« PLASTIC-FREE » COASTAL STRATEGY PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINES: A CONTRIBUTION FROM THE MAGHREB TO ADDRESS MARINE PLASTIC POLLUTION © 2022 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW Washington DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000 internet: www.worldbank.org This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or currency of the data included in this work and does not assume responsibility for any errors, omissions, or discrepancies in the information, or liability with respect to the use of or failure to use the information, methods, processes, or conclusions set forth. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. In supporting this technical activity, the Bank does not intend to make any judgments on the legal or other status of the territories concerned. Nothing herein shall constitute or be construed or considered to be a limitation upon or waiver of the privileges and immunities of The World Bank, all of which are specifically reserved. Rights and Permissions The material in this work is subject to copyright. Because The World Bank encourages dissemination of its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for noncommercial purposes as long as full attribution to this work is given. Any queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to World Bank Publications, The World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA ; fax: 202-522-2625 ; e-mail : pubrights@worldbank.org. Attribution—Please cite the source of this report as: World Bank. 2022. Plastic-Free Coastlines: A Contribution from the Maghreb to Address Marine Plastic Pollution. World Bank, Washington, DC. Cover photos : Tarik Mesbahi Cover design : Tarik Mesbahi Credit : Wassim Chaabane TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary....................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Chapter 1. Call for Action............................................................................................................................................................................ 17 1.1 Cleaner, Plastic-free, Coastal, and Marine areas of North Africa................................................................................... 18 Chapter 2. Marine Plastic Pollution in the Middle East and North Africa.................................................................................. 21 2.1 Coastal areas as economic centers........................................................................................................................................... 22 2.2 Increasing plastic leakage............................................................................................................................................................ 22 2.3 Ecological and socio-economic impacts.................................................................................................................................. 23 2.4 Circular economy approaches to address marine plastic pollution............................................................................... 24 Chapter 3. The Littoral Sans Plastique (LISP) Approaches............................................................................................................... 28 3.1 The Littoral Sans Plastique (LISP) Approaches...................................................................................................................... 29 3.1.1 Overview of the Littoral Sans Plastique Approaches................................................................................................ 29 3.2 Assessment methodology............................................................................................................................................................ 30 3.2.1 International benchmark study....................................................................................................................................... 31 3.2.2 Methodology for the diagnostics on the status of marine plastic pollution...................................................... 31 3.2.2.1 Analysis of the plastic value chain.......................................................................................................................... 32 3.2.2.2 Drivers, Pressure, Status, Impact and Response (DPSIR) Analysis................................................................. 33 3.2.2.3 Hot-spot analysis........................................................................................................................................................ 33 3.2.2.4 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis......................................................... 35 3.3 Formulation of Strategies and Action Plans.......................................................................................................................... 36 3.4 Advantages and limitations of LISP approaches.................................................................................................................. 37 3.5 Lessons learnt from applying the LISP approaches in Morocco and Tunisia.............................................................. 37 Chapter 4 : Results of the Assessments.................................................................................................................................................. 38 4.1 Morocco : Status of Marine Plastic Pollution........................................................................................................................ 39 4.1.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................................... 39 4.1.2 Geographical scope............................................................................................................................................................. 39 4.1.3 Assessment of the plastic value chain........................................................................................................................... 40 4.1.4 Drivers, Pressures, States, Impact and Response (DPSIR) analysis........................................................................ 42 4.1.4.1 Drivers and Pressures................................................................................................................................................ 43 4.1.4.2 State................................................................................................................................................................................ 46 4.1.4.3 Impacts and hot-spots............................................................................................................................................... 48 4.1.4.4 Response........................................................................................................................................................................ 50 4.1.5 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis.................................................................. 53 4.1.6 Issues and strategic directions........................................................................................................................................ 54 4.2 Tunisia : Status of Marine Plastic Pollution............................................................................................................................ 54 4.2.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................................... 54 4.2.2 Geographical scope............................................................................................................................................................. 54 4.2.3 Analysis of the plastic value chain.................................................................................................................................. 54 4.2.4 Drivers, Pressures, State, Impact and Response analysis........................................................................................ 55 4.2.3.1 Drivers............................................................................................................................................................................ 55 4.2.3.2 Pressures and Resulting Status............................................................................................................................... 58 4.2.3.3 Impacts and hot-spots............................................................................................................................................... 60 4.2.3.4 Responses...................................................................................................................................................................... 61 4.2.5 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis................................................................. 63 4.2.6 Strategic issues and directions........................................................................................................................................ 64 Chapter 5 : LISP Strategies and Action Plans........................................................................................................................................ 65 5.1 Overview............................................................................................................................................................................................ 66 5.2 Morocco ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 66 5.3 Tunisia................................................................................................................................................................................................. 72 Chapter 6 : The Way forward ..................................................................................................................................................................... 75 6.1 Progress during the first phase of the technical assistance............................................................................................ 76 6.2 Limitations of the assessments................................................................................................................................................. 76 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 6.3 Second phase of the technical assistance...................................................................................................................................... 79 6.4 Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 79 Annex ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 81 Annex 1 : Benchmark for the EPR instrument.................................................................................................................................. 81 Annex 2 : Regulations addressing plastic pollution in selected African and Mediterranean countries............................................................................................................................. 83 Annex 3 : Results of the SWOT analysis for Morocco.................................................................................................................... 84 Annex 4 : Results of the SWOT analysis for Tunisia........................................................................................................................ 87 Annex 5 : Operational Measures and Projects in Morocco’s LISP Action Plan....................................................................... 90 Annex 6 : LISP Operational matrix of projects for Morocco........................................................................................................ 92 Annex 7 : Framework for LISP Strategy and Action Plan for Tunisia........................................................................................ 95 TABLES Table 1 : Overview of the LISP Strategies and Action Plans for Morocco and Tunisia.........................................................15 Table 2 : Proposed technical assistance for the implementation of the LISP strategies and action plans in Morocco and Tunisia during the second phase.........................................................................................................16 Table 3 : Scoring method of a hot-spot analysis...........................................................................................................................34 Table 4 : Assessment indicators for hot-spot analysis................................................................................................................35 Table 5 : Main plastic types and their uses......................................................................................................................................41 Table 6 : Overview of Drivers and Pressures of Marine Plastic Pollution in Morocco.........................................................45 Table 7 : Summary of the status of marine plastic pollution in Morocco...............................................................................47 Table 8 : Results of hot-spot analysis for Morocco......................................................................................................................49 Table 9 : Main legal instruments related to management of marine plastic pollution in Morocco.................................51 Table 10 : Recommendations for improving legal frameworks to address marine plastic pollution in Morocco.........52 Table 11 : Summary of drivers for marine plastic pollution in Tunisia........................................................................................57 Table 12 : Indicators on the status of marine plastic pollution in Tunisia.................................................................................58 Table 13 : Results of hot-spots analysis in Tunisia...........................................................................................................................60 Table 14 : Legal and regulatory mechanisms for Tunisia...............................................................................................................61 Table 15 : Summary of institutional and regulatory challenges..................................................................................................63 Table 16 : Overview of Morocco’s LISP Strategy and its Action Plan..........................................................................................70 Table 17 : Overview of Tunisia’s Lisp Strategy And its Action.......................................................................................................73 Table 18 : Proposed technical assistance during Phase 2 for the development and implementation of strategies and their operational action plans in Morocco and Tunisia...................................................................80 FIGURES Figure 1 : Technical reports prepared under this grant.................................................................................................................12 Figure 2 : Participatory co-design process from assessments to the formulation of strategies......................................13 Figure 3 : Results of hot-spot assessments......................................................................................................................................13 Figure 4 : Plastic leakage into the marine environment in Morocco and Tunisia...................................................................14 Figure 5 : Matrix of reports in support of PROBLUE activities to reduce plastics pollution in the Maghreb..................19 Figure 6 : Survey results of the opinion of participants in the regional workshop “Marine Plastic Pollution: Challenges and Inspiring Action”........................................................................................................................................20 Figure 7 : Plastic import volume and its projections in Morocco and Tunisia..........................................................................23 Figure 8 : Estimated amounts of greenhouse gases released in CO2 at each stage of the plastic life cycle ................26 Figure 9 : Total resource value for plastic waste under four different scenarios...................................................................27 Figure 10 : Morocco: Logic of the LISP strategy formulation and its operationalization plan..............................................29 Figure 11 : Stakeholder participation throughout the process of the LISP approaches........................................................30 Figure 12 : Key steps and questions guiding the development of LISP strategies...................................................................31 5 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Figure 13 : Plastic value chain .................................................................................................................................................................32 Figure 14 : The DSPIR model adopted for marine plastic pollution...............................................................................................33 Figure 15 : Principles for formulating LISP strategies......................................................................................................................36 Figure 16 : Influence zone facing the Mediterranean Sea...............................................................................................................40 Figure 17 : Sources of plastic waste .....................................................................................................................................................41 Figure 18 : Stakeholders in Morocco for addressing marine plastic pollution..........................................................................50 Figure 19 : Coastal governorates in Tunisia.........................................................................................................................................54 Figure 20 : Stakeholders of the LISP Tunisia........................................................................................................................................62 Figure 21 : Morocco LISP Strategic Objectives...................................................................................................................................69 Figure 22 : LISP Tunisia Strategic Objectives.......................................................................................................................................74 Figure 23 : Analysis of circular economic value in Kenya using six performance indicators.................................................78 BOXES Box 1 : Regional workshop “Marine Plastic Pollution: Challenges and Inspiring Action”....................................................... 