By Jon Godson, IATA's Assistant Director Sustainability
Plastics were once viewed as a miracle material but their stability poses risks to the environment and human health. The inappropriate disposal of single-use plastic products (SUPP) and its impact on the marine environment is a key challenge for our society. Like most sectors. SUPP are widely used in air transport due to their strength, lightness, and ability to meet safety and security regulations. In addition, they have an important role to play in reducing the airline sectors emissions through the use of advanced lightweight engineering plastics in aircraft fuselages, airframes, wings and cabin interiors. Voluntary action by many airlines has demonstrated that the sector is keen to replace SUPP with sustainable alternatives.
Given the strict regulatory controls on cabin waste in aviation, the potential for plastic leakage is deemed low. Airlines are keen to replace SUPP with more sustainable alternatives that also retain the safe and lightweight features that SUPP offer, however, the lack of harmonized global rules and availability of suitable alternative products is hampering replacement efforts. Airlines are increasingly facing differing plastic restrictions at either end of a journey.
This is why, as the trade association for the world’s airlines, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), welcomes the ”zero draft” text of the UN plastics treaty. As the third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-3), is coming to a close, IATA urges Member States to consider the creation of a governing body with the mandate to set globally applied definitions, targets, restrictions, guidance on sustainable alternatives and sectoral approaches. IATA also welcomes the concept of a life cycle approach to developing measures to reduce or eliminate plastics which includes transport emissions. Given the unique nature of international aviation IATA is keen to work with relevant international organizations to develop sectoral standards and guidelines that accelerate the reduction and replacement of single use plastics with more sustainable alternatives, that minimize market distortion and make a positive contribution to the circular economy.
