Plastic Waste Management and Cleanup: The Role of Articles 8–10 in the Plastics Treaty | Part 4

What happens to the plastics already polluting our streets, waterways, and ecosystems? Articles 8–10 of the draft UN Plastics Treaty confront this challenge head-on, addressing legacy pollution, waste system reform, and protections for workers and communities most affected by plastic. 

As negotiators finalize treaty talks in Geneva, five authors of this blog are currently attending as official observers, bringing expertise in product sustainability, circular economy interventions, and systems innovation. This post unpacks what Articles 8–10 propose, why they matter, and how impacted stakeholders can begin preparing now.

What Do Articles 8–10 Say About Existing Plastic Waste Management?

Articles 8 through 10 of the draft UN plastics treaty shift the focus from prevention to remediation, outlining a path to manage existing waste, clean up legacy pollution, and ensure that no community is left behind in the transition.

Article 8     

Article 8 focuses on managing plastic waste in an environmentally sound manner, referencing existing standards under the Basel Convention. It calls on countries to establish resilient systems and infrastructure for the safe handling, sorting, collection, transportation, recycling, and disposal of plastic waste, including options that allow for energy recovery. National and subnational governments are expected to promote circular economy approaches, set targets to improve collection and recycling rates, and prohibit harmful practices like open dumping, open burning, and ocean disposal. A central theme is the promotion of a just transition—ensuring protections for plastic waste management workers, especially those in the informal sector, including women, youth, and small-scale or artisanal fishers. Those that are parties to the Basel Convention must meet its obligations, while developed countries are expected to prohibit exports of plastic waste to developing countries. Finally, the article encourages the development of extended producer responsibility systems and other economic tools, reflecting the shared responsibility of all actors involved in managing plastics throughout 

Article 9     

Article 9 calls on governments to identify, evaluate, and monitor areas most affected by existing plastic pollution both within national borders and across shared regional borders. They are expected to take appropriate removal actions, including clean-up efforts, in an environmentally sound manner, meaning approaches that minimize further harm to ecosystems and human health. In doing so, governments are encouraged to align with international agreements, apply the best available science and technologies, and draw on Indigenous knowledge. 

Article 10     

Article 10 emphasizes the importance of a just transition in implementing the treaty, urging countries to ensure that no one is left behind as plastic policies evolve. It calls on governments to consider national circumstances and development priorities while engaging workers across both the formal and informal sectors, especially those in plastics manufacturing, waste picking, small-scale fishing, and small enterprises.

Plastic Waste Management and Cleanup Implications for Governments and Businesses 

How Governments Can Contribute to Plastic Waste Management       

Governments can develop national strategies that address both existing and future plastic pollution, including identifying and remediating pollution hotspots, strengthening environmentally sound waste management systems, and prohibiting practices like open dumping and burning (Article 8 and 9). In 2018, the World Bank reported that more than 90% of waste in low income countries is either openly burned or dumped in unregulated sites—highlighting systemic gaps in waste collection and safe disposal infrastructure. Many countries are still grappling with the ripple effects of China’s 2018 National Sword policy, which banned the import of most plastic waste and exposed major gaps in global recycling and plastic waste management systems. The result has been a redirection of waste exports to countries with less robust processing infrastructure, underscoring the need for more transparent waste trade practices.

In parallel, governments can build frameworks to support engaging informal waste workers, small-scale fishers, and communities disproportionately affected by plastic pollution. Formal integration can be challenging as informal workers often face barriers such as business registration and tax compliance. These efforts are further complicated by fragmented governance across labor, environmental, health, and social protection systems.

The Private Sector and Plastic Waste Management     

Private sector actors, particularly plastic producers, manufacturers, and retailers, will face expanded responsibilities under Articles 8–10 of the draft plastics treaty. Companies may be required to finance or participate in extended producer responsibility systems, contribute to plastic waste collection and recycling infrastructure, and ensure their products do not contribute to open dumping or unmanaged waste streams. Germany’s Dual System (Green Dot) serves as a useful reference, where producers fund recovery and recycling through a well-established national scheme that has significantly boosted plastic recovery rates. A 2023 study, found that Germany collected and recycled over 5.5 million tons of packaging waste, achieving a 68.9% mechanical recycling rate for plastic up from 42.1% in 2018.

Article 9 introduces shared responsibilities for remediating legacy pollution. Companies may be called upon to contribute to or co-finance cleanup efforts. Article 10 highlights the need for improved integration of informal workers into formal plastic  waste management systems. For example, in Colombia, consumer goods companies such as Nestlé and Coca-Cola have partnered with informal waste picker cooperatives through extended producer responsibility systems to formalize roles, improve incomes, and increase recovery rates.

As treaty implementation advances, transparency in managing both environmental and social impacts will become a critical benchmark for regulatory compliance and stakeholder trust.     

Steps to Prepare for the Plastic Waste Management and Cleanup Transition

1. Conduct Plastics Infrastructure Gap Analysis

Governments and private sector actors should collaborate to assess national and local waste management systems, identifying infrastructure gaps across the plastics value chain, from collection and sorting to recycling and final disposal. This analysis should include data on open dumping, open burning, and mismanaged waste to pinpoint high-risk areas. RTI has supported governments and donor agencies in conducting such diagnostics, helping to develop public-private partnership pipelines and investment roadmaps for plastic waste and circular economy infrastructure. 

2. Expand and Strengthen Collection Networks

Governments and private sector partners should prioritize expanding plastic waste collection coverage particularly in underserved urban, and peri-urban areas. This includes integrating informal waste workers, piloting community drop-off points, and exploring decentralized collection models that are context-appropriate and low-cost. RTI has worked with local governments, NGOs, and private operators to design and implement inclusive collection strategies that improve material recovery and reduce environmental health risks. Our experience includes refill and reuse models piloting, plastic buy-back schemes, and tools like our MSW-DST that helps cities track waste volumes and service coverage. 

3. Prioritize Landfill Remediation and Improved Siting

Governments can assess existing landfill sites to identify unregulated dumpsites contributing to open burning, leachate pollution, or plastic leakage into waterways. Remediation efforts may include capping, containment, gas collection, or controlled closure, especially where legacy plastic waste is a hazard. Simultaneously, improved landfill siting guidelines should be developed to avoid locating new facilities in ecologically sensitive or densely populated areas. RTI has supported landfill assessments and closure plans in low- and middle-income countries, combining environmental risk analysis, GIS-based tools, and community engagement to develop sound plastic waste infrastructure strategies. 

4. Expand Extended Producer Responsibility Systems and Educate Consumers on Appropriate End of Use Behavior

Governments can develop or strengthen extended producer responsibility regulations that assign producers financial and operational responsibility for managing post-consumer plastics, from collection and sorting to recycling and final disposal. Extended producer responsibility systems should be tailored to local waste realities, with clear targets, oversight mechanisms, and incentives for eco-design. Special attention should be given to informal sector integration and reducing leakage from low-value plastics. Governments should also focus on educating consumers on appropriate disposal or recycling behaviors as consumers are expressing confusion about what to do with a product or packaging after the use phase. Businesses, especially in packaging, consumer goods, and retail, must prepare to participate in or operate producer responsibility organizations, comply with material reporting requirements, and fund the recovery of their products. 

UN Plastics Treaty Articles 8-10 are Vital for Plastic Waste Management      

As the plastics treaty takes shape, Articles 8–10 will be key to ensuring that waste is managed responsibly, pollution is cleaned up, and people are at the center of the transition. If you're working on these challenges or looking for a partner to support implementation, we invite you to connect with us.