19 Box 2 : Existing projects to address marine plastic pollution in the Maghreb......................................................................... 23 Box 3 : Guidelines for technical and economic feasibility studies............................................................................................... 24 Box 4 : Marine plastic pollution and climate change....................................................................................................................... 25 Box 5 : Socioeconomic benefits of improved plastic waste management in Africa.............................................................. 26 Box 6 : What is the difference between the circular economy and recycling?........................................................................ 26 Box 7 : Agriculture plastic waste in Morocco4................................................................................................................................. 42 Box 8 : Single-use plastic in Morocco.................................................................................................................................................. 51 Box 9 : Data gap regarding plastic waste generated by tourism and fishery sectors in Tunisia........................................ 57 Box 10 : Single-use plastics in Tunisia.................................................................................................................................................... 58 Box 11 : Main barriers to the development of circular business models.................................................................................... 66 Box 12 : Evaluation of Circular Economic Value in Nairobi, Kenya................................................................................................. 77 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The team would like to thank the Governments of Morocco and Tunisia for their partnership and cooperation. The team would especially like to express its gratitude to Mr. Rachid Firadi (Director, Department of Sustainable Development, Morocco), Ms. Seloua Amaziane (Head of the Partnership Division, Department of Sustainable Development, Morocco), Mr. Hedi Chebili (Director General, Environment and Quality of Life, Ministry of Environment, Tunisia), and Ms. Awatef Larbi Messai (Director, Environment and Quality of Life, Ministry of Environment, Tunisia) for their leadership, dedication, and determination to address marine plastic pollution. The team would also like to thank all the stakeholders who participated in the workshops and provided valuable inputs to the technical reports and the strategy development both in Morocco and Tunisia. This report was prepared by Kanako Hasegawa (Environmental Specialist) as part of a World Bank team led by Marcelo Acerbi (Senior Environmental Specialist) and included Frank Van Woerden (Lead Environmental Engineer, Daniel Lewis (Editorial Consultant), Nadia Kassali (Program Management Consultant), Khalid Anouar (Environmental Specialist), Amos Abu (Senior Natural Resources Management Specialist), Sandrine Jauffret (Senior Natural Resources Management Specialist), Marie A. F. How Yew Kin (Senior Program Assistant), Nadege Mertus (Team Assistant), Kaoutar Belqaid (Program Assistant) and Narjes Jerbi (Program Assistant). The team would like to thank experts Brahim Soudi (Marine Litter Management Consultant), Wassim Chaabane (Marine Litter Management Consultant), Mohamed Adnane Benadelkrim (Consultant in Environment, Energy and Climate Change), Karim Zaouaq (Consultant in Legal and Institutional Analysis), Federico De Nardo (Consultant in Agricultural Waste Management) and Anne Cecile Redon ep Maria (French Language Editor) for the contribution to the technical reports utilized to produce this summary. The team also would like to thank Jesko Hentschel (Director for the Maghreb and Malta), Alexandre Arrobio (Country Manager, Tunisia), Lia Sieghart (Practice Manager, Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy, Middle East and North Africa) and Carole Megevand (Sustainable Development Sector Leader, SMNDR) for the strategic guidance provided, and Delphine Arri (Senior Environmental Engineer, PROBLUE Pillar 2 Manager) and Milagros Cecilia Aime (Environmental Engineer, PROBLUE) for the substantive orientation provided in conducting the technical work. Finally, the team would like to thank the following peer reviewers: Karin Shepardson (Lead Environmental Specialist), Anjali Acharya (Senior Environmental Specialist) and Dario Quaranta (Private Sector Development Specialist) for their technical review to enrich the report. Funding for this report was provided by PROBLUE(https://www.worldbank/PROBLUE), an umbrella trust fund that supports a sustainable and integrated development of marine and coastal resources in healthy oceans. The team would like to express its gratitude to all PROBLUE donors for making this work possible. ACRONYMS AMPR Moroccan Association of Recycling and Recovery of Plastic Waste ANDA National Agency for the Development of Aquaculture ANGed National Agency for Waste Management ANP National Ports Authority ANPE National Agency for Environmental Protection APAL Coastal Protection and Development Agency ATDE Tunisian Environmental Law Association BC British Colombia BCUOMA BC Used Oil Management Association CA Coastal Activities CAPEX Capital Expenditure CEV Centers for [Waste] Elimination and Valorization CGEFM General Confederation of Enterprises of Morocco CITET International Center for Environmental Technologies CLAP Hinterland Coastal Community CLFM Coastal Commune with Maritime Frontage CNSS National Social Security Fund COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease 2019 DMA Household and Assimilated Waste DMM Merchant Marine Directorate (MMD) DPDPM Directorate of Ports and Maritime Public Domain DPA Agricultural Plastic Waste DPM Department of Marine Fisheries DPSIR Drivers, Pressures, States, Impacts, Responses EFTC Technical and Economic Feasibility Studies EPR Extended Producer Responsibility EPS Expanded Polystyrene EU European Union EVA Ethylene vinyl acetate FCCM Carbon Capital Fund Morocco FNEDD National Fund for the Environment GDP Gross Domestic Product GHG Greenhouse Gases GIZ German Society for International Cooperation HCP High Commission for Planning HEL COMHelsinki Commission HDPE High Density Polyethylene HHW Household Waste ICZM Integrated Coastal Zone Management INNORPI National Institute of Standardization and Industrial Property INRH National Institute for Fisheries Research INS National Statistical Institute of Tunisia INSTM National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies ISO International Organization for Standardization IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature Kt Kiloton (thousands of tons) LDPE Low Density Polyethylene LISP Plastic-free coastline (Littoral sans Plastique) MALPOL International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships MEDPOL Program for the Assessment and Control of Marine Pollution in the Mediterranean MENA International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships MOSSUP Moroccan Supermarkets Tackling Single-Use Plastics Mt Megaton (millions of tons) NGO Non-Governmental Organization OO Operational Objective PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE OPEX Operational Expenditure OREDD National Observatory of the Environment and Sustainable Development OSPAR Oslo Paris convention for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic OTEDD Observatory of the Environment PC Polycarbonate PE Polyethylene PET Polyethylene terephthalate PMMA Polymethyl methacrylate PNA National Liquid Sanitation and Wastewater Treatment Plan PNDM National Household Waste Program PNL National Coastal Plan PP Polypropylene PPP Public/Private Partnership PUR Polyurethane PVC Polyvinyl chloride RAMED Medical Assistance Scheme RDF Refuse-derived fuels SDGs Sustainable Development Goals SEIS Sharing Environmental Information System SIRED Coastal regions SME Small and medium-size enterprises SNDD National Strategy for Sustainable Development SNGIDMA National Strategy for Integrated Management of Household and Similar Waste SNRVD National Strategy for Waste Reduction and Recovery SO Strategic Objective SRL Regional Coast Plan SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats UNEP United Nations Environment Program UNPRI Principles for Responsible Investment US United States USA United States of America UV Ultraviolet VAT Value-added tax VEC Circular Economy Value VSE Very Small Enterprise WBG World Bank Group WEEE Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Recycling WWF World Wildlife Fund 9 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Credit : Wassim Chaabane 10 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Marine plastic pollution is threatening the potential of the blue economy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. While MENA countries have made efforts to address marine plastic pollution, the region has experienced high waste leakage into the marine environment. On average, people in the MENA countries release 6kg/person of plastic waste every year into the surrounding seas and ocean,1 and the Mediterranean Sea has become a global marine plastic pollution hot-spot. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the situation with the increased use of single-use plastics. If no action is taken, marine plastic pollution will continue to worsen. Recognizing the urgent need to address this problem, the governments of Morocco and Tunisia decided to partner with the World Bank to address marine plastic pollution by taking circular economy approaches. Under this first phase of the Technical Assistance “Cleaner, plastic-free, coastal and marine areas of North Africa,” funded by PROBLUE, the governments initiated efforts to move away from their current linear economies and create circular economies to prevent and reduce marine plastic pollution. Reducing marine plastic pollution makes socioeconomic sense. A systemic change to a circular economy model will help to reduce the demand for new plastics, and thus for fossil fuel production. The use of renewable energy, the replacement of fossil fuel feedstock by biomass feedstock, and enhanced recycling can each reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, new job and business opportunities will arise from developing new product designs and non-plastics alternatives, changing delivery models, and improving recycling technologies. For these reasons, the two countries have decided to use circular economy approaches to address marine plastic pollution and move towards greener, resilient and inclusive development. This report summarizes the experiences of Morocco and Tunisia to address marine plastic pollution and liberate their coastlines from plastics (Littoral Sans Plastique, or LISP) with the first phase of technical assistance by the Bank. The report synthesizes nine technical reports prepared with a view to communicating the main results to practitioners including government officials, researchers, workers in the private sectors, and citizens working to address marine plastic pollution (Figure 1). Further details of analyses contained in this report are found in each technical report. 1. Virtual Regional Workshop on “Marine Plastic Pollution: Challenges and Inspiring Action” 2. International Benchmark Report 3. Identification of Marine Plastic Pollution Hot-spots 4. Assessment on the Status of Marine Plastic Pollution in Morocco 5. Formulation of the Strategy “Plastic Free Coastlines” and its Operational Action Plan for Morocco 6. Agricultural Plastic Waste in Morocco: Specifications for Mechanical Recycling and Good Management Practices at the Farm Level 7. Guidelines for Technical and Economic Feasibility Studies for Plastic Waste Recycling Plants 8. Report on the Opportunities of the Legal and Institutional Framework for the Management of Marine Plastic waste in Morocco 9. Assessment of the Status of Marine Plastic Pollution and Strategic Framework for the Strategy and its Operational Plan in Tunisia 1 World Bank (2022) Blue Skies and Blue Seas 11 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Figure 1 : Technical reports prepared under this technical assistance With technical assistance from the Bank, unique LISP approaches were established to support strategic planning based on assessments on marine plastic pollution. The LISP approaches have the following characteristics: Participatory process, which involves stakeholders across sectors and throughout the plastic value chain: In total, 46 workshops in Morocco and 10 workshops in Tunisia were organized virtually. The use of remote tools amidst the COVID-19 pandemic allowed for broad participation and close consultation with stakeholders This participatory process also led to the creation of a common understanding of the status of marine plastic pollution, and helped with the co-design of strategies and action plans, which are owned by stakeholders. At the same time, the process created a vital space for stakeholders to exchange their knowledge and experience . A participatory assessment on the state of marine plastic pollution: The assessment is based on tools such as the DPSIR analysis and the innovative hot-spotting approach adapted by both countries. The tailor-made hot-spotting methodologies were developed based on the methodologies used by the OSPAR, HELCOM and MEDPOL. A participatory SWOT analysis to analyze challenges and opportunities with the stakeholders. A strategic formulation based on assessment results: The LISP takes a logical approach to formulate vision and strategic objectives and to prepare an operational action plan based on the assessment results. An international benchmarking: The LISP approaches were informed by an international benchmark study, which informed the development of the assessments and the formulation of action plans. 12 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Figure 2 : Participatory co-design process from assessments to the formulation of strategies Using the LISP approaches, Morocco and Tunisia prepared their first assessments of marine plastic pollution. The assessment described the existing plastic value chain, as well as analyzing drivers, pressures, status, and impact, along with current response measures. Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat (SWOT) analyses were conducted to further examine challenges and opportunities of the current mechanisms to address marine plastic pollution. The SWOT analyses helped to identify strategic areas where future actions need to take place. The assessments identified hot-spots and sensitive areas (Figure 4). In Morocco, Casablanca was identified as the Priority Hot-spot while Tanger, Tetounan and Kenitra were categorized as Hot-spots, and Nador, Rabat- Salé, Mohammedia, El Jadida, Safi, Agadir and Sidi Ifni were Sensitive Areas. In Tunisia, Medhia, Monastir, Sfax and Medenine were identified as Priority Hot-spots, while Jendouba , Beja, Ariana , Tunis and Nabeul were classified as Hot-spots and Bizerte, Ben Arous, Sousse, and Gabes were Sensitive Areas. Figure 3 : Results of hot-spot assessments Morocco Tunisia Hot-spot (A): Casablanca. Priority hot-spots: Mehdia, Monastir, Sfax and Medenine Hot-spots (B): Tangier, Tetouan and Kénitra. Hot-spots: Jendouba, Beja, Ariana, Tunis and Nabeul Sensitive Areas (C): Nador, Rabat-Salé, Sensitive Areas: Bizerte, Ben Arous , Sousse , and Gabes Mohammedia, El Jadida, Safi , Agadir and Sidi Ifni Under the assessments, the rate of leakage of plastic waste to the marine environment in Morocco and Tunisia was calculated based on the generation of plastic waste (Figure 5). The assessments focused on macroplastics in solid household waste from land-based sources, which account for a large proportion of total plastic consumption in both countries. Other land-based sources, such as microplastics carried by wastewater, were outside the scope of the assessments. In line with Jambeck et al. (2015), the study used the land-sea delivery rate of 30%. The results showed that the amount of mismanaged plastics is 250 KT/ year in Morocco and 55.5 KT/year in Tunisia. The amount of plastic leakage to the marine environment is estimated to be 75 KT/year in Morocco and 17 KT/year in Tunisia. Internationally, it is estimated that about 80% of plastic waste is originated from land-based sources, and in particular from poorly managed household waste. Considering both land and sea- based sources, the amount potentially deliverable to the sea is thus 100 KT/year (80% of land-based sources and about 20% of marine sources) in Morocco and 22 KT/year in Tunisia. The difference in two countries was primarily due to the population size (Morocco: 36.9 million and Tunisia: 11.7 million). It should also be noted that the amount of plastic waste generated represents nearly 55% of plastics produced in Morocco (680,000 tons of virgin plastic imported and 80,000 tons recycled. No recent data on plastic recycling rate were available in Tunisia. 13 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Figure 4 : Plastic leakage to the marine environment in Morocco and Tunisia morocco morocco (med+atlantic) (med+atlantic) Tunisia Tunisia LAND LAND TO TO SEA SEA LAND LAND TO TO SEA SEA MSW mismanagement MSW mismanagement Mismanaged Mismanaged plastic waste plastic waste MSW mismanagement MSW mismanagement Mismanaged Mismanaged plastic waste plastic waste MSW TotalTotal MSW MSW TotalTotal MSW generated generated Leakage Leakage into the into the generated Mismanaged generated Leakage Leakage into the into the Mismanaged Mismanaged Mismanaged fraction fraction ocean ocean MSW fromfrom MSW fraction of MSW fraction of MSW ocean ocean fromfrom MSW MSW of MSW of MSW Mismanaged Mismanaged Plastic Plastic wastewaste 2 2 0.59 0.59 Mismanaged Mismanaged 3.97 3.97 2.36 2.36 Plastic Plastic Mt/year Mt/year Mt/year Mt/year Plastic Plastic wastewaste Mt/year Mt/year Mt/year Mt/year Plastic Plastic generated generated generated generated 250 250 55.5 55.5 75 75 17 17 kt/year kt/year kt/year kt/year 422 422 kt/year kt/year kt/year kt/year 188 188 kt/year kt/year kt/year kt/year While the assessments confirmed that leakage of mismanaged waste is a significant contributor of marine plastics, it was also found that there is a lack of field data in both countries. For example, field data on microplastics, as well as on the environmental and socioeconomic impact of marine litter and microplastics, were limited for both countries. With regards to plastic waste from sea-based activities, such as discarded fishing nets and waste from ships, the lack of data did not allow for quantitative assessments. Therefore, corresponding indicators were mostly assessed in a qualitative manner. These limitations have guided the identification of specific studies to be conducted during the next phase of the technical assistance to fill these gaps. The following specific studies during the second phase of the technical assistance are recommended: (i) field surveys of macro and microplastics ; (ii) assessments of sea-based sources of marine plastic pollution: (iii) modeling of plastic waste flows from land to sea; (iv) characterization and quantification of macroplastics and microplastics carried by wastewater; (v) market assessments of plastic recycling; (vi) mapping of plastic flows across the value chain; and (vii) assessment of the circular economy value chain to formulate key activities to establish a sustainable circular business model. Based on the assessments, the governments started formulating their respective LISP Strategies and Operational Action Plans (Table 1). These strategies demonstrate their commitment to holistically address marine plastic pollution working from upstream to encourage sustainable consumption and production patterns to downstream in order to improve waste management geared towards preventing leakage of plastics to the environment. Common action areas in the LISP strategies include: (i) enhancing governance and encouraging cooperation across stakeholders (ii) strengthening legal frameworks (iii) improving waste management (iv) recognizing and integrating the informal waste sector (v) improving financing for actions to address marine plastic pollution (vi) improving environmental education and raising awareness about the impacts of marine pollution (vii) enhancing marine litter monitoring programs (viii) strengthening research and innovation. In total, Morocco identified 71 measures and 41 projects, and Tunisia identified 84 measures and 44 projects as part of their respective Operational Action Plans to implement the strategies. 14 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Table 1 : Overview of the LISP Strategies and Action Plans for Morocco and Tunisia Item Morocco Tunisia Reduce plastic leakage into the marine and coastal environment, fulfill Morocco's A plastic-free Tunisian coastline Vision international and regional commitments, and make Morocco a model country for adopting inclusive and sustainable mitigation of marine plastic waste in the region circular models. Strategic Objective 1 Improve governance and strengthen the technical and managerial capacities of coastal local authorities and all stakeholders concerned to ensure integrated, efficient and sustainable management of plastic waste from land and sea sources Strategic Objective 1 Ensure good governance of plastic Strategic Objective 2 waste Prevent and reduce plastic waste through the adoption of circular economy Strategic Objective 2 approaches Design a successful financial model Strategic Objective 3 to prevent and reduce marine plastic Connect and integrate the informal «ecosystem» into the value chain, to help pollution communities, municipalities and waste management companies recover post- Strategic Objective 3 consumer waste in an efficient and more inclusive manner Strengthen the integrated Strategic management of plastic waste from Objectives Strategic Objective 4 land, coastal, and marine sources Strengthen communication, education and awareness of stakeholders on the Strategic Objective 4 impacts of marine debris and on preventive measures to change behaviors and habits Develop research and innovation to regarding the use of single-use plastics and plastic bags combat marine plastic pollution Strategic Objective 5 Strategic Objective 5 Strengthen education, awareness, Strengthen monitoring, research-innovation and knowledge sharing at national and and communication regional level to ensure sustainable management of plastic waste along the value chain Strategic Objective 6 Contribute to the promotion and implementation at regional level (Atlantic Africa and MENA countries) of measures to prevent and reduce plastic pollution from land and marine sources Includes an initial list of 84 measures Includes 71 Measures and 41 projects Action Plan and 44 projects (See Annex 5). (See Annex 7). The journey has just begun. Both Morocco and Tunisia are starting the implementation of their action plans. The technical assistance has helped to identify areas where further analytics could support Morocco and Tunisia in the operationalizing and implementing of LISP strategies and their operational action plans. Table 2 summarizes the priority activities to address critical needs and gaps identified during this first phase All actors, including governments, academia, civil society, and the private sector need to work together. At the same time, cooperation at the regional and international levels is also crucial for addressing this transboundary problem. Sharing of good practices and pooling knowledge, expertise, and resources can help upscale effective solutions. 15 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Table 2 : Proposed technical assistance for the implementation of the LISP strategies and action plans in Morocco and Tunisia during the second phase Morocco Tunisie Develop an investment plan for the implementation Finalize the operational LISP Action Plan based on the of the LISP strategy, including an analysis of barriers strategic framework prepared during the first phase to private investment for the implementation of the LISP strategy Develop a LISP Tunisia communication strategy to Develop a LISP Morocco communication strategy to stimulate transition to a circular economy encourage sustainable consumption and production Conduct a policy and institutional review of the waste patterns through the implementation of the LISP management sector with a focus on plastics and Strategy and Action Plan Conduct analysis for the development of a system political economy issues to unlock barriers for policy for reducing the use of plastics in agriculture reforms and investments. Examine potential economic instruments for Conduct field survey of marine plastic and microplastic phasing out the production and use of single-use pollution in selected hot-spots plastic bags (e.g. levies, discounts to consumers) Strengthen the national monitoring program on Assess the value chain and the contribution of the marine litter and designing a national database informal waste sector to plastic recycling Design pilot activities with at least two coastal Strengthen existing beach litter monitoring program through training and by designing an integrated municipalities to reduce plastic consumption in hotels information management system and other tourism facilities Design a voluntary agreement scheme with tourism and recreational facilities to prevent and reduce the use of single-use plastics The efforts demonstrated by Morocco and Tunisia confirmed their commitments to prevent and reduce marine plastic pollution. It is hoped that the experience described in this report will encourage future actions in MENA as well as other regions to make coastlines clean and plastic-free across the world. There is no time to lose -- more plastic waste is entering into the ocean every day. The countries stand at a crossroads to choose a greener, more resilient, and inclusive development pathway to stop marine plastic pollution and create a more sustainable society. 16 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE CHAPTER 1. CALL FOR ACTION Credit : Wassim Chaabane 17 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 1.1 Cleaner, Plastic-free, Coastal, and Marine areas of North Africa Marine plastic pollution is undermining the potential of the Blue Economy in the Maghreb region. It is not only impacting marine and coastal ecosystems, but society as well. Marine plastic pollution has economic costs, particularly to those blue sectors that rely on ecosystem services. The COVID-19 pandemic has created additional pressures, increasing plastic consumption -- particularly single-use plastics. If the current business-as-usual model continues, the amount of plastics entering the seas surrounding the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries is projected to double by 2025 compared to 2010 levels.2 Recognizing the urgency of addressing marine plastic pollution, the governments of Morocco and Tunisia decided to partner with the World Bank to step up their efforts to address marine plastic pollution and make their coastlines free from plastics (Littoral Sans Plastique or LISP). This cooperation demonstrated the governments’ commitment to address this pressing issue and to transform the current model into a greener, more resilient, and inclusive development model based on the principles of a circular economy. Under the technical assistance “Cleaner, plastic-free, coastal and marine areas of North Africa” funded by PROBLUE, a systematic process (LISP approaches) was established to assess the status of marine plastic pollution and to formulate evidence-based strategies and action plans. The LISP approaches are a participatory method which involves stakeholders across sectors including environment, fisheries, shipping, tourism, and agriculture, as well as actors throughout the plastic value chain including governments, academia, civil society, and the private sector. The LISP approaches allow a participatory assessment of the status of marine plastic pollution and the co-designing of strategic documents that are owned by all stakeholders. Based on the LISP approach, the governments of Morocco and Tunisia have produced their first assessments of the status of marine plastic pollution. Drawing on the results of these assessments, both countries began developing strategies and action plans (LISP Strategies and Action Plans) to prevent and reduce marine plastic pollution. The strategies address the challenges and opportunities identified through the assessment process. This report summarizes the experiences of Morocco and Tunisia in applying the LISP approaches to assess marine plastic pollution and develop strategies and action plans. This is a synthesis of nine technical reports prepared with this technical assistance as described in Figure 5. For both countries, the LISP approaches were applied to assess the status of marine plastic pollution and to identify the opportunities and challenges of current policy and management measures. For Morocco, two additional technical studies were conducted to supplement the assessment: (i) an assessment of policy and institutional arrangements, and (ii) a study of the agricultural use of plastics. All these analyses informed the formulation of strategies and their operational action plans. In addition, complementary Guidelines for Technical and Economic Feasibility Studies for Plastic Waste Recycling Plants were developed to support the development of future recycling projects in line with strategies. 2 World Bank (2021) Blue Skies and Blue Seas 18 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Figure 5 : Matrix of reports in support of PROBLUE activities to reduce plastics pollution in the Maghreb Cleaner, plastic-free, coastal and marine areas of North Africa PDO: To inform national strategies and investments for cleaner, plastic free, marine and coastal areas in North African countries REGIONAL ACTIVITY Virtual Regional Workshop on “Marine Plastic Pollution: Challenges and Inspiring Action ACTIVITY IN MOROCCO International Agriculture Plastic waste in Morocco: Identification of Marine Plastic Specifications for Mechanical Recycling and Benchmark Report Pollution Hot-spots Good Management Practices at the Farm Level Formulation of the Strategy Assessment of the Guidelines for Technical and Guidelines for Technical and “Plastic Free Coastlines” and Status of Marine Plastic Economic Feasibility Studies for Economic Feasibility Studies for its Operational Action Plan for Pollution in Morocco Plastic Waste Recycling Plants Plastic Waste Recycling Plants Morocco ACTIVITY IN TUNISIA Assessment of the Status of Marine Plastic Pollution and Strategic Framework for the Strategy and its Operational Plan in Tunisia This synthesis report is composed of six chapters. Chapter 1 presents the overview and the background of the first phase of the technical assistance, Chapter 2 illustrates the regional overview of marine plastic pollution, Chapter 3 describes the LISP approaches and the assessment methodology, Chapter 4 illustrates the main results of the assessments, Chapter 5 outlines the strategies and their action plans, and Chapter 6 presents possible future actions to address limitations identified in the current phase. The main target audience for this report consists of practitioners who are working to address marine plastic pollution, especially in the MENA region. These include government officials, academic researchers, NGO workers, communities, and those in the private sector who play roles in various stages of the plastic value chain. Readers are invited to use this synthesized report as an overview and an entry point to further technical details in the respective technical reports. The experiences described in this report are testament to Morocco and Tunisia’s commitment to sharing their experience in order to facilitate regional cooperation. Both countries have already started sharing their experiences with neighboring countries in the region. At a regional workshop on “Marine Plastic Pollution: Challenges and Inspiring Action” held on March 24, 2021, the countries that shared their experiences called for stronger cooperation across the region to exchange good practices and upscale existing solutions to address this transboundary issue (Box 1). It is hoped that the efforts made by Morocco and Tunisia described in this report will encourage future actions in the MENA region as well as other regions to work towards clean and plastic-free coastlines across the world. The countries stand at a crossroads to choose a greener, more resilient and inclusive development pathway to stop marine plastic pollution and create a more sustainable society. 