substances management . 
▪ Food safety requirements, in particular for goods with recycled content . 
 
o Bans/prohibitions, usually pursuing the following objectives:  
▪ Restricting single -use plastics and other goods (sometimes coupled with 
exceptions for medical goods, those certifiably de gradable and/or 
compostable, or considering socio -economic factors) . 
▪ Waste management (including its trans boundary  movement) and leakage 
avoidance (e.g. banning imports and exports of wastes based on the Basel 
Convention, including when final destination/d isposal cannot be 
ascertained) . 
▪ Chemical, toxic, and hazardous substances management (e.g. prohibiting 
the addition of microplastics in certain goods, or targeting certain polymers 
or additives such as those covered by the Stockholm Convention) . 
 
o Import and export licences, usually pursuing the following objectives:  
▪ Waste management (including its trans boundary  movement) and leakage 
avoidance (e.g. implementing the Basel Convention prior informed consent 
requirements, or to verify waste recyclabili ty, degradability and other 
criteria) . 
▪ Addressing single -use plastics and other goods (e.g. to help implement 
restrictions on single -use products, including by monitoring upstream 
inputs) . 
▪ Chemical, toxic, and hazardous substances management (e.g. to help 
implement controlled chemicals, additives and verify hazardousness 
criteria in recycled plastics) . 
 
4 These documents are available at the Dialog ue's dedicated website: 
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/ppesp_e/ppesp_e.htm .  WT/MIN(24)/ 14 
 
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o Internal taxes, usually pursuing the following objectives:  
▪ Fees (on goods, services or on a sector basis) to finance collection, 
repurposing and recycling a ctivities and targets (and promote reuse, refill 
systems) . 
▪ (reimbursable) Charges on single -use products (e.g. bags) to reduce their 
consumption, promote re usable  goods and facilitate collection . 
 
o EPR schemes, usually pursuing the following objectives:  
▪ Waste management (including its trans boundary  movement) and leakage 
avoidance . 
▪ Enhance collection and recycling rates . 
▪ Stimulate eco -designing innovation . 
▪ Promote reuse, refill systems . 
 
b. Options for trade -related actions raised in Dialogue disc ussions:  
o Align requirements and restrictions in key TrPMs (e.g. those targeting single -use 
plastic bags) to facilitate implementation, avoid illegal trade and improve market 
for non -plastic substitutes and alternative plastics . 
o Extend restrictions to expor ts currently only applicable to domestic consumption 
and/or imports . 
o Extend restrictions to domestic production and consumption currently applicable 
to imports and/or exports . 
o Following a specific request, apply equivalent restrictions to exports of plastics 
and plastics products, including wastes and additives, to countries and regions 
which have imposed restrictions on such goods . 
o Revise and continue to apply EPR schemes to exports, including at their end of 
life. 
o Review and realign tariff profiles to level the playing field between plastics and 
non-plastic substitutes and alternative plastics . 
o Prioritize the development of international standards applicable to sustainable and 
safe non -plastic substitutes and alternative plastics . 
o Prioritize sustaina ble and safe non -plastic substitutes and alternative plastics in 
public procurement tenders . 
o Promote eco/sustainable design of products to facilitate the reduction of material 
use, their reuse, refill, refurbishment, remanufacturing or recycling . 
 
