How do we effectively deal with the increasing amounts of plastic waste that can be collected from the ocean? This issue has been central to 28 coastal municipalities in the Kattegat-Skagerrak region in Jutland, Denmark, which have participated in the Ren Kystlinje project. The municipalities are all affected by the problem and want action. Professor at AAU Business School Kenneth Mølbjerg Jørgensen is currently reviewing his participation in the project. He believes that a more long-term solution is necessary.

‘The problem with handling plastic waste from the ocean will continue if we don’t consider the entire chain from purchasing, production and consumption of plastic to waste management’, the AAUBS researcher says.

A shared public-private responsibility

Kenneth Mølbjerg Jørgensen's role in the project has been to investigate the possibilities of recycling plastic waste from the ocean as part of the creation of a circular economy in the area. The researcher has focused on finding out which business models exist in the field of plastic recycling in general.

The political climate suggests that private companies should play a central role in relation to plastic recycling. Kenneth Mølbjerg Jørgensen agrees. However, he believes that the problem is too important for us to leave to the business community to solve alone. Environmental considerations only have top priority for companies if they can make a business out of it. Therefore, private companies can only be part of a more collective effort.

In addition, we must be careful not to reduce the problem of plastic waste to a matter of collection and sorting.

‘If we simply describe the solutions for plastic waste as a matter of collecting and sorting plastic waste, we will always lag behind. Plastic production is increasing exponentially. If we want to get rid of the plastic pollution problem, it requires a more consistent type of public-private cooperation where greater demands are placed on the manufacturers’, says Kenneth Mølbjerg Jørgensen.

A question of political will

At European level, politicians have an increasing focus on recycling plastics. In January 2018, the EU issued a plastic circular, which imposes responsibility on companies and the industry in general to create systems for recycling plastics. This plastic circular was followed up by the Danish ‘Plastik uden spild’ action plan (‘Plastics without waste’), which was published in December 2018. A key area is that these systems should create growth and job opportunities, which is certainly important. The problem, however, is that entrepreneurship and innovation are made responsible for solving the plastic problem, while very few demands are placed on companies by the political power.

‘According to the EU and the Danish government, the vision for a sustainable circular economy will not be accomplished through restrictions or bans, but through the creation of strong business cases, which can maintain a large production and many jobs in the plastics industry. Ultimately, however, a long-term solution is a matter of political will, and that will is currently not evident.

Facts

• The Ren Kystlinje project started in 2016 and closed at the end of 2018. The main purpose of the project was to find new innovative solutions to ocean plastic pollution.
• The project is a collaboration between 28 municipalities in Norway, Sweden and Denmark as well as Skagen Education Centre, KIMO Denmark, University of Gothenburg, the Institute of Marine Research and Aalborg University. 
• Kenneth Mølbjerg Jørgensen presents the conclusions in an article in the journal Samfundslederskab i Skandinavien with the Danish title ‘Plastik fantastisk: En analyse og diskussion af politikker for plastaffaldshåndtering’ (‘Plastic fantastic: An analysis and discussion of plastic waste management policies’).

Contact

Professor Kenneth Mølbjerg Jørgensen, AAU Business School, tel .: +45 9940 9957, email: kmj@business.aau.dk