19 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Box 1: Regional workshop “Marine Plastic Pollution : Challenges and Inspiring Action” Recognizing that regional cooperation is crucial for addressing marine plastic pollution, the World Bank and the government of Morocco co-organized a pan-regional workshop on “Marine Plastic Pollution: Challenges and Inspiring Actions” on March 24, 2021. The following key messages emerged from the workshop: 1. Urgent actions are required to stop marine plastic pollution, as the COVID-19 pandemic is worsening the situation. Policy reforms, innovative technology, and financing mechanisms are required to build a greener, more resilient, and inclusive economic recovery. 2. Coordination and cooperation at the regional and international levels are essential to address marine plastic pollution. Information sharing and exchange of good practices, like this workshop, help upscale solutions. 3. Throughout the plastic value chain, all actors need to work together to ensure a sustainable transition to a circular economy. The private sector plays a crucial role in crafting innovative solutions such as redesigning of products. To further gauge the opinions of regional and international stakeholders, a survey was conducted during the regional workshop. In total, 34 people participated in the survey. The results showed that effective regional coordination was ranked as the most important pathway for addressing marine plastic pollution, with a weighted average of 2.7, followed by capitalization on country experiences to optimize efforts (2.65) and harmonization of approaches (2.53) (Figure 6). These results reconfirmed that regional cooperation and coordination are crucial to addressing marine plastic pollution. For further information, see Section III of the report “Virtual Regional Workshop on Marine Plastic Pollution: Challenges and Inspiring Action”. Figure 6 : Survey results of the opinion of participants in the regional workshop “Marine Plastic Pollution: Challenges and Inspiring Action Good regional Harmonization Organisation of Establishment of a regional coordination of approaches regional meetings plastic de-pollution on this time fund WEIGHTED AVERAGE 2.53 2.50 2.47 2.7 2.65 2.50 2.41 2.35 Capitalization on Coordinated The establishment of Establishment of a country experiences to mobilisation of funding a Regional Information Regional platform for optimize efforts System on marine sharing information and plastic debris based on approaches to combat the MEDOL, OSPAR and marine plastic pollution IMAP approaches 20 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE CHAPTER 2. MARINE PLASTIC POLLUTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Credit : Wassim Chaabane 21 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE This chapter presents an overview of the status of marine plastic pollution in the MENA region. Further technical details can be found in the International Benchmark Study3 prepared under the technical assistance, as well as in the Blue Skies and Blue Seas report 4 . 2.1 Coastal areas as economic centers The Mediterranean Sea and North Atlantic oceans surrounding the Maghreb region, have played an essential role in the growth and development of vibrant civilizations, rich in culture and history. Historically, the population in MENA has been concentrated in coastal areas. Today, 50% of people in the region live within 100 km of the coastline. In the Maghreb, the proportion is much higher, reaching 65% in Morocco and 85% in Tunisia5. Across the region, the ocean and the sea are driving socioeconomic growth. Blue sectors operating in the marine and coastal areas have thus been important economic levers in the region. Sectors such as coastal tourism, fishing, shipping, and port operation have been integral economic drivers. In Morocco, 81% of the country’s industrial units are located in coastal areas, contributing 52% of employment and 59% of GDP6. Similarly, in Tunisia, 80% of economic activities are concentrated in coastal areas, providing 80% of all tourist accommodations and accounting for a significant share of its irrigated agriculture7. However, the socioeconomic pressure concentrated in the coastal areas has led to the degradation of marine and coastal ecosystems. A conspicuous sign of this degradation is marine plastic pollution. 2.2 Increasing plastic leakage Marine plastic pollution is driven by exponential growth in plastic production and consumption. Globally, plastic production has increased from 2 Mt in 1950 to 380 Mt in 20158. While the material characteristics of plastics make it favorable for a range of products, much of plastic items end up in the environment. An estimate has shown that 75-199 million tons of plastics are already in the marine environment9. If the current business-as-usual model continues, the amount of plastic waste entering aquatic ecosystems is projected to triple to 23-37 million tons by 2040 as compared with 9-14 million tons in 201610. Following the global trend, marine plastic pollution in MENA will worsen if the business-as-usual model continues. On average, residents in MENA contribute more than 6 kg of plastic waste to the surrounding marine environment every year, making the region the highest contributor to marine plastic pollution among all regions11 . The Mediterranean Sea is estimated to have more than one million tons of plastics in its water 12 and is fast becoming one of the global hot-spots of marine plastic pollution. The sea receives 730 tons of waste per day, of which more than 95% is plastics13. Plastic waste generation is driven by growing population in the region. Previous studies have indicated that plastic waste will grow more quickly than many governments’ abilities to manage that waste. In most countries in Africa, the volume of imported plastics is growing almost linearly. Figure 7 illustrates the trend in Morocco and Tunisia, with a projection of 1.2 million tons and 70,000 tons of plastic imports respectively. With the increase in plastic consumption, the amount of plastic waste is also expected to grow. In 2010, the total amount of poorly managed plastic waste on the African continent was 4.4 Mt14. It is expected that between 2020 and 2030, that the continent will hold approximately 164.7 Mt of plastic15. Without taking actions throughout the plastic value chain, marine plastic pollution will certainly worsen in the region. 3 World Bank (2022) Littoral sans plastiques : Rapport de benchmark international (forthcoming) 4 World Bank (2022) Blue Skies and Blue Seas (forthcoming) 5 Word Bank (2021). Disappearing coasts in the Maghreb: Coastal erosion and its costs 6 World Bank (2021) Diagnosis of the blue economy in Morocco 7 UNDP(2020) Engaging private sector in NDC implementation – Assessment of private sector investment potential for the water sector in coastal areas 8 Geyer, R., Jambeck, J. R., & Law, K. L. (2017). Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made. Science advances, 3(7), e1700782. 9 UNEP (2021) From Pollution to Solution: A global assessment of marine litter and plastic pollution. Nairobi. 10 The Pew Charitable Trust and SystemIQ (2020) Breaking the Plastic Wave. A comprehensive assessment of pathways towards stopping ocean plastic pollution 11 World Bank (2022) Blue Skies and Blue Seas (forthcoming) 12 IUCN (2020) The Mediterranean: Mare plasticum 13 UNEP/MAP-Plan Blue (2020) State of the Environment and Development in the Mediterranean. Available at: https://planbleu.org/wp-content/ uploads/2021/04/SoED_full-report.pdf 14 Jambeck JR, Geyer R, Wilcox C, Siegler TR, Perryman M, Andrady A, Narayan R, Law KL (2015) Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean. Science 347:768–771 15 Babayemi, J. O., Nnorom, I. C., Osibanjo, O., & Weber, R. (2019). Ensuring sustainability in plastics use in Africa: consumption, waste generation, and projections. Environmental Sciences Europe, 31(1), 1-20. 22 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Figure 7 : Plastic import volume and its projections in Morocco and Tunisia 1400 000 800 000 Import (1993-2016) Projection Import (1991-2017) Projection 1200 000 700 000 1000 000 600 000 800 000 500 000 600 000 400 000 400 000 300 000 200 000 100 000 0 0 1993 2003 2013 2023 2030 1991 2001 2011 2021 2030 (a) Morocco (b) Tunisia (Source: Babayemi 2019)16 COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating marine plastic pollution due to increased plastic consumption. The pandemic has led to an increase in medical waste, in the form of higher use and subsequent disposal of personal protective equipment, and of single-use plastics. Plastic items such as masks, gloves, and hand- sanitizer bottles have been added to a waste management system that is already struggling with enormous pre-pandemic volume. Globally, an estimated 3.4 billion single-use facemasks and face shields have been discarded every day due to the pandemic17, and some portions of mismanaged waste are entering the marine environment. 2.3 Ecological and socio-economic impacts Marine plastic pollution has direct and indirect biological and ecological impacts. Globally, over 800 species18 including marine mammals, fish, seabirds, turtles, algae, zooplankton and crustacea are known to be affected. Biological impacts stem from entanglement, ingestion, smothering, rafting of pathogenic organisms, and exposure to chemicals associated with plastics. The level of impact depends on the type and size of plastics as well as the habitat types19. The potential human health impacts from accumulation of microplastics through the marine food chain is of particular concern, as ingestion of fish and shellfish often contribute to human exposure to microplastics 20. Marine plastic pollution also has socioeconomic impacts. Given that coastal populations depend on ecosystem services from marine and coastal ecosystems, it is clear that ecological impacts translate into socio-economic impacts. Previously, the WWF (2019)21 estimated that marine plastic pollution costs Mediterranean countries some EUR 641 million annually. The costs to tourism amount to EUR 268 million/ year due to reduced attractiveness and increased clean-up costs. Because of the disruption of fishing operations stemming from clogged engines and tangled fishing nets, marine plastic pollution also costs fisheries in the Mediterranean region some EUR 138 million/year 22. 16 Babayemi, J. O., Nnorom, I. C., Osibanjo, O., & Weber, R. (2019). Ensuring sustainability in plastics use in Africa: consumption, waste generation, and projections. Environmental Sciences Europe, 31(1), 1-20. 17 Benson, N. U., Bassey, D. E., & Palanisami, T. (2021). COVID pollution: impact of COVID-19 pandemic on global plastic waste footprint. Heliyon, 7(2), e06343. 18 CBD (2016) Marine Debris: Understanding, Preventing and Mitigating The Significant Adverse Impacts on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity. Available at: https://www.cbd.int/doc/publications/cbd-ts-83-en.pdf 19 UNEP(2021) From Pollution to Solution: A global assessment of marine litter and plastic pollution. Nairobi. 20 Landrigan, P. J., Stegeman, J. J., Fleming, L. E., Allemand, D., Anderson, D. M., Backer, L. C., ... & Rampal, P. (2020). Human health and ocean pollution. Annals of global health, 86(1). 21 WWF(2019) Stop the Flood of Plastic. How Mediterranean countries can save their sea. Available at: https://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/a4_plastics_ reg_low.pdf 22 WWF (2019). Stop the Flood of Plastic. How Mediterranean countries can save their sea. Available at: https://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/a4_ plastics_reg_low.pdf . In this report the Mediterranean region refers to all 22 countries and territories comprising the Mediterranean. 23 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 2.4 Circular economy approaches to address marine plastic pollution To combat marine plastic pollution, MENA countries have already taken various actions, including legal measures, initiatives, programs and projects. Morocco, for example, has ratified 27 conventions, protocols, and agreements. In MENA and Africa regions, a range of market-based fiscal and regulatory instruments have been used to promote sustainable production and consumption patterns, including taxes, subsidies, extended producer responsibility (EPR) (Annex 1), and deposit refund schemes (Annex 2). These actions aim to reduce the production and consumption of plastics before they enter the waste stream. In addition to legal responses, there are a growing number of initiatives and projects, including those involving civil society, to address marine plastic pollution at the national, regional, and international levels (Box 2). Box 2 : Existing projects to address marine plastic pollution in the Maghreb A stocktaking of the existing projects in the Maghreb region was conducted to identify existing efforts and to analyze stages of plastic value chain efforts in the region. The study identified 43 initiatives related to efforts to address marine plastic pollution. The analysis showed that most of the current projects and initiatives in the Maghreb region focus on the use and end of life treatment of plastic. While there is an urgent need to improve waste management to prevent the leakage of mismanaged waste into the marine environment, further upstream interventions such as those targeting the production of plastics are needed to enable transformation across the plastic value chain. Neither downstream nor upstream solutions alone can fully address marine plastic pollution. To better address marine plastic pollution, however, a systematic transition from the current linear economy model to a circular economy model is needed. As opposed to the current linear model of production, use and disposal, a circular economy model seeks to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastic materials as much as possible to create a closed loop system. The transition to a circular model requires actions across the entire plastic value chain involving all stakeholders from plastic producers to waste management actors. This means that there is no single solution, and change needs to take place at all stages of the value chain. Upstream solutions are focused on reducing unnecessary and avoidable use of plastics and addressing the issue of the low cost of virgin plastic production due to fossil fuel subsidies. At the same time, the capacity of municipal solid waste management needs to be enhanced to prevent and reduce the leakage of mismanaged waste to the environment. Improving waste management system is a key element to reduce marine plastic pollution in the MENA region, along with efforts to reduce unnecessary production and use of plastics. According to Geyer (2017)23, about 55% of the world’s plastic waste was landfilled, 25% incinerated and 20% recycled. By 2050, incineration and recycling rates are projected to reach 50% and 44% respectively. While MENA has the potential to improve recycling rates, financial profitability could prevent the industry from investing in recycling. The economic viability of plastic recycling depends on various factors, including: (i) the price of virgin plastics, which is influenced by the price of oil, (ii) the cost of recycling, compared to disposal; (iii) the amount and quality of the plastic waste supply; and (iv) the cost of separation and transportation to recycling centers. This means that if recycling is not financially feasible, a subsidy from public institutions would be necessary to incentivize recycling projects (Box 3). 23 Geyer, R., Jambeck, J. R., & Law, K. L. (2017). Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made. Science advances, 3(7), e1700782. 