Global Journal of Science Frontier Research, H: Environment & Earth Science, Volume 23 Issue 1

another context (Astrup et al., 2015). Also, LCA can often ignore impacts that pose a challenge to measure or less well understood, such as plastic in the environment or the long term effects of landfill runoff. Hence, one has to be cautious when applying Life Cycle Analysis. Life Cycle Assessment also provides means to: a) Investigate the Effects Of varying External Parameters Life Cycle Assessments can be used to study the effect of external parameters that might change between geographies or with time, in particular to the implementation of recycling industry or adoption of a latest technology. This can be achieved by modifying the input parameters of an LCA model. b) Compare Similar Outcomes Results obtained from LCA are reliable as far as the other components of the system do not vary significantly. For instance, LCA could provide a good comparison of the carbon emissions of two different packaging material selections, given that the other components of the business model remain unchanged. c) Apply LCA in Later Stages of Innovation An LCA is most trustworthy when accurate and validated data are at hand and that there are not many unknown variables. Once the flow of materials and resources within the infrastructure is established, an LCA can be very powerful. Innovation stages include scaling up or improvement of an existing system. These stages would constitute the best time to perform LCAs. However, caution should be observed when applying LCA in the early stages of an innovation process. V. G overning P lastic W aste Each governance context includes a multitude of actors, namely the governments, companies, NGO's, entrepreneurs, citizens and so on. Each actor has its own understanding of the problem, its own viewpoint on the social environment, its own opinion about what should happen, and its own interests at stake. In order to understand the role and position of these actors a very clear and comprehensive institutional framework within a particular context should be set up. This institutional framework shapes and coordinates the actions and interactions of the different actors. The institutions are the rules of the games that include for example policies, laws, plans, and rules of conduct. These rules for example define which organizations are responsible for waste management or they regulate the production and use of particular plastic product. Designing and implementing policies and laws are important means to deal with plastic pollution, but it is also important to understand who is able to introduce new policies and to analyze how and if particular legislation is indeed enforced. Governments also devise and enforce the institutional context in which markets are created and are operating. The importance and role of governments and their institutions can, however, hugely vary between countries and among sectors, issues and levels within a particular country. Some countries have implemented an elaborate set of policies and laws to manage waste and succeed fairly well in enforcing laws, while others lack resources or political will to do so. Some governments might be very active in stimulating economic growth, but largely ignore the environmental problems that come along. Some prefer steering by law, others via policies and planning, or through economic incentives. Some governments are more concerned with plastic pollution, while others think that this is an issue that should be solved by societies or businesses. And all this is subject to change over time. There is a wide choice of measures that are available to tackle plastic pollution which are research and development at the different stages of plastic production, policies (bans, EPR), direct investments (capacity building in terms of recycling and waste management systems), market-based instruments (deposit-refund schemes or product charges), awareness-raising initiatives(campaigns and mobile apps) and clean-up activities. The choice of the most suitable measures can be achieved by the following: • Identifying the problem; context and objectives • Performing a risk assessment, to identify the nature of the risk and justify the action to be taken; • Prioritizing the component(s) of the DPSIR model (Driver, Pressure, State or Impact) • Designing the most suitable plan Across all these stages, a mechanism has to be set up for consultation and communication, and a system to evaluate the risk and consequences of applying a particular measure. Existing measures consist of: • Extended Producer Responsibility approach by encouraging the producers, manufacturer brand owners and importers to follow the product throughout its entire life-cycle by adopting measures high in the hierarchy of waste management to be able to come up with products for reuse, recycling and materials reduction in terms of total mass and toxicity; • Sustainable Procurement Policies to allow for the use of recycled plastic-made materials; • Encouraging voluntary agreements with retailers and supermarkets to bring a decrease in the amount of plastic bags utilised and /or introducing plastic bag taxes • Enforcement of laws in regards to mandatory Deposits, Return and Restoration System, especially Holistic Approach to Tackle (Micro) Plastic Pollution: The Case of Mauritius © 2023 Global Journals 1 Year 2023 28 Global Journal of Science Frontier Research Volume XXIII Issue ersion I VI ( H )