SDGs and Chemicals: Can we achieve sustainability?

Dr. Ricardo Barra

Faculty of Environmental Sciences & EULA-Chile Centre

University of Concepcion

Chile

ricbarra@udec.cl

Latin America Facts and Figures

19,2 milllion km²

GEO 5 Messages

• Extensive but incomplete body of scientific evidence onthe impacts of chemicals on humans and the environment

• Increasing chemical production shifting from developed to developing countries

• Sound management of chemicals and waste is a keycrosscutting issue

• Global chemical pollution a serious threat to sustainabledevelopment and livelihoods

• Emerging issues (electronic waste, EDCs, plastics in theenvironment, open burning of wastes, nanomaterials etc)

• Increase on the global burden of diseases atributed to chemical exposure

The Challenge is Huge……

The development of SustainableChemistry in the GRULAC region is at least weakSome elements that explains this situation:

• Lack of qualified human resources for addressingsustainable chemistry in an integral way.

• Lack of University courses in the field (i.e training of Chemist and Engineers) that may help to raise theimportance of the issue.

• Lack of communication between the scientificcommunity, the industry and governmental sectors.

Chemicals

Driver Chemicals in the sector (data from 2014)

Plastics Waste in Latin American Countries

Country Waste Generation per person (kg/Inh./year) % plastic waste (weight) References

Argentina 0.85 14 Instituto de Ingeniería Sanitaria (2011), Secretaria de Desarrollo Sustentable de la Nación (2012)

Bolivia 0.43 10 Gutiérrez (2009)

Brasil 1.04 13.5 University of Leeds et al. (2014), IPEA (2012)

Chile 1.05 9.4-11 Ministerio del Medio Ambiente (2011)

Costa Rica 0.88 9 Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (2013), University of Leeds et al. (2014)

México 0.85 12.8 SEMARNAT (2013)

Panama 0.81 14 Vallester (2010), Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente (2007)

Paraguay 1.04 7-10.2 OPS y OMS (2011)

Perú 0.61 9.48 Viceministerio de gestión ambiental (2012)

Uruguay 1.03 12.6-13.9 Themelis y Diaz Barriga (2012), Acurio et al. (1998), University of Leeds et al. (2014)

Venezuela 0.85 7.6-20 Acuña y Valera (2008), University of Leeds et al. (2014)

Vásquez Morillas et al, 2016

PCBs in beached pellet plastics (ng g-1

pellet)

Reported Plastics Debris in latinamerica (10 years ago…)

Innovation opportunities

• There are many disruptive solutions to try to serve the many uses of plastics

• Multiple levels of investment required, including fully equipped material innovation labs, infrastructure and pilot manufacturing facilities

• Fiscal and policy incentives needed from government

• All stakeholders, production to consumption, must be part of the solution

Need Innovation and Reorientation

- Review economic models and truer assessment of costs of the status quo (tendency to focus on costs of change for industry as opposed to benefits for the consumer)

- Reassessment of habits and attitudes surrounding plastic (particular as relates to the current culture of convenience)

- Re-examination of all major global governance instruments to leverage resources and cooperation and see where plastics may fit into their mandate and actions (eg Basel, Stockholm, Climate, waters governance instruments)

- Re-examination of the mandates and practices of global funding bodies and development banks to support upstream solutions vs end-of-pipe , ever growing waste infrastructure

- Recognize the role of Private-public-partnerships for R&D, business accelerators, innovation contests in helping to find marketable alternatives.

NEED MATERIAL INNOVATIONS TO MOVE US CLOSER TO A CIRCULAR ECONOMY