Between money and conscience: Opportunities and limitations of compensation models

Plastic credits are very popular with companies and private individuals when it comes to offsetting their own plastic footprint. The majority view this as an important first step towards establishing extended producer responsibility (EPR). However, the number of critical voices is also increasing, who consider such a transition system to be ineffective and suspect that it merely offers new greenwashing opportunities for companies. However, if it is possible to scale up local collection and recycling programs and ensure their continued operation, the establishment of infrastructures in regions where there are currently no waste recovery structures can be promoted thanks to such plastic compensation models, according to the tenor of the participants.

Based on the recently published POLYPROBLEM report ‘Buy Your Way Out’, we discussed with Dr. Bernhard Bauske (WWF Germany), Nicole Bendsen (Prevent) and Joel Tasche (Cleanhub) as part of our POLYPROBLEM online seminar and examined the pros and cons as well as the correct design of such a compensation market for plastics.