Abstract
The accumulation of marine plastic waste represents a significant global environmental pollution issue. The European Union is a regional organisation that has implemented a marine plastic waste management strategy. This is due to the amount of waste on European beaches, which is dominated by about 50% of single-use plastics. The policy implemented by the European Union is to pay attention to the use of recyclable plastics including plastic processing strategies through the EU Plastic Strategy in 2018. Thus, this research aims to explain the EU's opportunity to implement bioplastics through single-use plastic policies that can reduce marine plastic waste. This research will be explained through analysis of the diffusion of innovation theory from Everett M. Rogers. Based on the implementation, the European Union can be a benchmark in plastic waste management to achieve a balance of sustainable development in the economic, environmental and social sectors. This is because the European Union has qualified policy development through the Single Use Plastic policy and the EU Policy Framework of Biobased, Biodegradable and Compostable Plastics.
References
Beghetto, V., Gatto, V., Samiolo, R., Scolaro, C., Brahimi, S., Facchin, M., & Visco, A. (2023). Plastics Today: Key Challenges and EU Strategies Towards Carbon Neutrality: A Review. Environmental Pollution, 334 (122102).
Copello, L., Haut, G., & Mongodin, F. (2022, September). Single-Use Plastics Directive Implementation Assessment Report. Retrieved May 19, 2025, from https://rethinkplasticalliance.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/SUP-Implemetation-Assessment-Report.pdf.
European Bioplastics. (2022). EUBP STATEMENT on the EU Policy Framework on Biobased, Biodegradable and Compostable Plastics. Retrieved from European Bioplastics Policy: https://www.european-bioplastics.org/policy/eu-policy-framework-on-bioplastics/
European Bioplastics. (2022, November). EUBP’s Response on the Proposal for Rules on Packaging and Packaging Waste. Retrieved from European Bioplastics Policy: https://www.european-bioplastics.org/policy/revision-of-the-packaging-and-packaging-waste-directiv
Europeans Bioplastics. (2018). Overview of Relevant EU Legislation for Bioplastics. Retrieved from Relevant EU policies: https://www.european-bioplastics.org/policy/
European Commission. (2020). Bio-Based Plastics. Retrieved from Directorate-General for Research and Innovation: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/research-area/environment/bioeconomy/bio-based-products-and-processes/bio-based-plastics_en
European Commission. (2022). EU Policy Framework on Biobased, Biodegradable and Compostable Plastics. Retrieved from https://environment.ec.europa.eu/document/download/14b709eb-178c-40ea-9787-6a40f5f25948_en?filename=COM_2022_682_1_EN_ACT_part1_v4.pdf
European Commission. (2024). Single-Use Plastics. Retrieved from https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/plastics/single-use-plastics_en
EUR-Lex. (2019). Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on the Reduction of the Impact of Certain Plastic Products on the Environment. Official Journal of the European Union. Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/904/oj
Kiessling, T., Hinzmann, M., Mederake L., Dittmann, S., Brennecke, D., Bohm-Beck, M., Knickmeier, K., & Thiel, M. (2023). What Potential Does the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive Have for Reducing Plastic Pollution at Coastlines and Riversides? An Evaluation Based on Citizen Science Data. Waste Management, 164, 106–118.
Mhaddolkar, N., Astrup, T. F., Tischberger-Aldrian, A., Pomberger, R., & Vollprecht, D. (2024). Challenges and Opportunities in Managing Biodegradable Plastic Waste: A Review. Waste Management & Research, 1 –24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X241279902.
Moshood, T. D., Nawanir, G., Mahmud, F., Mohamad, F., Ahmad, M. H., & AbdulGhani, A. (2022). Biodegradable Plastic Applications Towards Sustainability: A Recent Innovations in the Green Product. Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 6, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clet.2022.100404
Pathak, S., Sneha, C. L., & Mathew, B. B. (2014). Bioplastics: Its Timeline Based Scenario & Challenges. Journal of Polymer and Biopolymer Physics Chemistry, 2(4), 84-90. doi: 10.12691/jpbpc-2-4-5.
Rogers M. Everett. (1971). Diffusion of Innovation Third Edition. The Free Press. Retrieved from https://teddykw2.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/everett-m-rogers-diffusion-of-innovations.pdf
Rosenboom, J. G., Langer, R., & Traverso, G. (2022). Bioplastics for a Circular Economy. Nature Reviews Materials, 7, 117–137. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-021-00407-8
SGS. (2025, March 04). EU Revises Food Contact Material Regulations. Retrieved from https://www.sgs.com/en/news/2025/03/safeguards-03625-eu-revises-food-contact-material-regulations
Shah, M., Rajhans, S., Pandya, H. A., & Mankad, A. U. (2021). Bioplastic for Future: A Review Then and Now. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 09(02), 056-067. DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2021.9.2.0054
United Nations Environment Programme. (2021). Annual Report 2021: Planetary Action. Retrieved from https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/37946/UNEP_AR2021.pdf
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.