Plastic Smart Cities supports and encourages cities to take bold action, engage in dialogue and share best practices to reduce plastic and stop plastic pollution. The declaration follows WWF’s No Plastic In Nature initiative, which aims for plastic-free nature by 2030.
Several measures and projects are already underway in Helsinki to tackle plastics litter. The BaltiPlast project aims to reduce unnecessary use of plastics in the city’s own operations and in companies and households. Helsinki also has a broader litter control action programme, which involves identifying the sources and routes of litter and developing and testing new solutions to reduce and control litter.
The new Baltic Sea Challenge action programme also includes preventing litter as an overarching objective. Helsinki also participates in the national PlastLIFE project, which pays attention to the use of plastics in infrastructure and green area development. Communication and raising awareness play an important role in all of the city’s actions.
All the above actions also contribute to the objectives of the Plastic Smart Cities declaration.
The Plastic Smart Cities declaration was signed by Mayor Juhana Vartiainen and Liisa Rohweder, WWF Finland Secretary General, on 13 March.