Plastic pollution is a huge problem on a global scale, negatively affecting human health and livelihoods, as well as the global climate and ecosystems.

As the international community comes together to develop multilateral solutions, international standards can provide useful tools to help transform pledges into action. ISO standards can contribute to multilateral solutions in the following ways:

Vocabulary and definitions

ISO has vocabulary standards with definitions of key terms related to plastics that can be accessed free of charge. These are regularly reviewed and are revised and updated as and when necessary. 

Implementation

ISO standards can provide technical guidance to effectively implement the commitments any future instrument may contain. In using ISO standards, policymakers and businesses can not only save the time and resources needed to develop bespoke solutions, but they can be confident that they are relying on state-of-the-art solutions that are regularly maintained and updated by international experts, and that they are not creating any unnecessary barriers to trade.

International standards are referenced in national regulation and international legally binding instruments​ (including the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions). They are also used in conformity assessment to ensure compliance and quality at the national and international levels.   ​

Which ISO standards address plastic pollution?

ISO standards represent best practices, as agreed by consensus through an open, transparent international process. ISO has standards in place that cover almost all stages of the plastics lifecycle – these can be explored using the interactive chart below. Key areas include End-of-life assessment (24 relevant standards), Labeling and transparency (15 relevant standards), Recycling and composting (13 relevant standards), and Cross-cutting standards-circularity (11 relevant standards).

The landscape of international standardization solutions for plastic pollution

Standardization efforts have also been made by other standardization organizations. This graph shows the number of standards per lifecycle stage, developed by a selection of different kinds of organizations.

For more information on relevant ISO standards that can help to address plastic pollution, or on how to participate in the development of ISO standards, contact the ISO member in your country or the sustainability unit at the ISO Central Secretariat.