Sustainable plastics: APPG launches with focus on environmental and human health impacts

University of Birmingham plastics experts are helping UK politicians to create the policy conditions that lead to more sustainable use of plastics –as the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Sustainable Plastics has met for the first time in Westminster.

Academics from the University of Birmingham Plastics Network presented meaningful research outcomes to MPs and Peers and provide expertise to support systems-based policy decision-making.

The University of Birmingham Plastics Network acts as Secretariat to the APPG, which is chaired by Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield Laurence Turner, who commented: "Plastics are essential to modern life, but their environmental and health impacts demand urgent, joined-up action. This APPG will provide Parliamentarians with the latest research, expert insight, and practical policy recommendations to help shape a sustainable future for plastics in the UK."

Today’s meeting followed the group’s Inaugural General Meeting earlier this year and marks a significant step forward in cross-party collaboration to address the urgent environmental challenges posed by plastics, whilst maximising the benefits and opportunities that plastics bring to society.

The APPG brings together MPs and Peers from across the political spectrum, united by a shared commitment to furthering evidence-based discussions on the positive and negative impacts of plastics throughout their life cycle. The group’s mission is to influence policy towards a sustainable future and a circular economy for plastics, ensuring that the UK remains at the forefront of global efforts to tackle plastic pollution.

The University of Birmingham Plastics Network is an interdisciplinary academic team aiming to deliver meaningful plastics research for the benefit of society. The Network has a strong track record of engaging with government and industry to develop well-informed, evidence-based policy recommendations.

Its 2024 Policy Commission report, launched at the House of Commons, called for a radical rethink of plastics policy—emphasizing the need to revalorise plastic waste, incentivize next-generation recycling technologies, and invest in robust evidence on the human and environmental harms caused by plastics.

Professor Andrew Dove, Academic Lead for the Birmingham Plastics Network and Professor of Sustainable Polymer Chemistry, commented: "The challenge of plastics is not simply a scientific or technical one—it is a societal issue that demands collaboration across disciplines and sectors.

“Through the APPG, we aim to ensure that parliamentarians have access to the best available evidence, so that policy decisions can deliver real, positive change for both people and the environment. Our ambition is to help the UK lead the way in creating a truly sustainable plastics future."

At the meeting, the group focussed on the environmental and human health impacts of plastics, drawing on the latest research and insights from the University of Birmingham, exploring:

• The risks posed by microplastics and chemical additives to human health and ecosystems, alongside the role of the precautionary principle.
• The need for systemic approaches to recycling and waste management.
• Policy levers such as the Plastics Packaging Tax and Extended Producer Responsibility to drive innovation and reduce plastic waste.
• Lessons from recent international treaty negotiations, which have highlighted both the urgency and complexity of driving sustainable plastics policies at national level.

Using the University of Birmingham’s extensive network and knowledge-brokering approach to research and policy impact, the APPG will address a range of critical issues to support systemic plastics policy decision-making.

Over the coming year, meetings of the Sustainable Plastics APPG are likely to include discussions on effective recycling strategies for reducing plastic pollution, the role of public procurement, tackling inequality in plastics policy, and addressing public expectations and perceptions of plastics.

The launch of the APPG comes at a pivotal time, as international negotiations on a global plastics treaty have stalled, underscoring the need for national leadership and innovation.

The University of Birmingham Plastics Network and the APPG are committed to ensuring that the UK leads by example—developing policies that protect both the environment and public health, while supporting sustainable economic growth.