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  WT/MIN(24)/ 14 
 
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  FACTUAL COMPILATION V – OPEN, ILLUSTRATIVE, NON -EXHAUSTIVE AND EVOLVING 
COMPILATION OF ALTERNATIVE PLASTICS AND NON -PLASTIC SUBSTITUTES AND OTHER 
RELEVANT GOODS, SERVICES AND TECHNOLOGIES MOST OFTEN ADDRESSED BY TRPMS 
AND IDENTIFIED IN DIALOGUE  DISCUSSIONS  
1. Across the work of the Dialogue, delegations and stakeholders have extensively shared their 
trade -related plastics policies and approaches to promote environmentally sustainable, safe and 
effective alternative plastics and non -plastics substit utes, as well as other relevant goods, services 
and technologies. These discussions have been reflected in the Dialogue's Informal Summaries and 
Aide Memoires prepared by coordinators and facilitators, in the room documents (RDs) containing 
studies and pre sentations produced for the meetings, as well as in the Factual Summary of technical 
discussions under the promotion workstream ( INF/TE/IDP/RD/88/Rev.1 ).5 Delegations have further 
shared their trade -related plastics measures (TrPMs) through a dedicated Survey, whose results 
have been compiled in the Dialogue TrPMs Report ( INF/TE/IDP/W/11 ). 
2. Reflecting such work, and recognizing the need to periodically update this compilation based 
on global, regional and domestic outcomes and efforts  to identify solutions with the best socio -
economic and environmental outcome from a lifecycle perspective , including those of other 
international processes, as well as on technical and scientific developments, the open, illustrative, 
non-exhaustive and evolving compilation below has been developed based on the specific goods, 
materials and services that have most often been identified in TrPMs and in Dialogue discussions:  
a. Specific non -plastic substitutes mentioned by TrPMs and raised in the Dialogue 
discussions:  
 
Abaca (Manila hemp)  Algae biomass / Seaweed 
(brown, red, green)  Aluminium  
Areca leaves  Balsa Wood  Bamboo  
Banana/Plantain (leaves, 
stem, pseudo -stems or fib res) By-products of ready -made 
garments ("jhoot")  Calabash hard shell  
Casein  Cellulose (fib re, nanofibers)  Ceramics  
Clay Coconut Husks  Coir 
Cork Corn husks, other by -products  Cotton (linters)  
Down  Fish skin or residues  Flax  
Fruit peels  Glass  Grape waste  
Hay  Hemp  Jute  
Leather  Linen  Microbial cellulose of mixed 
vegetables and bacteria  
Murta  Mushroom -based resins and 
materials  Natural waxes (e.g. beeswax)  
Nettles  Palm  Paper (cardboard)  
Pineapple leaves  Plant Waste  Rattan  
Ray  Rayon  Rice paper  
Silk  Sisal  Steel  
Straw  Sugarcane pulp – bagasse  Tofu waste  
Wheat (fibre, paper, husks, 
stems)  White clover  Wood (bark, pulp, chip)  
Wools (e.g. alpaca, angora, 
cashmere, sheep)  Natural fibres (vegetable 
fibres; animal fibres)  Mineral materials  
Technologies relevant fo r the production of non -plastic substitutes  
 
b. Specific alternative plastics mentioned by TrPMs and raised in the Dialogue discussions:  
o (Marine, naturally, commercially) Biodegradable plastics  
o Bio Low-Density Polyethylene (Bio -LDPE)  
o Bioplastics  
 
5 These documents are available at the Dialogue's dedicated websit e: 
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/ppesp_e/ppesp_e.htm   WT/MIN(24)/ 14 
 
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  o Bio-polypropylene  
o Corn-based resins  
o Low-density polyethylene (multiple use)  
o Polybutylene succinate (PBS)  
o Polylactic acid (PLA) and CPLA  
o rPET and other recycled plastics and recycled plastic containing goods  
o (Easily, commercially, effectively) Recyclable pl astics and resins  
o Technologies relevant for the production of alternative plastics and meeting 
recycled content standards/requirements . 
 
c. Services mentioned by TrPMs and raised in the Dialogue discussions:  
o Refill and cleaning bottle and other consumer goods containers schemes  
o Reusable/returnable (takeaway food) packaging  
o Social and environmental impact assessment services  
o Tracking, segregation, traceability and identification services  
o Renting, leasing and other pr oduct -service systems  
o Labelling, certification and conformity assessment services (e.g. regarding 
commercial compostability)  
o Product eco -design, research and development  
o Return and reimbursement systems (e.g. bottle and boxes deposit systems)  
o Upcycling pro cesses  
o Research and development services  
o Post-consumer sorting, disassembly, remanufacturing and recycling services  
o Waste recovery, collection and management  
o Clean -up services  
 
