The Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund pledges 30 million NOK to support the BRS Conventions handling plastic waste in developing countries

The BRS Conventions Executive Secretary, Rolph Payet, visited Norway to sign the agreement with the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund acting CEO, Eirik Oland.

On 27 April, the Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions, Rolph Payet, visited Norway to sign a contract with the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund (Handelens Miljøfond), which expands technical assistance and capacity-building for developing countries to strengthen the implementation of the BRS Conventions in favour of the environmentally sound management of plastic waste.

The funding marks the second time that Handelens Miljøfond has financed the work of the BRS Secretariat, rounding up the total of funds received to 33 million Norwegian Krone. Handelens Miljøfond acting CEO, Eirik Oland, remarked on the “incredibly important job that the BRS Secretariat does putting in place systems for plastic waste handling in countries that face major environmental challenges.” The plastics project supported by Handelens Miljøfond will help build a bridge between the BRS Conventions and the new global plastics agreement, which was announced in March during the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi.

Currently, the Basel Convention is the only global legally binding agreement that specifically addresses plastic waste through its Plastic Waste Amendments. As such, it has been instrumental in generating the required momentum to launch negotiations for a new treaty to end plastic pollution.

“Our project, implemented at the national level in Nepal, Rwanda and Zambia, will leverage international policy to ensure that good practices are taken up for tackling plastic waste in these local communities,” noted Rolph Payet. The BRS Executive Secretary went on to exalt the initiative shown by a donor, such as Handelens Miljøfond. “We believe that players like Handelens Miljøfond can help prepare the ground for other stakeholders from the private sector to contribute to the important work of reducing the environmental problems associated with the use of plastic,” he said.

The BRS Conventions drive the environmentally sound management of plastic waste and chemicals in plastics by strengthening legal and institutional frameworks, providing technical guidelines and guidance, as well as by building on infrastructure, human and financial resources, availability of data, and increased awareness.

See photos from the meetings between BRS Secretariat and Handelens Miljøfond here.  

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Secretariat) brings together the three leading multilateral environmental agreements that share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes. https://www.brsmeas.org/.

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal aims to protect people and the environment from the negative effects of the inappropriate management of hazardous wastes worldwide. https://www.basel.int/

The Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund (Handelens Miljøfond) is the Norway's largest private environmental fund, and support national and international projects that reduce plastic pollution, increase plastic recycling and reduce the consumption of plastic bags. https://handelensmiljofond.no/en/

Contacts

For questions on the BRS funding and donors: Frank Moser, Head of the Programme Resources and Oversight Unit, frank-michael.moser@un.org

For technical questions on the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions: Kei Ohno Woodall, BRS Programme Management Officer, kei.ohno@un.org.

For media inquiries: Marisofi Giannouli, BRS Associate Public Information officer, marisofi.giannouli@un.org.