Designing Our Way to Circularity: Product Innovation as the Key to Ending Plastic Pollution
In today's world of mounting environmental challenges, one demands our immediate attention: plastic pollution. As we gather for critical treaty negotiations in Geneva, we face a pivotal moment to redefine our relationship with plastics. But rather than focusing solely on restrictions and limitations, I see an unprecedented opportunity to harness the power of innovation and thoughtful design to create lasting solutions.
Throughout my career in various segments of the materials industry – from nonwovens to performance materials – I've witnessed firsthand how transformative well-designed products can be. The path forward is about making conscious material choices and reimagining how we design, produce, use, and recover them in a truly circular system.
This perspective brings to mind the wisdom of design legend Jonathan Ive, who noted that "It's very easy to be different, but very difficult to be better." As we tackle plastic pollution globally, this insight reminds us that our goal isn't simply change for change's sake, but meaningful improvement that benefits society while protecting our environment.
As I am preparing myself to attend the INC-5.2 in Geneva this week, where negotiations for an International Legally Binding Instrument to End Plastic Pollution continue, Mr. Ive’s observation perfectly captures the current challenge. Certain proposals aim to create serious change – banning materials, restricting substances, capping production – but will this lead to a better system? The real challenge is creating measures that lead to products and systems which solve plastic pollution and create better societies without causing more pollution or other sustainability disruptions.
I truly believe product design should be the centerpiece of this global treaty. Why? Because design decisions cascades up- and downstream throughout a product's entire lifecycle and represent our greatest leverage point for creating systemic change. I see how Article 5 on Product Design could establish frameworks to systematically evaluate products in local contexts, determining pollution causes and setting criteria for innovative solutions.
Defining a Positive Future: The Design Challenge
In my experience, good design begins with clearly defining the problem. "Plastic pollution" remains fundamentally undefined in treaty negotiations. As INC5.2 approaches, negotiators might consider focusing on measurable consensus areas like physical emissions and releases of plastic materials throughout their lifecycle, potentially providing immediate focus for collective actions.
During my career I've experienced how good design can take the lead. The key is making the deliberate choice to incorporate recycled content from the outset, which naturally drives market demand for recovered materials – an approach I believe is far more effective than imposing arbitrary production limits. By understanding and translating real user needs, design can create products that remain in use longer, resulting in reduction of waste. Science-based approaches like Plastics Europe's decision tree methodology could enable tailored solutions that respond to specific cultural and socioeconomic contexts, making products inherently more sustainable.
With 2.7 billion people lacking proper waste management, I recognize that infrastructure development is critical. True design thinking extends beyond individual items to entire systems – creating products that work for both consumers and recyclers, making material recovery valuable and efficient. Even advanced recycling facilities cannot process products not designed with end-of-life in mind. Great design balances the performance including sustainability requirements of the whole life cycle.
Product Safety: A Complementary Framework
As we develop design solutions for plastic pollution, safety remains paramount. Products must be both mechanically and chemically safe throughout their lifecycle. Chemical safety deserves attention, but not through the Global Treaty to end plastic pollution. We already have sophisticated frameworks like REACH and TSCA, while the Global Framework for Chemicals works to establish similar systems worldwide.
I see chemical safety and pollution prevention as parallel priorities that strengthen each other. When safety experts focus on their domain while product innovators address circularity, we create a powerful partnership. Both groups work toward the same goal: products that are environmentally sound and safe for consumers. This is about achieving both through specialized expertise working in harmony.
Covestro's Commitment to Innovation
At Covestro, innovation means concrete actions towards circularity. We're committed to investing 600 million Euros into recycling and bio-based alternatives by 2035. Our ambition to become fully circular and carbon neutral, drives everything we do.
Our partnership with Ausell in China exemplifies this approach in action. Together we are recycling polycarbonate from automotive headlights and transforming them into new components, creating a closed loop for this durable material. For Covestro this topic goes beyond recycling – it’s about proving that our high-quality recycled content can meet stringent performance requirements without any compromises.
Initiatives like this demonstrate that environmental stewardship and economic success go hand in hand. Through thoughtful design and strategic partnerships, they become mutually reinforcing forces that drive meaningful change.
What the Treaty Needs to Deliver
As I prepare for Geneva, I envision a Global Plastics Treaty that serves as a catalyst for innovation-driven solutions. It should establish design guidelines that recognize that different applications require different approaches, and it should help create market-based incentives for resource efficiency and circularity. The treaty should support national action plans with common reporting elements, allowing countries to implement solutions appropriate to their circumstances while maintaining global ambition.
Most importantly, it should focus on ending plastic pollution without duplicating existing chemical regulations. Overburdening the treaty with chemical management would dilute its core mission and scatter our collective resources.
INC5.2 represents the opportunity to finalize an agreement that unites stakeholders by focusing on areas where we already find common ground – like product design, waste management infrastructure, and circular economy principles.
In the words of designer William McDonough, "Design is the first signal of human intention." Let's make our intention clear: creating innovative products and systems that enhance lives without polluting the planet. Because offering creative alternatives to pollution will always be more transformative than simply restricting what exists today.