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  FACTUAL COMPILATION VI – OPEN, ILLUSTRATIVE, NON -EXHAUSTIV E AND EVOLVING 
COMPILATION OF TRPMS ON PROMOTION AND OTHER APPROACHES  
1. Across the work of the Dialogue, delegations and stakeholders have extensively shared their 
trade -related plastics policies and approaches to promote environmentally sustainable trade. T hese 
discussions have been reflected in the Dialogue's Informal Summaries and Aide Memoires prepared 
by coordinators and facilitators, in the room documents (RDs) containing studies and presentations 
produced for the meetings, as well as in the Factual Sum mary of technical discussions under the 
promotion workstream ( INF/TE/IDP/RD/88/Rev.1 ).6 Delegations have further shared their trade -
related plastics measures (TrPMs) through a dedicated Survey, whose results have been compiled 
in the Dialogue TrPMs Report ( INF/TE/IDP/W/11 ). 
2. Reflecting such work, and recognizing the need to periodical ly update this compilation based 
on global, regional and domestic efforts  and outcomes , including those of other international 
processes, as well as on technical and scientific developments, the open, illustrative, non -exhaustive 
and evolving compilation b elow has been developed based on the specific TrPMs that have most 
often been identified in the TrPMs Survey and in Dialogue discussions:  
3. Types of TrPMs most often identified in the Survey and raised in Dialogue discussions (in order 
of frequency):  
a. Technical regulations or specifications (and related conformity assessment procedures), 
usually pursuing the following objectives:  
o Promotion of non -plastic substitutes and alternative plastics (e.g. by requiring 
minimum recycled content or cert ain preferable characteristics such as ease of 
recycling, composting or degradability, restricting certain goods while expressly 
exempting non -plastic substitutes and/or alternative plastics, or requiring labels 
to inform consumers) . 
o Promotion of technolog ies for waste management and other uses (e.g. requiring 
certain minimum performance for recycling processes or eco -design and 
circularity requirements as part of wider technology development efforts) . 
b. Bans/prohibitions, usually pursuing the following objec tives:  
o Promotion of non -plastics substitutes and alternative plastics (e.g. by expressly 
exempting substitutes and/or alternatives, often coupled with wider technology 
development efforts) . 
c. Support measures, including grants and direct payments, preference  in public 
procurement, tax concessions, and non -monetary support (e.g. advisory services and 
research and development, governmental certification or recognition labels, education 
campaigns and provision of collection and waste management infrastructure), usually 
pursuing the following objectives:  
o Promotion of non -plastics substitutes and alternative plastics, often specifically 
targeting the single -use plastics issue (e.g. research and development of new 
sustainable technologies, alternatives, and non -plastic substitutes, including 
through innovation grants and competitions, or public procurement schemes with 
mandatory or preferential requirements for sustainable alternatives and non -
plastic substitutes to certain plastic products, reusable packaging, or a minimum 
content of recycled plastics) . 
o Promoting re use and refill models (e.g. financing or providing collection, cleaning 
services) . 
o Promotion of technologies for waste management and other uses (e.g. 
waste -to-energy or waste -to-fuel facilities and other resource utilization schemes, 
or specific plastic goods recycling, such as packaging and agricultural films) . 
 
6 These documents are available at the Dialogue's dedicated website: 
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/ppesp_e/ppesp_e.htm .  WT/MIN(24)/ 14 
 
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  d. Internal taxes, including value -added tax, income tax, environmental taxes on specific 
products (packaging or waste fee/levies), specific industry /sectoral contributions (e.g. 
as part of EPR schemes), usually pursuing the following objectives:  
o Promotion of non -plastics substitutes and alternative plastics (e.g. by expressly 
exempting substitutes and/or alternatives or by applying differential taxes,  often 
coupled with wider technology development efforts) . 
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