A new database tracking international trade in non-plastic substitutes has been developed through a collaborative effort between the UN Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) Statistics Branch and Trade, Environment and Climate Branch. The database is now available on the UNCTAD online Data Hub.
A global shift towards non-plastic materials which can act as substitutes to plastic (i.e. non-plastic substitutes) holds significant potential to deliver economic opportunities for developing countries. Such materials can be minerals, wood pulp, or natural fibres like cotton, bamboo and seaweed, and can be used to make more environmentally friendly versions of the shopping bags, utensils, rappers and other plastic products which are generated, sold and used regularly.
The export of plastics or goods made from plastic was valued at a record high of $1.2 trillion in 2022, and exports continue to loom large in international trade. However, as markets increasingly prioritise sustainability, non-plastic substitutes are gaining ground. As shown in the new database, in 2022 global exports in non-plastic substitutes reached $831 billion in value, growing 30% faster than that of plastics trade.
The database allows users to track evolving patterns of global trade in non-plastic substitutes based on export values reported by member states. These can be used to identify and track emerging patterns as well as opportunities. “This statistical series, anchored in customs data reported by nearly all countries, can help foster data-informed strategies to drive circular economy practices and sustainable development,” says Anu Peltola, Director of UNCTAD Statistics. “It is also key to enabling innovation and product design of non-plastic substitutes with potential to reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.” says Chantal Line Carpentier, Head of the Trade, Environment and Climate Branch at UNCTAD.
For example, in terms of value distribution, raw materials (primarily minerals and natural fibres derived from forestry resources and seaweed) account for two-thirds of trade in non-plastic substitutes with finished products making up the remaining one-third. This signals a need for incentives to drive activities for value addition in the sector.
The database also shows that global trade in non-plastic substitutes is largely dominated by developed economies. Geographically, Asia and Europe lead global non-plastic substitutes exports in value terms (each taking a 37% share), backed by strong intra-regional trade. In contrast, Africa’s participation is notably small, currently under 3%. Beyond environmental benefits, the shift to non-plastic substitutes presents an opportunity for developing economies by catalysing efforts to bolster and diversify exports, creating quality jobs, and enhancing productive capacities. However, many developing economies lack the necessary capacities and technologies needed to produce value-added products at scale – something that the SMEP Programme is aiming to address through its grant-funded pilot projects in developing regions.
The database was launched as United Nations-led negotiations were underway between 25 November and 1 December 2024 in Busan, the Republic of Korea, to develop a global treaty aimed at ending plastic pollution to safeguard human and planetary health. These negotiations will be a hard test of the political will needed to tackle this global threat to all life on Earth.
Feature Image: © Shutterstock/Matthias Kestel | A seaweed farmer in Zanzibar, Tanzania. The marine algae can potentially replace plastics in various products including packaging.
This article is crossposted from the UNCTAD website.