24 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Box 3 : Guidelines for technical and economic feasibility studies Guidelines for technical and economic feasibility studies for the recycling of plastic waste in Morocco were prepared to provide plastic waste recycling project developers, administrative managers in the recycling sector, federations and associations concerned with recycling, bankers, and the private sector with a tool to carry out technical and economic feasibility studies on recycling projects. This was a direct response to the gap identified throughout the international benchmark and assessment process which indicated limited economic profitability of recycling projects. The guidelines describe steps to (i) evaluate available plastic waste; (ii) identify sources of plastic waste;; (iii) conduct market analyses; (iv) choose technology; (v) identify equipment required for different recycling procedures; (vi) set up an organizational structure; (vii) calculate financial profitability; (viii) conduct cost-benefit analysis of a project; (ix) perform risk analysis, and (x) create a circular business model. The guidelines include a case study in Souss-Massa region Morocc. The case study shows how an existing recycling company could practically perform these analyses. This medium-sized company has a production capacity of 3 tons/day and adopts an extrusion-granulation-process that converts plastics into recycled end products (drip irrigation pipes). The types of plastic waste processed are low density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS). In addition, a questionnaire was conducted by the Association Marocaine de Recyclage et de Valorisation des Déchets Plastiques (AMPR) (Morrocan Association of Plastic Waste Recovery) to supplement the information. The main findings are as follows: Break-even point: At a rate of 600 tons/year, a recycling unit will only be profitable if it achieves income of more than 5,800,000 MAD (US$580,000) to process or transform a raw material quantity of 507 tons of plastic waste and 80 tons of virgin plastic. This company had taken a safe approach by starting with a small production capacity and plans to increase it over time. However, this approach may not be the most economically viable approach because the size or capacity of production is critical to the profitability of the project -- and generally, the smaller the capacity, the lower the profitability of the project. Market analysis: According to the professionals interviewed, market studies are generally carried out for plastic waste recycling projects. These studies analyze the market, demand, supply, suppliers, and opportunities and threats, such as changes in the price of virgin plastic, changes in plastic usage patterns, and possible changes in regulations and legislation. According to AMPR, the main elements to be considered are the the quality required by customers and the import price of similar products. Risk analysis: According to the professionals, risk analysis is generally performed for plastic waste recycling projects. This analysis covers both internal risks (technical, organizational and management) and external risks (suppliers, market, customers, and regulations). The internal risks are generally manageable, while the external risks can be substantial and particularly influenced by falling prices of virgin plastics. For further information, please see the technical report: “Guidelines for technical and economic feasibility studies for the recycling of plastic waste in Morocco”. Transition to a circular economy model to address marine plastic pollution has multiple co-benefits. First, it will help address climate change. More than 99% of all plastics are manufactured from fossil fuels such as oil and gas24. Thus, plastics emit carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and other GHGs at all stages of their life cycle, from the extraction and refining of fossil fuels, through the energy-intensive processes to produce plastic resins, to disposal, incineration and potential leakage of plastic waste into the environment (Figure 8). If the current trend of global plastic production continues, greenhouse gas emissions from plastic production between 2015 and 2050 will amount to over 56 billion Mt - equivalent to 10 to 13% of the global carbon budget25. However, a transition to a circular economy model can reduce GHG emission with the use of renewable energy, recycling, and reduction of plastic demand, along with the replacement of fossil fuel feedstock by biomass26. 24 Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, (2020) La Fabrique Écologique and Break Free from Plastic. The plastic atlas. Available at: https://ma.boell.org/fr/atlas-du- plastique 25 Hamilton, L.A., Feit, S., Muffett, C., Kelso, M. (2019) Plastic & Climate: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet. Center of International Environmental Law. 26 Zheng, J., & Suh, S. (2019). Strategies to reduce the global carbon footprint of plastics. Nature Climate Change, 9(5), 374-378. 25 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Figure 8 : Estimated amounts of greenhouse gases released in CO2 at each stage of the plastic life cycle 1085 MtCO2E® E® 161 MtCO 2 535 MtCO2E® INCINERATION RECYCLING LANDFILL EXTRACTION REFINING MANUFACTURE USE MISMANAGEMENT Environnement -Unacocounted for in current published analyses - Zheng and Suh, 2019 * Yhe amount stored use and released when the plastic enters the natural environment is largelv unknown *The amount stored during use and released when the plastic enters the natural environment is largely unknown (Source: Ford et al., 2021)27 Box 4 : Marine plastic pollution and climate change Marine plastic pollution exacerbates existing climate vulnerability, including coastal and riverine flooding caused by sea level rise, increased rainfall, hurricanes, typhoons and other extreme events. Poorly managed plastic waste in densely populated cities can clog drains and lead todeteriorating storm drainage systems, especially during storms and heavy rains. Simultaneously, extreme weather events can contribute to the spread of plastic waste including microplastics in the environment. A recent study in Sanggou Bay, China showed that microplastics in seawater and sediment increased as much as 40% after a typhoon28. The leakage of solid waste, including plastics, from coastal landfills to the sea could worsen with sea-level rise29 and intensifying rain and winds. This is a growing concern, as many landfills are located close to the coasts. Despite the linkages, climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and marine plastic pollution are often addressed separately, and policy measures are independently formulated for each issue30. A more integrated approach is needed for effective and resource-efficient policymaking to develop a climate- resilient blue economy for coastal communities. A transition to a circular economy model will also open up opportunities for job creation. New job and business opportunities will arise from the new design of products; development and use of alternative materials to plastics; change of delivery and production models; repair and reuse to extend product life; and improved collection and recycling technologies. An increase in plastic value through improved recyclability through a circular model will also be beneficial to informal workers who primarily contribute to plastic recycling. It will help integrate informal workers into the formal waste management system, thus improving working conditions31. Recycling and recovery of plastic waste present particular opportunities for MENA countries to create new jobs. Previous studies have demonstrated that recycling and recovery can produce jobs at higher income levels than those found with landfilling or incinerating waste jobs. A study in California, USA, found that collection, processing, and manufacturing of products with recycled materials as feedstock creates 6 27 Ford, H. V., Jones, N. H., Davies, A. J., Godley, B. J., Jambeck, J. R., Napper, I. E., ... & Koldewey, H. J. (2022). The fundamental links between climate change and marine plastic pollution. Science of The Total Environment, 806, 150392. 28 Wang, J., Lu, L., Wang, M., Jiang, T., Liu, X., & Ru, S. (2019). Typhoons increase the abundance of microplastics in the marine environment and cultured organisms: a case study in Sanggou Bay, China. Science of the Total Environment, 667, 1-8. 29 Stringfellow, A., Gonéri Le Cozannet, B. G. R. M., Orleans, F., Arns, A., Spencer, K. L., Reinhart, D., & Heimovaara–CITG, T. (2021). COASTAL LANDFILLS AND RISING SEA LEVELS: A CHALLENGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. 30 Yoshioka, N., Era, M., & Sasaki, D. (2021). Towards Integration of Climate Disaster Risk and Waste Management: A Case Study of Urban and Rural Coastal Communities in the Philippines. Sustainability, 13(4), 1624. 31 SYSTEMIQ, P. C. T. (2020). Breaking the plastic wave: A comprehensive assessment of pathways towards stopping ocean plastic pollution. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. 26 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE to 13 or more jobs per 1,000 tons of waste, depending on the type of material, as compared to less than one job created from waste collection and landfill disposal32 . The working conditions and salary for workers in recycling and recovery activities are generally improved compared to landfilling and incineration33. The current shortfall in recycling means that the region is missing out on job-creation opportunities. Box 5 : Socioeconomic benefits of improved plastic waste management in Africa Africa has the potential to use waste for energy generation, compost and recycle to convert waste into valuable assets34. By doing so, African countries can address waste management challenges and at the same time unlock socioeconomic potentials for wealth generation and job creation. However, only 4% of total waste generated is currently recycled, despite 70 to 80% of the total municipal solid waste generated being recyclable35 . It is reported that 90% of waste is deposited in uncontrolled landfills. UNEP (2018)36 assessed four scenarios to evaluate the economic value of plastic waste recycling in Africa: scenario 1 (status quo, with a recycling rate of 4%); scenario 2 (20% recycled or recovered); scenario 3 (50% recycled or recovered), and scenario 4 (100% recycled or recovered). The total municipal solid waste stream considered was 125 million tons, of which plastic comprised 16.2 million tons. The results showed that the total resource values of the plastic waste stream were 175 million US$/year (Scenario 1), 1.1 billion US$/year (Scenario 2), 2.2 billion US$/year (Scenario 3), and 4.4 billion US$/year (Scenario 4). Annual tonnage recovered per year was 650,000 tons/year (Scenario 1), 4.1 million tons/year (Scenario 2), 8.1 million tons/year (Scenario 3) and 16.3 million tons/ year (Scenario  4) (as shown in Figure 9). Given the fact that Africa currently recycles approximately 4% of waste (Scenario 1), approximately 15.65 million tons/year of potentially recoverable plastics are currently disposed and not recovered. Thus, each year $4.2 billion in valuable plastic resources are currently lost. Figure 9 : Total resource value for plastic waste under four different scenarios) 4.1 million tons/year 100% 8.1 million 650,000 50% tons/year tons/year 25% 16.3 million 4% tons/year Tond of plastics in MSW 175 million US$/Year 1.1 billion US$/Year 2.2 billion US$/Year 4.4 billion US$/Year (Source: UNEP (2018) Box 6 What is the difference between the circular economy and recycling? While the circular economy is often associated with the concept of recycling, it involves other actions such as sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, and refurbishing existing materials38. In differentiating the circular economy and recycling from other approaches, Ellen MacArthur Foundation pointed out that “Recycling begins at the end - the ‘get rid’ stage of a product’s lifecycle. The circular economy, however, goes right back to the beginning to prevent waste and pollution from being created in the first place. In the face of our current environmental challenges, recycling won’t be enough to overcome the sheer amount of waste we produce”39. Thus, in the circular economy, focus should be given to preventing waste and avoiding the recycling stage as much as possible . Upstream actions such as legal measures, economic incentives and awareness raising efforts to promote sustainable production and consumptions patters are crucial for a transition towards the circular economy model. 32 NRDC (2014). From Waste to Jobs: What Achieving 75 Percent Recycling means for California. Boston. Available at: https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/ files/green-jobs-ca- recycling-report.pdf 33 DST (2014). A National Waste R&D and Innovation Roadmap for South Africa: Phase 2 Waste RDI Roadmap. The economic benefits of moving up the waste management hierarchy in South Africa: The value of resources lost through landfilling. Department of Science and Technology, Pretoria. Available at : https://wasteroadmap.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/economic_value_sa_waste_rep.pdf 34 Mohee, R., & Simelane, T. (Eds.). (2015). Future directions of municipal solid waste management in Africa. Africa Institute of South Africa. 35 UNEP (2018) Africa Waste Management Outlook. Available at: https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/25514 36 UNEP (2018) Africa Waste Management Outlook. Available at: https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/25514 37 European Parliament (2021) Circular economy: definition, importance and benefits. Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/ economy/20151201STO05603/circular-economy-definition-importance-and-benefits 38 Ellen MacArthur Foundation (n.d.) Recycling and the circular economy: what’s the difference? Available at: https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/ articles/recycling-and-the-circular-economy-whats-the-difference 39 World Economic Forum (2019) For a true circular economy, we must redefine waste. Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/11/build- circular-economy-stop-recycling/ 27 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE CHAPTER 3. THE LITTORAL SANS PLASTIQUE (LISP) APPROACHES Credit : Wassim Chaabane 28 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 3.1 The Littoral Sans Plastique (LISP) Approaches 3.1.1 Overview of the Littoral Sans Plastique Approaches The LISP (Littoral Sans Plastique) approaches were developed as a systematic framework to support governments in formulating strategies and action plans based on scientific assessments. The overall objective of the LISP approaches is to realize a plastic-free coastline by promoting a circular economy model that will prevent and reduce marine plastic pollution. Thus, the LISP approaches support the identification of action areas and measures across the plastic value chain. The LISP approaches follow a logical flow from assessments to strategic planning. The process begins with an assessment of the status of marine plastic pollution (diagnostics), using indicators, and then moves to the development of strategies and action plans to address bottlenecks that have been identified through the diagnostics (Figure 10). This logical process allows evidence-based action planning. The LISP strategies set a vision and strategic objectives based on the challenges and opportunities identified through the assessment. To implement these strategies, operational action plans are developed, along with operational objectives, as well as priority measures and projects to achieve them. Figure 10 : Morocco: Logic of the LISP strategy formulation and its operationalization plan Benchmark Diagnosis Hotspo ing Marine debris monitoring indicators Strategic issues and directions LISP Vision 2030 strategic scope Strategic Objectives (SO) Monitoring - Reporting 0S1 0S2 ----- ----- 0Sn (Operational Action Plan (Operational Objectives) Operational scope Implementation MEASURES PROJECTS indicators targets M&E 29 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE CONTINUOUS EXCHANGE WITH STAKEHOLDERS Figure 11 : Stakeholder participation throughout the process of the LISP approaches This co-designing approach also creates opportunities for capacity development for stakeholders throughout the process. Stakeholders are involved from the assessment stage to the development of strategic documents by contributing and validating the products. This allows stakeholders to understand the assessment methodology, processes, and results as well as the steps for formulating strategy and an action plan. The organization that is coordinating the LISP processes will have an opportunity to exercise cross-sectoral cooperation, bringing in relevant sectors and to build multi-stakeholder partnership with stakeholder groups such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector. The participatory process creates a space for knowledge exchange and a network of stakeholders. LISP approaches involve a series of stakeholder workshops where a range of actors across sectors and institutions get together. These workshops could serve as a space for knowledge and information exchange and become a platform for networking and coordination among actors working on marine plastic pollution. The LISP approaches are designed to serve as a transferrable exemplar that can be used across countries in the Maghreb and beyond to address marine plastic pollution. The LISP approaches, including the assessment methodology, could be used for other countries to take stock of the current knowledge on marine plastic pollution based on existing data in the country and to formulate actionable strategy. This allows for flexible planning and rapid shifts towards implementation, even in the absence of complete data and knowledge. Thus, the LISP approaches could be particularly useful for countries where data and quantitative information are limited. The approaches maximize the use of stakeholders’ knowledge as well as existing data in the country. This method does not rely on large-scale field surveys, which could be difficult to organize under health restrictions such as those related to the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, the lack of new field data may limit the depth of the analyses on the status of marine plastic pollution if there have not been sufficient previous studies. 