Partnering to develop a plastics scorecard

Product designers, manufacturers, and government decision-makers all seek to understand the environmental and health impacts of various plastics across each stage of the life cycle from feedstock production and manufacturing through use and end-of-life.

Despite their wide use, plastics often rely on non-renewable resources, may be manufactured with toxic chemicals that may cause health effects, and persist in the environment after use. While some local and national governments have enacted legislation to control the use of high hazard chemicals in plastics, a tool to guide the way to more sustainable alternatives had been lacking.

Sharing Scientific Tools

The non-profit organization Clean Production Action partnered with Pure Strategies to develop a “Plastics Scorecard” to fill this gap. The Scorecard goes beyond outlining which chemicals are problematic in terms of toxicity and biodegradability by providing understandable guidelines for selecting better substitutes.

The tool rates plastics on a robust set of criteria that promote sustainable raw materials, green chemistry and closed loop systems. The criteria for moving up the spectrum toward preferred plastics progressively advance the sustainability of the plastic at each stage of its lifecycle.

Also see Clean Production Action’s and Pure Strategies’ report: “Healthy Business Strategies for Transforming the Toxic Chemical Economy.”

Learn more about Pure Strategies' approach to chemicals management here.