Safa Khalil Abo zreg

Ministry of Local Government, Solid and Liquid Waste Management Department, Libya

Abstract Title:

Single-Use Plastics: Consumption Patterns, Environmental Impacts, and Waste Management Challenges

Biography:

Safa Khalil Abuzreig is a senior Architect and Urban Planning Director at Janzour Municipality, Libya, with over 30 years of extensive experience in urban design, spatial planning, and local infrastructure management. Holding a B.Sc. in Architecture from the University of Tripoli, she leads municipal planning initiatives, focusing on sustainable urban development, waste management facilities, and environmental rehabilitation. Her key portfolio includes designing local waste transfer stations, waste collection hubs, and a specialized organic waste composting unit. Safa combines technical expertise with executive public policy leadership to drive resilient urban ecosystems.ial sectors to integrate circular economy principles directly into Libya's national waste strategy.

Research Interests:

This analytical study investigates the challenge of single-use plastics (SUPs), examining their transition from high consumption to severe environmental and administrative waste management issues driven by short functional lifespans versus long environmental persistence. Drawing on OECD data, global plastic production reached 460 million tonnes in 2019, generating 353 million tonnes of waste, with only 9% successfully recycled. Projections indicate global plastic waste could triple by 2060 without intervention. Key Findings & Recommendations: Life-Cycle Approach: Addressing plastic pollution requires moving beyond downstream disposal (recycling and cleaning) toward upstream interventions, prioritizing source reduction, ecodesign, product reuse, and structured material recovery over linear disposal models. Beyond Direct Bans: Blanket bans often prove ineffective without accessible alternatives, market incentives, and enforcement mechanisms. Successful policy frameworks combine regulatory measures, economic instruments, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to distribute accountability across value chains. The Libyan Context: Municipal solid waste systems in Libya face operational and institutional constraints. Implementing effective national policies requires moving away from unsupported assumptions toward establishing a comprehensive national waste characterization study. Developing a reliable database on plastic waste quantities, composition, and distribution is vital for evidence-based policymaking. Operational Strategy: The study proposes a National Single-Use Plastic Index (SUP Index) to track per-capita consumption, recovery, and leakage rates. It advocates a phased implementation model, starting with municipal pilot projects in schools, public markets, and commercial sectors to integrate circular economy principles directly into Libya's national waste strategy.