3.2 Assessment methodology In this section, the LISP methodology and its development process are presented. The methodology development started with the preparation of an international benchmark study (Section 3.2.1). Building on the international benchmark and on existing assessment methods, Morocco established a process for the LISP diagnostic to assess the state of marine plastic pollution (Section 3.2.2). 30 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 3.2.1 International benchmark study The development of the LISP approaches started with an international benchmarking study. The study aimed at providing an overview of the experience across the world to help assessments and strategic planning. The study identified international good practices and experiences with regard to key themes including: (i) the drivers -- and the environmental and socioeconomic impacts -- of marine plastic pollution; (ii) approaches and measures to address marine plastic pollution; (iii) pathways of marine plastic pollution, including land- based and sea-based sources; (iv) the application of a circular economy model; (v) existing regulatory and economic instruments; and (vi) experiences with the integration and inclusion of the informal waste sector. This study informed the development of the assessment methodology, including the hot-spot method tailored to Morocco and Tunisia. 3.2.2 Methodology for the diagnostics on the status of marine plastic pollution Under the LISP approaches, assessments serve as a first step in the strategic planning process. They help to identify potentials and constraints for addressing marine plastic pollution by analyzing environmental, social, economic and governance issues. The assessments also focus on stakeholder analysis to examine the roles of government institutions, associations, and the private sector, each of which is working to address marine plastic pollution. The assessment relies mainly on existing data and is conducted primarily through desktop literature review. To supplement this data, questionnaires can be used to collection information from key stakeholders across sectors. In Morocco and Tunisia, face-to-face meetings were also organized with key stakeholders to identify or verify specific data where necessary. This approach enabled assessments of the status of marine plastic pollution, even though the COVID-19 pandemic prevented extensive field data collection. The primary focus of the assessment under LISP approaches is macroplastics40. If there are existing studies on microplastics in the country, it could be possible to include them to assess the status of microplastic pollution and formulate specific measures as needed. The LISP assessment uses four main analyses: (i) analysis of the current plastic value chain in the country; (ii) Drivers, Pressure, Status, Impact and Response (DPSIR) analysis, (iii) hot-spot analysis, and (iv) SWOT analysis. These analytical frameworks guide the formulation of strategies and action plans by answering three essential questions: (i) where to intervene; (ii) what to do; and (iii) how to do it (Figure 12). Figure 12 : Key steps and questions guiding the development of LISP strategies Assessment • Status of the plastic value chain where to • DPSIR analysis intervene • Hotspotting • SWOT analysis • Current responses • Gaps • New interventions to fill gaps What to • Prioritization of actions do ? Purpose: To focus on interventions and address the entire value chain in a systematic way, including the sources, use and/or end-of-life of plastics. Key strategies and modalities for operationalization, including stakeholder How to engagement and identification of appropriate regulatory, financial, or do it? informational measures to implement action plans 40 This refers to plastics that are bigger than (>5mm) and excludes microplastics (<5mm). 31 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 3.2.2.1 Analysis of the plastic value chain The first step of the assessment is to describe the plastic value chain in the country. The LISP assessment starts by describing the plastic industry in the country, including the main sectors that use plastics. It next identifies waste management practices, as well as linkages between different stages. This allows the diagnostics to identify challenges and opportunities of the current plastic value chain in the country to facilitate moving towards a more circular model. In Morocco and Tunisia, all linkages in the value chain were examined: production, use, waste generation, collection, recycling, recovery, and disposal (Figure  13). For Morocco and Tunisia, this analysis also focused on the stakeholders involved, particularly the informal sector. The informal waste sector involves informal waste pickers (Chiffonniers in Morocco and Barbachas in Tunisia), intermediaries, and the informal industrial sector located downstream of the sector. This analysis identified bottlenecks, including the lack of equality in benefit sharing and competitiveness in the sector, and informed the formulation of measures to integrate the informal sector into the formal economy in the Action Plans (See Chapter 5). Figure 13 : Plastic value chain41 Transportation 6.7% Consumar and Recycling and reuse institutional goods 11.9% Leakage Return of recycled Packaging Building and polymers to the 44.8% construction 23m manufacturer 18.8% Incineration LandfilL tonnes of chimicals added Textiles 13.2% Electrical and 99% less than 1% electronic 3.8% Of plastic is of plastics is sourced sourced from oil from biomass Industrial machinery 0.8% Copyright 1 Raw material production 2 Manbufacture and use 3 Disposal and end of lige treatement Collection Raw Monomer Polymer Plastic Production of plastic Use sorting and And of life Material production Production conversion products recycling Raw Monomer Polymer Plastic material Plastic converters Consumers Wast management campagnie producers producers producers processors UNPRI and Anthesis 2019 41 UNPRI (2019) The Plastics Landscape: Risks and Opportunities along the Value Chain. Available at: https://www.unpri.org/ plastics/risks-and-opportunities-along-the-plastics-value-chain/4774.article 32 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 3.2.2.2 Drivers, Pressure, Status, Impact and Response (DPSIR) Analysis The next step of the LISP diagnostics is the analysis of Drivers, Pressure, Status, Impact and Response (DPSIR). This analytical framework served as the backbone of the assessment, given its robustness and logical structure based on causal principles. The general model of DPSIR is illustrated in Figure 14. The objective of this analysis is to examine current response measures for pressures and impacts and their effectiveness in identify existing gaps in the system. In this way, the analysis serves as a crucial step for building a targeted strategy and action plan. The analytical framework uses a series of indicators related to drivers, pressures, state, and impacts. Typically, the DPSIR analysis starts with the identification of drivers (D) and pressures (P) leading to the current status of marine plastic pollution. Human activities on land and at sea in key sectors, including fisheries, tourism, shipping, and agriculture, are examined. To analyze the environmental state (S), the level of leakage of mismanaged plastic waste to the marine environment is assessed. Subsequently the current state of knowledge of the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of marine plastic pollution (I) is described. Finally, the analysis of current response measures (R) is conducted. These response measures include current legal and institutional frameworks as well as existing projects and initiatives in the country to address marine plastic pollution. Transportation Energy Housing Food Recreational Activities FORCES Strategy Managerial measures Regulatory Navigation Fishing Figure 14 : The DSPIR measures RESPONSES Aquaculture Tourism PRESSURES Waste generation model adopted for marine plastic COSTS pollution BENEFITS Loss of ecosystem services IMPACTS Navigation STATE Plastic marine debris (floating, in the Entanglement/Ingestion water column, on the sea floor) Chemical e ects Chemical contamination 3.2.2.3 Hot-spot analysis The third main analysis of the LISP model consists of a hot-spot analysis. An innovative tailor-made method for hot-spot analysis was developed under this Technical Assistance to help with assessments and to identify priority intervention locations. The identification of hot-spots gives a clearer picture of the status of marine plastic pollution and complements the DPSIR analysis, particularly on the analysis of the status (S). The results of hot-spot analyses help countries prioritize geographical areas for targeted intervention. The methodology adopted by the LISP approaches was based on the principles and approaches developed by UNEP/MAP (2014)42 and those adopted by the OSPAR and HELCOM region43. More explicitly, this methodology is based on two key assessments: i. An assessment of the concentration or abundance of marine debris, according to OSPAR guidelines. This involves identifying and quantifying the items and activities that are sources of marine debris (fishing activities, recreational activities and tourism such as beach use, use of single-use plastics, beverage bottles or plastic shopping bags, and others). 42 UNEP/MAP (2014) Proposed updated criteria to asses hotspots and sensitive areas (UNEP(DEPI)/MED/WG.404/3) 43 Schernewski G., Balciunas A., Gräwe D. et al. (2018) Beach macro-litter monitoring on southern Baltic beaches: results, experiences and recommendations. J Coast Conserv. 22: 5–25 ; Schulz M., Walvoort DJJ., Barry J., David M. Fleet DM., Willem M.G.M. van Loon WMGM.(2019) Baseline and power analyses for the assessment of beach litter reductions in the European OSPAR region. Environmental Pollution, 248: 555-564 33 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE ii. The assessment of the criteria, under different categories (public health, environmental status, economy), were considered by the Program for the Assessment and Control of Marine Pollution in the Mediterranean (MEDPOL) to determine the hot-spots and sensitive areas of land-based pollution in the Mediterranean. It should be noted that this assessment focuses primarily on land-based sources of plastic pollution. Both of these criteria and their scoring was adapted to plastic waste from household solid waste, as most of the plastic waste that reaches to the marine environment is generated by poorly managed solid waste. The hot-spot analysis uses 14 main DPSIR indicator groups in three areas: (i) drivers/pressures; (ii) environmental status; and (iii) socio-economic impact. Each indicator is evaluated based on the classification criteria ( Table 3) and ranked on a scale between 1 and 4 (1 being negligible, and 4 being severe). The scoring of indicators is weighted in consideration of relative importance (Table 4). Once data for indicators are completed, an assessment matrix is drawn up. The total scoring range for a site is 60-178 points. Based on the total score, sites can be classified as follows: (i) Priority hot-spots (178-150); (ii) hot-spots (149-121); (iii) sensitive areas (120-93); and (iv) non-hot-spots (92-60). Table 3 : Scoring method of a hot-spot analysis Indicator Score : 1 Score : 2 Score : 3 Score : 4 Drivers and Pressures Pop. < 20 000 Population between 20,000 Population between 1) Population Population > 200,000 inhabitants and 100,000 100,000 and 200,000 2) Waste management: Quantity of waste not properly managed (Quantity Q mg< 20,000 t/ 40 000< Qmg <60 000 20,000< Qmg <40,000 t/year Qmg > 60,000 t/year put in an open dump + quantity not year t/year collected) Amount of Quantity of uncollected Amount of Quantity of uncollected uncollected plastic waste is uncollected plastic 3) Amount of uncollected plastic waste plastic waste is between 200 plastic waste is between 1,000 and waste is > 4,000 t/ and 1,000 t/year. < 200 t/year. 4,000 t/year. year Environmental status 4) Amount of plastic waste disposed of Between 2,000 and 5,000 t/ Between 5,000 and < 2,000 t/year > 10,000 t/year in an uncontrolled landfill year 10,000 t/year 5) Estimated plastic waste delivered to < 20 t/year 20 - 100 t/year 100 -200 t/year > 200 t/year the sea 6) Total abundance of beach marine < 20 t/year 20 - 100 t/year 100 -200 t/year > 200 t/year litter items per 100m 7) Percentage of plastics in total marine < 20 % 20-50% 50-80% > 80% litter 8) Percentage of medical/sanitary <1% 1-2 % 2-3% > 3% waste in total marine waste Socioeconomic and ecological impact (a) 8,000 20,000 t without (a) 4,000500,000 tourists year. tourists per year per year 34 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Indicator Score : 1 Score : 2 Score : 3 Score : 4 11) Maximum daily attendance (summer <20,000 20,000 - 60,000 60,000 - 120,000 >120,000 people/day) Mechanical and manual 12) Beach litter cleanup Mechanical cleaning Manual cleaning No cleaning cleaning MODERATE IMPACT VIA SEAFOOD CONSUMPTION AND DIRECT HEALTH IMPACT (These classes are not defined 13) Health and safety of internationally). A section detailing these impacts was reported in the international benchmark report. Thus, a food qualitative assessment was adopted by an expert survey. Medium impact Negligible impact: very Severe impact on fisheries on fisheries and/or low presence of plastic Slight impact: low presence and/or aquaculture: very aquaculture: significant waste in the water of plastic waste in the water significant presence of 14) Impact on biodiversity presence of plastic column and/or on the column and/or on the seabed plastic waste in the water waste in the water seabed 20 - 100 t/year column and/or on the column and/or on the < 20 t/year seabed > 200 t/year seabed 100 -200 t/year Total scoring No hot-spot Sensitive area Hot-spots Priority hot-spots Total score 31 - 56 57 - 82 83 - 105 106 - 120 Table 4 : Assessment indicators for hot-spot analysis Category/Indicators Score Weight Driving forces and pressure 1) Population 2) Waste management: Quantity of waste not properly managed (quantity put in open dumps and quantity not collected) 1-4 4 3) Amount of uncollected plastic waste 4) Amount of plastic waste disposed of in a landfill Environmental status 5) Estimated plastic waste delivered to the sea 6) Abundance of marine litter 4 1-4 7) Percentage of plastics in total marine litter 8) Percentage of medical/sanitary waste in total marine waste 3 Socio-economic impact 9) Fisheries and aquaculture 4 10) Tourism and recreation 4 11) Biodiversity 4 1-4 2 12) Maximum daily attendance (summer people/day) 13) Beach litter cleanup 2 2 14) Health and safety of food 3.2.2.4 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis Lastly, a SWOT analysis is conducted to complement DPRIS analysis and to identify Strengths (S), Weaknesses (W), Opportunities (O), and Threats (T) present in an existing system. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors within a given system, while external factors consist of opportunities and threats. Strengths can be defined as any available resource that can be used to improve project performance. Weaknesses are gaps in any system that may result in the loss of competitive advantage, efficiency, or financial resources. Stakeholder participation is crucial for the SWOT analysis under the LISP approaches. Stakeholder workshops can be used to collect information and data from different actors across sectors, but also to validate the assessment results. This participation method helps the assessment process capitalize on the existing knowledge base within the country and enhance the ownership and credibility of the assessment results. 