Japan ranks 2nd in new Plastic Management Index report

Back to Blue, a marine environment initiative collaboration between Economist Impact and The Nippon Foundation, released the first edition of the Plastic Management Index (PMI) report last Tuesday. The index assesses 25 countries’ ability to minimize improper management of plastics and promote the proper production and use of plastics as a resource.

The production and use of plastics worldwide continue to climb. An estimate of 376 million tons of plastics is produced in 2020, and the production is expected to double by 2040. This is a challenge requiring systemic changes towards circular designs. The PMI report addresses the growing global concerns about plastics and clarifies sustainable management practices.

PMI consists of three categories: governance, management and operational capabilities, and stakeholder involvement. It ranks 25 countries from 5 continents with 12 indicators and 44 sub-indicators. The countries include Argentina, Egypt, India, Malaysia, Sweden, Australia, Finland, Indonesia, Mexico, Thailand, Brazil, France, Japan, Nigeria, United Kingdom, Chile, Germany, Jordan, Russia, USA, China, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Vietnam.

Germany ranks top, scoring 87 out of 100 in plastics management. It ranked first in governance and stakeholder involvement, and third in management and operational capabilities. The highs scores reflect the German government’s and industry’s recycling plans for plastics.

Japan ranks second, although it is ranked lower in stakeholder engagement. Looking at the sub-categories, Japan ranked 24th in “Consumer Responsible Behavior and Recognition” and 16th in “Private enterprise efforts to reduce plastic waste and promote responsible plastic use.” Japan also lags in terms of efficient plastic collection and sorting.

The PMI also reports how Asia Pacific lags behind its European counterparts, seeing only three APAC members, Australia, China and Japan, in the top ten. Lower-/middle-income countries struggle across the board, but Vietnam and Chana outperformed.

Naka Kondo, Editor of the PMI Report and Senior Editor of Policy & Insights, Economist Impact, reminds us: “We cannot just approach plastics with isolated methods like plastic shopping bag bans. The need and interest in managing the entire life cycle are growing worldwide. Many countries are still struggling, but this indicator shines a light of hope. On the other hand, countries with good results do not fully address the problem.”

You can find the whole infographic here. You can also visit Back to Blue Initiative for the full report, data workbooks and interactive tools.