Plastic Disclosure Project


The Plastic Disclosure Project is a project working to reduce the environmental impact of the world's rising use of plastics in products and packaging. Similar to the Carbon Disclosure Project, PDP encourages measurement, disclosure and management to improve corporate, community and individual accountability on plastic manufacture, use and disposal.

Foundation

PDP was announced at the opening plenary session of the Clinton Global Initiative in 2010 as a preventative project that can help address the issue of plastic waste on a global scale. PDP is a project of Ocean Recovery Alliance.

Goals

PDP asks businesses to measure, manage, reduce and benefit from plastic waste to create a world where plastic benefits consumers and businesses without negatively impacting the environment. PDP is based on the principle that to effectively manage and improve efficiency in plastic use, reuse and recycling, businesses must first quantify their plastics. Annual disclosure requests are sent to companies that use plastic for goods and/or services on behalf of socially conscious investors and community stakeholders.
PDP aims to connect solution providers with prospective companies to facilitate design and innovation. All types of organisation are invited to participate in PDP and commit to reducing their plastic footprint.

Company disclosures

became the first PDP Discloser in 2011. In 2012 UC Berkeley became the first university to join PDP. The project will be managed by Campus Recycling and Refuse Services as well as the Office of Sustainability, and the university plans to assign interns to track plastic waste as it leaves campus. Further companies in at least a dozen countries have expressed interest in this project.
At the Plasticity Forum Rio '12, an alliance was formed between Plastic Pollution Coalition and PDP to work with university campuses around the world to reduce their plastic footprint.
Earth People, a Dallas-based environmental consultancy, is the first consultancy to offer plastic assessment and reporting services though PDP for clients.