35 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 3.3 Formulation of Strategies and Action Plans The final step of the LISP approaches is to develop a LISP strategy and its accompanying Action Plan using the results of the assessment. Each LISP strategy is created under a vision, integrating all stakeholders across sectors and throughout the plastic value chain. To achieve this vision, the LISP strategy is structured around Strategic Objectives (SO), which act as responses to the issues identified in the assessment. The SWOT analyses with related stakeholder consultation workshops contribute to the identification of these SOs. To implement and operationalize the LISP strategy, an operational LISP Action Plan is prepared. In the Action Plan, each Strategic objective is accompanied by Operational Objectives (OOs), which are areas of actions necessary to achieve strategic objectives. Concrete measures and specific projects are also identified through stakeholder workshops to support these operational objectives. A LISP action plan should be accompanied by a monitoring and evaluation plan. Such a plan can include indicators to assess the progress in the implementation of the Action Plan and achievement towards the vision. In line with the participatory principle of the LISP approaches, the evaluation and assessment of the progress in implementation can be conducted through a multi-sectoral stakeholder group. In summary, the principles of the LISP strategy and its operational action plans can be described as follows (Figure 15) : i. Shared responsibility to prevent plastic waste and support change through effective and feasible measures ii. Promote evidence-based decis ion-making to track progress in implementation iii. Ensure efficient information sharing to identify synergies between actors iv. Capitalize on existing activities and projects and generate greater impact through coordinated efforts 1 Evidence based decision making to monitor Shared responsability to prevent plastic waste and to 3 implementation progress support change through e ective and feasible measures Principles Figure 15 : Principles of the LISP for formulating LISP Strategy strategies 2 E ective information Capitalise on existing 4 sharing to dentify activitie and projets and synergies between actors maximise Throuth coordinated e orts 36 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 3.4 Advantages and limitations of LISP approaches The LISP approaches have various advantages including the following: (i) they mobilize all stakeholders through the organization of participatory workshops at all stages of the assessment and strategy formulation process; (ii) they capitalize on the existing data, information and knowledge in the country; (iii) they use logical processes and analytical frameworks to structure those processes; and finally, (iv) they use virtual meeting tools to facilitate dialogue with stakeholders to maximize their contributions. On the other hand, LISP approaches also have limitations. One of the main limitations is the fact that the approaches rely on existing data and information in the country. While it could be possible to conduct field work to collect additional data, the COVID-19 pandemic has limited field work in Morocco and Tunisia. Thus, the focus on the assessments for the two countries has been primarily on macroplastics. Quantification of plastic flows and modeling of plastic leakage to the sea have also been limited due to a scarcity of data. However, specific measures and projects can be formulated in the action plans to address these gaps identified throughout the process, as was done for the two countries. 3.5 Lessons learnt from applying the LISP approaches in Morocco and Tunisia The governments of Morocco and Tunisia both applied the LISP approaches (Figure 10) in assessing the status of marine plastic pollution and formulating their strategies. Given the participatory nature of the approaches, a total of 46 workshops in Morocco and 10 workshops in Tunisia were organized, almost all of them in virtual settings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to broaden the participation of stakeholders by using virtual platforms and the subsequent reduced costs in logistics. The virtual workshops also enabled more frequent consultations by saving time and money for workshops. In this manner, the workshops became open to all relevant stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations, academia, and the private sector. These frequent workshops also helped to formulate a sense of ownership by the stakeholders and provided space for mutual learning and knowledge exchange. The leadership demonstrated by the Department of Sustainable Development in Morocco and the Ministry of Environment in Tunisia was a key success factor. For Morocco, the Department of Sustainable Development established an interdepartmental partnership on marine plastic pollution and led the coordination efforts. Similarly, in Tunisia, the Ministry of Environment spearheaded coordination and convened inter-sectoral workshops, bringing together stakeholders across the sectors. The experience demonstrated that strong stakeholder commitment and political will can overcome the constraints posed by the COVID 19 pandemic. The active participation of stakeholders throughout the series of workshops in both countries testifies that stakeholders are committed to reduce marine plastic pollution, sustainably manage marine and coastal ecosystems, and promote a transition from a linear economic model towards a more circular model. 37 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE CHAPTER 4. RESULTS OF THE ASSESSMENTS By Larina Marina for Shutterstock.com 38 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE In this Chapter, the main results of the assessments on the status of marine plastic pollution in Morocco (Section 4.1) and Tunisia (Section 4.2) are presented. For both countries, the results of the following analyses are presented: (i) a current description of the plastic value chain; (ii) DPSIR analysis; (iii) hot-spot assessment; and (iv) SWOT analysis. These analyses feed into the development of strategies and action plans as detailed in Chapter 5. 4.1 Morocco: Status of Marine Plastic Pollution 4.1.1 Introduction Morocco is a maritime nation facing the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The country’s coastal areas are home to 81% of the industrial units, account for 52% of employment, and produce 59% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Fisheries and tourism are two key blue sectors in Morocco, and together, these sectors employ more than 1 million people and account for 10% of the GDP44. The coasts are a major touristic attraction, and 70% of tourism activities in the country take place on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. Fisheries account for 15% of Morocco’s exports, with a growing aquaculture sector. Given the importance of the ocean and the sea for Morocco’s development, the New Development Model45 released in May 2021 presented a vision for capturing the full potential of the blue economy as part of the strategy to create a thriving, prosperous, skilled, inclusive, and sustainable country. The development of the blue economy will focus on traditional sectors as well as on new sectors with high development potential such as aquaculture, seaweed farming, marine bioproducts, shipbuilding, and marine renewable energy. To realize this vision will, however, require investments in maintaining and restoring the health and productivity of the ocean. Every year, environmental degradation in Morocco’s coastal areas costs US$260 million, equivalent to 0.27% of the country’s GDP46. An estimate shows that plastic pollution alone contributes to an annual loss of US$26 million per year, affecting key industries including tourism and fisheries47. In this context, the government of Morocco has given high priority to addressing marine plastic pollution48. Under the partnership with the World Bank, Morocco is using the LISP model. As per the methodology, the first step was to conduct an assessment of the status of marine plastic pollution in the country. The assessment aimed to analyze the situation, identify the hot-spots to prioritize intervention areas, and examine major issues to prepare the first strategic orientations. The diagnostics for Morocco were prepared through a series of participatory workshops. The stakeholders were coordinated by the Steering Committee, which was set up at the Department of Sustainable Development of the Ministry of Energetic Transition and Sustainable Development. In total, 44 working meetings were organized with key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Green Economy; the Ministry of the Interior; the Department of Maritime Fisheries; the National Aquaculture Development Agency (ANDA); the National Agency for Fisheries; the National Agency of Ports; the Royal Navy; the Department of Port and Maritime Public Domain; the Directorate of the Merchant Navy; Tangier Med and Tangier Med utilities; the National Institute for Research on Fisheries; the Mohammed VI Foundation for the protection of the environment; various NGOs; Agro-technologies Association-Souss Massa; sorting-recycling cooperatives; the Moroccan Federation of Plastics; the Association of plastic processors; the General Confederation of Enterprises of Morocco (CGEFM); and others. 4.1.2 Geographical scope As an essential starting point, the geographical focus of the assessment was defined. Two criteria were used to set the influence zone, which is: (i) limited to the river basins downstream of the coastal catchment areas, and (ii) located within communities or municipalities. This second criterion was justified by the fact that these communities are responsible for waste management pursuant to the organic law which defines 44 World Bank (2021) Technical note. Building Forward Blue in Morocco 45 The Special Commission on the Development Model (2021) The New Development Model: Releasing Energies and Regaining Trust to Accelerate the March of Progress and Prosperity for All. 46 World Bank (2016) Cost of Environmental Degradation 47 WWF (2019) Stop the Flood of Plastic. A guide for policymakers in Morocco. Available at: https://wwfeu.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/05062019_ wwf_marocco_guidebook.pdf 48 World Bank (2021) Virtual Regional Workshop on “Marine Plastic Pollution: Challenges and Inspiring Action” 39 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE their competencies. It should be noted that the land-sea distance of this area varies from 4.3 to 122 km with an average of about 73 km along the entire Moroccan coastline, 30 km for the Mediterranean fringe and 40  km for the North and Central Atlantic. These distances are in line with Jambeck et al. (2015)49, which used the 50 km distance to calculate the amount of poorly managed plastic waste generated each year by the world’s coastal populations in 192 countries bordering the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, as well as on the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Figure 16 shows the Mediterranean side of the influence zone. Figure 16 : Influence zone facing the Mediterranean Sea 4.1.3 Assessment of the plastic value chain Morocco has an active plastic industry with growth potential. There are at least 650 processing units for plastic materials. The sector generates approximately 75,000 direct jobs and more than 320,000 indirect jobs. In 2014, this sector was classified as potentially strategic50. It is also positioned as the leading indirect exporting industrial sector in Morocco, with exports reaching 1 billion dirhams in 2017. In Morocco, only polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is produced locally, while other plastic materials such as PE (polyethylene), PS (polystyrene), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), and PP (polypropylene) are imported. The plastic industry is an important sector for the economy, supporting multiple industries. Plastic materials are used in Morocco for domestic, industrial, and agricultural purposes. Key consuming industries include construction and public works, automotive and aeronautics, electrical and electronics, agriculture and food packaging, and household consumer products. The sector is projected to reach 15 million tons with a turnover of 31 billion Dirhams. For production purposes, the plastic industry imports 680,000 tons of virgin material but uses only 80,000 tons of recycled raw material produced. This means that the sector relies heavily on imported virgin material, while recycled raw materials, which are produced domestically, meet only 10.5% of the material need. The plastic industry is thus faced with the challenge of accessing high quality recycled raw material at a competitive price in order to supplant or replace imported virgin materials. The main consumers of the plastics sector in Morocco are the food industry (packaging), construction, and agriculture. Thus, these sectors are considered to be the key sources of plastic waste (Figure 17). It should be noted that the construction sector has the ability to absorb non-recyclable plastic waste. Table 5 summarizes the main types of plastics used in Morocco. More than 50% of plastic use is for packaging. 49 Jambeck, J. R., et al., (2015). Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean. Science, 347(6223), 768-771. 50 MICIEN (2017) 7ème édition du Plastexpo. Déclaration du SG du MICIEN. Available at: https://industries.ma/plasturgie-nest-zero-mika-dossier/ 40 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Figure 17 : Sources of plastic waste adapted from Heinrich-Böll Foundation (2020)51 Table 5 : Main plastic types and their uses52 Proportion Types Main uses Recyclability used Bottles (more than 80%) Polyethylene terephthalate 15% Trays for the food industry (PET) Monofilament for sweepers Sacks and bags for packaging Agricultural greenhouse films Low density polyethylene Mulching films 25-30% (BDPE) Drip irrigation tubes and sleeves Silage Building waterproofing 95% of these types of Crates and pallets for agricultural and fishing plastics are recycled. products 5% are non-recyclable, High density polyethylene 20-25% Drinking water pipes including hazardous (HDPE) Oil cans waste (e.g. pesticide Olive barrels, Pesticide mixing tanks packaging) and multilayer plastics. Flexible form: Boots; sandals; carpets for vehicles Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) 15% Rigid shape: Sewerage and drinking water supply pipes Textile industry accessories Less than 5% of Toys Polystyrene (PS) the total Food packaging Plant cells at the nursery level 51 Fondation Heinrich-Böll (2020) Atlas du Plastique. Available at : https://ma.boell.org/fr/atlas-du-plastique: https://lb.boell.org/sites/default/files/ stopping_global_plastic_pollution_french_5final.pdf 52 Unpublished data based on interview with AMPR and VALPLAST by the World Bank team 41 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE The total deposit of recyclable plastic waste has been estimated in 2019 at 794,169 tons, with more than 65% coming from household waste. The majority of plastics currently recycled come from packaging waste. These products are reused in the manufacture of various industrial products such as sandals, boots, hoses, and greenhouse films. Strikingly, most of these recycled raw materials are not reused by the industrial sectors from which they were first used. These have primarily been the food industry (i.e., oil bottles and cans) and the chemical industry (i.e., bleach bottles and cans). This is due to concerns over the cleanliness of these recycled products. The markets for the different plastic polymers are being developed as the following: HDPE (high density polyethylene): waste containers, wood replacement products, etc. LDPE (low density polyethylene): garbage bags, greenhouse films, construction films PP (polypropylene): car parts, car batteries, garden furniture, etc. PS (polystyrene): hangers, insulation, etc. EPS (expanded polystyrene): ornamental plant pots, plant substrate pots, etc. PVC (polyvinyl chloride): Piping, fencing, garden furniture, etc. PETP (polyethylene terephthalate): ropes, cushions, etc. PUR (polyurethane): automotive parts, insulation, etc. There are three major risks associated with recycling plastic waste: (i) health risks stemming from contamination (gasoline, detergents, and other remnants from containers), rendering the finished products unsafe for food use; (ii) non-conforming plastics (products for construction, localized irrigation equipment, etc.); and (iii) lack of information about the origins or types of plastics and a corresponding inability to assess their quality as a potential recycled product. In terms of waste management, there is no system for source separation and segregated collection. Plastic waste is mixed with household waste and then buried in controlled landfills, partly collected by formal or informal collectors, or deposited in the environment. Every year, Morocco produces an average of 794,169 tons of plastic waste. For urban household waste, which includes about 8 -12% of plastic waste, collection is carried out by the municipalities, most of which do not have sorting centers to support plastics recycling. In Morocco, the informal sector represents 90% of the plastic recycling sector.53 These informal workers labor in poor economic, social and sanitary conditions. Based on the survey conducted for this study, around 10 cooperatives exist for collecting plastic wastes. Commonly collected plastics are polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), due to their economic value, followed by low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Due to the nature of the informal sector, most pre-treatment operations of plastic waste are done manually, with limited equipment. Working conditions have led to greater health risks during the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbated by an increase in medical waste. The processing of pre-treated plastic waste (powder, granulates, and flakes) into new plastic products is carried out by both the formal and informal sectors. The quality of the recycled plastic products is affected by the technical standards applied in processing. Some processing units do not have the most efficient technology, nor the technical skills for processing plastics, which lowers the the quality of recycled plastics. The analysis indicated that plastic waste leakage into the environment occurs throughout the value chain. In Morocco, macroplastic leakage points are found, as a minimum, in the following stages: (i) the use stage of plastic by households and the industry; (ii) the recycling stage, especially by the informal sector; and (iii) dumping in unauthorized areas. 