By Upstream Reuse Communities Policy & Engagement Officer, Macy Zander

#BreakFreeFromPlastic (BFFP) is a global movement of more than 12,000 organizations and individuals focused on a  dramatic reduction of single-use plastics and supporting lasting solutions to plastic pollution. Upstream is a member of BFFP, and we were honored to be invited to this year’s global meeting held in Hoi An, Vietnam, hosted by the Vietnam Zero Waste Alliance and the Quang Nam Tourism Association. 

At the end of March, more than 100 core members from dozens of countries convened for the first global meeting of the BFFP movement since before the pandemic. The meeting focused on discussing strategy, sharing information, and celebrating progress. I was one of the lucky attendees and represented Upstream. Here are some key takeaways from the meeting.

One: Reuse is a priority for the movement (and a lot is already happening!)

There was broad consensus at the meeting that reuse is both a systemic solution to the plastic pollution crisis and an opportunity for a cross regional movement project. A number of initiatives are already taking place, with inspiration to be found across the globe: from sustainable sari-sari stores in the Philippines, to building reuse systems in Jakarta, to the Reuse Vanguard Project in Europe. We heard from the researchers at the Global Plastics Policy Centre in University of Portsmouth, UK who will be releasing their thorough research on a systems approach to reuse at the second round of negotiations for the Global Plastic Treaty (INC-2) in Paris this May. There is a lot of interest within BFFP to do more around reuse advocacy and story-based campaigning in the coming months, and Upstream is excited to be involved. 

Two: Framing and narrative are important

The old framing around “reduce, reuse, recycle” has been inadequate in addressing the ever increasing severity of the plastic pollution crisis—largely due to reduce and reuse being overlooked, with an emphasis instead on waste management. Instead, plastic production, consumption, and disposal must be looked at from the perspective of planetary boundaries and making sure we stay in line with what our biosphere and remaining climate budget can support. 

At the moment, plastic pollution—considered a novel entity within the planetary boundaries framework—far exceeds what is deemed sustainable. We need a deep reduction in production, and single-use plastic simply can’t make the cut. 

The good news is that reuse offers a pathway to reduce plastic production, meet climate targets, and get us back within planetary boundaries. 

Three: Diversity is truly the movement’s strength and will help us achieve a just transition 

It was incredible to be in a room with so many individuals representing such a variety of organizations from across the globe. The commitment of the BFFP movement to make sure all activist voices are at the table - from the policy experts to the waste pickers to reuse advocates - is truly what builds a strong and resilient movement. Policy development needs to lean into this inclusion and ensure that it protects the most vulnerable and does no harm. 

Four: The global plastics treaty is once-in-a-generation

The opportunity that the Global Plastic Treaty negotiations present is truly once in a lifetime. It is critical that the treaty be legally binding, eliminate toxins, reduce plastic production, scale up reuse, provide a just transition for waste workers, and mandate producer responsibility. 

The next round of negotiations, INC-2, are coming up in Paris in May. For more information on the Global Plastics Treaty, check out this great explainer video from our friends at Story of Stuff. And stay tuned for more!