About Us

Let’s rethink plastic

Rethink Plastic is an alliance of leading European NGOs, with thousands of active groups, supporters and citizens in every EU Member State.

We bring together policy and technical expertise from a variety of relevant fields, and work with European policy-makers to design and deliver policy solutions for a future that is free from plastic pollution.

We are part of the global Break Free From Plastic movement, made up of 11,000 organizations and individual supporters from across the world who are demanding massive reductions in single-use plastics and to push for lasting solutions to the plastic pollution crisis.

  • Less than 30% of the plastic waste produced in Europe is collected for recycling
  • 84% of EU citizens are worried about the impact of plastics on our environment
  • 80% of all plastic ever produced ended up in landfills or the environment

Our campaign

Plastic is one of the fastest growing pollutants in the world. The way we currently design, produce and consume plastics is both unsustainable and inefficient. European citizens are increasingly concerned about plastic pollution, and expect the European Union to show leadership and tackle the crisis at source. Urgent measures are needed in 3 key areas: reduction of plastic production and consumption, better design of plastic products to be safe and sustainable, and better management of plastic waste.

Find out more
Campaign
  • Microplastics
    Microplastics – and the even smaller nanoplastics – are everywhere: in the environment, in the ocean, on land, and in our food , with a proven impact on both living organisms and ecosystems. such pollution has to be stopped at the source and across all economic sectors before it turns into a worldwide health and environmental plague.
  • Global Plastics Treaty
    Preventing plastic pollution requires a convention (treaty) on plastic pollution that addresses the full lifecycle of plastics from upstream (production) and midstream (design) to downstream (waste management) stages. we need a treaty that builds upon and complements existing eu initiatives while addressing the significant gaps that prevent us from eliminating plastic pollution.
  • Reduction and redesign for toxic-free reuse
    Working towards the phase out of single-use plastic (sup) items is key to reduce the overall volume of plastic pollution, both on land and in our ocean.
  • Waste Management, Clean Material Cycles and Waste Trade
    If proper rules are adopted to better ship plastic waste within the eu while prohibiting the exports outside of its borders, the eu will send a strong message by putting an end to unsustainable and unfair practices.
  • Plastic Production
    Just as the world begins to realize the dangers of pollution from plastics and take action to eliminate them, the industry is poised to invest billions in expanding plastic production. over 99% of plastic is made from fossil fuels and petrochemicals, and the fossil fuel and plastic industries are deeply connected.

Our people

Our coordination team

Our campaigners and policy experts

  • Lauren Weir
    Senior Ocean Campaigner - Environmental Investigation Agency
  • Dolores Romano
    Chemicals Policy Manager - European Environmental Bureau
  • Frédérique Mongodin
    Senior Policy Officer, Marine Pollution - Seas at Risk
  • Lucie Padovani
    Marine litter lobbying officer - Surfrider Foundation Europe
  • Giulia Carlini
    Manager & Senior Attorney, Environmental Health Program - Center for International Envrionmental Law
  • Hélène Duguy
    Lawyer/Jurist, Clean Air, Water and Soil - ClientEarth
  • Mathias Falkenberg
    Programme Manager - ECOS
  • Lauriane Veillard
    Chemical Recycling & Plastic-to-Fuels Policy Officer - Zero Waste Europe
  • Jean-Pierre Schweitzer
    Policy Manager for Circular Economy - European Environmental Bureau
  • Kevin Stairs
    Advisor - Greenpeace
  • Larissa Copello de Souza
    Consumption and Production Campaigner - ZWE
  • Tatiana Lujan
    Lawyer, Materials Systems Lead - ClientEarth
  • Christine Hermann
    Associate Policy Officer for Chemicals - European Environmental Bureau

Associated members

We are part of the #breakfreefromplastic movement

#breakfreefromplastic is a global movement envisioning a future free from plastic pollution. Since its launch in September 2016, over 11,000 organizations and individual supporters from across the world have come together to demand massive reductions in single-use plastics and to push for lasting solutions to the plastic pollution crisis.
breakfreefromplastic.org
bffp bali 2017
Rethink Plastic