A special note for our pilot projects

With the Plastic Waste Reduction Standard (Plastic Standard) launch, we would like to take this opportunity to highlight one particular stakeholder group - the 3RI Pilot Projects - for their role in helping to shape the Plastic Standard.

The pilot projects

In total, 24 projects on six continents piloted the Plastic Standard. Though selected through several different methods, the pilot projects all went through a similar process in 2020: developing a draft project description (PD) to meet the evolving rules and requirements of the Plastic Standard.

The activities implemented by the pilot projects range from plastic waste recovery from the environment by informal collectors to the development of mechanical and chemical recycling facilities. All activities aim at the same objective: addressing plastic pollution.

Valuable lessons

The waste management projects that piloted the Plastic Standard gained early access to the programme’s draft documents and technical requirements and received technical support for the development of their PDs.

The PD describes the project’s activities and context and it is the first project element to be assessed by a third-party auditor.

By testing draft programme documentation in their ongoing plastic waste collection and recycling activities, the project developers also provided us with valuable input that went into creating the final version of the Plastic Standard.

Thank you

The 3R Initiative is grateful to our pilot project participants for their significant contributions to the development of the Plastic Standard. We wish your activities long-term sustainability – they are essential to paving the way to a more inclusive circular economy!