4.1.4 Drivers, Pressures, States, Impact and Response (DPSIR) analysis Based on the data collected through literature review, questionnaires, and interviews, a Drivers, Pressures, State, Impact and Response (DPSIR) analysis was conducted. In this section, key results of the analysis are presented sequentially, describing Drivers (D) and Pressures (P) (Section 4.1.4.1), State (S) (Section 4.1.4.2), Impact (I) (Section 4.1.4.3), and Responses (R) (Section 4.1.4.5). In the Responses section, the existing legal and institutional frameworks addressing marine plastic pollution in Morocco are presented. 53 MICIEN (2015) Proposition d’approche pour structurer la filière recyclage des matières plastiques 42 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 4.1.4.1 Drivers and Pressures The analysis showed that population growth is a key driver of marine plastic pollution. According to the HCP (2017)54, the total population of the coastal regions is 27.2 million inhabitants. These regions include 37 coastal provinces whose total population is around 19.4 million inhabitants in 2020, and is estimated to reach 21.8 million inhabitants by 2030. The coastal areas have human development potential, with a growing population of young people (15-34 years old), representing nearly 43% of the total current population of the LISP influence area. Population growth in the coastal areas has been a key factor in the increase in waste generation. Household waste deposited in the LISP geographical area amounts to 3.97 Mt/year (2020), which is almost 53% of total deposited (estimated at 7.4 Mt/year in 2020). This indicates a high concentration of waste generation in a relatively narrow coastal strip. It is also crucial to note that 60% of poorly managed plastic waste is generated in the North and Central Atlantic areas and 33% on the Mediterranean coast. Coastal tourism is an important pressure contributing to marine plastic pollution. According to the Moroccan Observatory of Tourism55, the number of overnight stays recorded in accommodation establishments located in the main coastal areas is almost 50% of the total overnight stays recorded across the main tourist sites in the country. The tourist presence has been highly impactful. Calculated from the number of nights spent by tourists, tourism activities produce 62 kilotons of mismanaged plastic waste every year, and cities with high tourism intensity such as Agadir, Casablanca and Tangiers had high quantities of mismanaged plastic waste. Agriculture development over the past years has also led to the increased use of plastic. Moroccan agriculture has improved production through the Green Morocco Plan and has thus, since 2010, contributed up to 7% to the country’s GDP. As agricultural production intensified, however, the amount of waste produced also increased, and plastics now represent a large percentage of agricultural waste. The analysis showed that those regions that have large irrigation areas, such as the Souss-Massa, Gharb and Doukkala regions, have correspondingly higher amounts of plastic usage, as well as increased deposits from the agricultural sector. The Moroccan Association for Recycling and Valorization of Plastic Waste (AMPR) estimates a total deposit of 100,000 tons of plastic waste nationwide56. While the risk of leakage may range between moderate and high, the data on poorly managed plastic waste were not available to estimate leakage to the environment. Box 7 : Agriculture plastic waste in Morocco A specific study on agricultural plastic waste was conducted in Morocco to better understand the use and disposal of plastics in the agricultural sector, which is expected to increase in the near future. The study focused on two main plastic items used for agriculture: plastic films (used for greenhouses and mulching) and irrigation pipes (drip, sprinkler and drainage). Pesticide packaging and bags of mineral fertilizers or other agrochemicals were not included in this study. Recycling of agricultural plastic remains insufficient, and it is often incinerated, buried or dumped. When it is recycled, the informal sector plays an important role. In terms of regulation, the main instrument, Law 28-00 on Waste Management and Disposal, which provides for the development of waste management plans, does not currently cover agricultural plastic waste. The study thus emphasized that mechanical recycling of agricultural plastics requires the establishment of a system that regulates all technical and governance aspects, including incentives, liability, control, and traceability systems. Based on an international benchmark, this study has developed draft specifications that should enable recyclers to receive materials suitable for processing, as detailed below. 54 HCP (2017) Projections de la population des régions et des provinces 2014-2030 et site web des Direction Régionales du HCP 55 l’Observatoire de Tourisme (2019) Des chiffres & du sens. Available at : http://www.observatoiredutourisme.ma/ 56 Charai, personal communication with the author of the assessment report 43 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Condition Minimum Mean Maximum Note <50% (dry weight) According to LabelAgriWaste, if these percentages fall between <40% in low tunnels the mean and most restrictive and silage films 10% dry weight on all Soil particles parameters, farmers must wash 1 (dust) <20% in large films and material used Absent the plastic before delivering it. tunnels and drip for irrigation The authorities will be able to irrigation tapes keep the mean parameter only for greenhouse films. There are no No thickness restrictions, restrictions on the Agreements on the maximum but only material types thickness and use film thickness are contingent on 2 Film thickness of film plastics. It is with known thicknesses Thickness < 100 mm agreement between farmers and are removed (greenhouse left to the recycler to recyclers. film, mulch) decide. Metal particles, 3 burnt plastic, oil Absent Absent Absent and organic waste Agrochemicals 4 (fertilizers or Absent, CMD limits Absent, CMD limits pesticides) Separation at the Separation of light and 5 Pigments Mixed colors discretion of the recycler dark colors Another option could be to limit the All plastics mixed 6 Other plastics together Other plastics <20% Other plastics <5% presence of other plastics to specific polymers (PVC, PC, PS) Plastics must be folded Plastics must be No restrictions on and tied (no use of ropes packed in bags and Delivery, packaging but plastic or wires, only plastic films compressed manually, degraded 7 materials, and must remain covered of the same material; and remain covered and pre-treated with plastics must remain and pre-treated with storage UV light covered and pre-treated UV rays, in previously with UV light) approved premises The study has also showed that farmers need to be involved so that they will have a clear understanding of the necessary materials and processes. The study indicated that an extended producer responsibility system, which extends the responsibility of manufacturers to manage their end-of-life products, could be implemented for specific widespread, easy-to-use plastic items such as greenhouse film and irrigation hoses. The study also detailed best practices for managing agricultural plastic waste at the farm level. For further information, see Technical Report «1. Agricultural Plastic Waste in Morocco: Specifications for Mechanical Recycling and Good management Practices at the Farm Level.» Sea-based activities such as shipping, fishing, and aquaculture also contribute to marine plastic pollution. The maritime fishing sector occupies an important place in Morocco’s economy, with catches reaching more than 1 million tons per year. Plastic items are widely used in fishing and aquaculture activities, and include nets, fishing lines, traps, cages, buoys, and ropes. Estimates showed that fishing generates an average of 5 to 10% of total plastic waste. Aquaculture generates 5.5 tons of plastic waste/year based on an estimated current total production of 500 tons/year. Plastic waste from maritime transportation and port activities is also leaked into the marine environment. The generation of plastic waste is expected to increase with the intensity of maritime traffic, so the impact of these activities was assessed based on the level of port traffic (Table 6). 44 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Table 6 : Overview of Drivers and Pressures of Marine Plastic Pollution in Morocco Indicators Definition Sub-definitions Current value Land-based activities % of the population in the area of influence compared to the population 43.1% Indicator - driving force % of the population in the area of influence compared to the population of the (plastic use and waste ge- 57% Population coastal regions neration) Unit: Number of inhabitants % of population in the area of influence as a proportion of the total population of 80% the coastal provinces Total amount of solid waste (HHW) generated in the area Total 3.97 Mt/year of influence - LISP (Mt/yr) Quantity of waste sent to uncontrolled landfills 1.88 Mt/year Quantity of solid waste (HHW) mismanaged (in Mt/ Quantity of waste not collected 0.48 Mt/year Waste mana- year) gement Total 2.36 Mt/year Plastics waste (in Kt/year) Total plastic waste 422.4 KT/year Plastic waste disposed of in landfills 202.13 KT/year Quantity of plastic waste poorly managed (dumped + Uncollected plastic deposits 47.7KT/year not collected) Total 249.9 KT/year Ratio between the number of overnight stays recorded over a year and the po- Tourism 42% to 87% pulation of the province or coastal prefecture (%) intensity Amount of plastic waste (generated by tourists) and poorly managed57 62 Kt/year Agricultural Poorly managed deposits (Negligible/no data) plastic waste Total poorly managed plastic waste: 312 KT/year Sea-based activities Indicators Definition Sub-indicators Definition Curren Large agglomeration (more than 300,000 inhabitants): 80.3% of waste is gene- rated by recreational activities, of which 83.3% is plastic, i.e. 67% of total plastic 67 % Percentage of plastic waste waste generated by recreational Recreational activities out of total beach Medium-sized city (100,000 to 300,000 inhabitants): 60% of waste is generated activities58 50% waste) by recreational activities, 83.3% of which is plastic Unit: %. Smaller population center (less than 100,000): 45% of waste is generated by 37.5% recreational activities, 83.3% of which is plastic Strong % % of plastic waste generated by high fishing intensity (over 500,000 tons/year) > 6% Plastic waste generated Fishing acti- by fishing activities in total % of plastic waste generated by moderate fishing intensity (between 100,000 average %: vities plastic waste and 500,000 tons/year) 3-6%% Unit: % % of plastic waste generated by low-intensity fishing (less than 100,000 tons/ low %: year) < 3% Amount of plastic waste Estimated at 5.5 Aquaculture generated by aquacultureU- Quantity of plastic waste generated by one ton of aquaculture production tons/year for the activity nit: kg/ton of aquaculture whole of Morocco production Quantity of plastic waste generated by maritime traffic of more than 10 hr/km2/ Very important month Quantity of plastic waste generated by maritime traffic between 5 and 10 hr/ Amount of plastic waste ge- Moderate km2/month Vessel traffic nerated by maritime traffic Unit: qualitative Quantity of plastic waste generated by maritime traffic between 2 and 5 hr/km2/ Low month Quantity of plastic waste generated by maritime traffic of less than 2 hr/km2/ Very Low to None month Amount of plastic waste generated by overall commercial traffic > 20% with Very strong passenger traffic > 15%. Amount of plastic waste generated by passenger traffic or overall commercial Moderate traffic between 2% and 20% with passenger traffic > 15%. Port Quantity of plastic waste activity generated by port activity Amount of plastic waste generated by overall commercial traffic between 1% and 2% without passenger traffic or overall commercial traffic < 1% with passen- Low ger traffic > 15%. Amount of plastic waste generated by overall commercial traffic between < 1% Very Low to None and passenger traffic < 15%. 57 This quantity is integrated in the solid waste collected in the tourist facilities 58 Recreational activities include leisure activities that take place on the coastline: beach tourism, boating, recreational fishing, beach use, etc. 45 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 4.1.4.2 State The status of marine plastic pollution in Morocco was evaluated using a set of indicators (Table 7). On the Moroccan beaches, an average of 751.17± 730.98 items/100 m of beach was recorded. The Mediterranean beaches recorded the lowest average, with 622.27 ± 506.08 items/100 m59, while the North Atlantic zone appeared to be the most polluted, with an average of 1093.93 ± 858.46 items/100 m. While data are scarce, previous studies indicated temporal and spatial variation of the beach litter. In terms of litter composition, plastic was the most common (83%), followed by metals and paper. The top 10 categories of litter types in Morocco were: cigarette filters, plastic caps and lids, wrappers, drink bottles, drink cans, small plastic bags, pieces of plastic bags, cups and lids, plastic parts (polystyrene 0-2.5cm), and shopping bags60 . Recreational activities contributed to 58.3% of the total plastic litter on the beaches, and 98.14% of total plastic litter was comprised of single-use plastics. It is estimated that on average, 1.23KT/year of plastic is released from Morocco to the Mediterranean every year. This is equivalent to a daily flow of 6.26 kg/d/km. While in general 80% of leakage was attributed to land-based activities and 20% to sea-based activities, this ratio depended on the type of activities in each region. For example, in the East of Al-Hoceima, the contribution of fishing activities to total plastic litter was more than 20%. In the North and Central Atlantic, fishing gear is a common form of plastic waste. Due to the lack of data, however, it was not possible to calculate the annual plastic flow to the Atlantic coast. It should be noted that leakage of plastic to the environment depends on various factors. These factors include: (i) population size; (ii) quality of waste management systems; (iii) flows of rivers connected to the sea; (iv) tourism intensity; and (v) beach uses. In the absence of multiparametric and mechanistic modeling, which is not yet done internationally, it is difficult to calculate or predict the flow rate. Plastic litter is also found on seafloors in addition to beaches. A previous study at Fnideq Port showed an average density of benthic debris in shallow waters (1.5 -3.5m) at 0.49 items/m2, and with an average weight of 36.49g/m2 61. Plastics accounted for 78.50% of the total litter composition, followed by textiles (16.87%). The most common litter types included plastic bags, clothes, and rags. Litter related to fishing activities was limited, accounting only 4.62% of total litter and 18.15% in weight. Other studies on litter on the offshore seafloor showed high variation, and plastic accounted for 40 to 90 % of total litter depending on the region62.Factors such as proximity to the coasts, river inputs, and nearby human activities seem to influence the abundance and quantity of marine litter. 59 The analysis is based on the data collected during two series of surveys: (i) surveys between 2015 and 2018 conducted on 14 beaches of the Moroccan Mediterranean coast (Maziane et al., 2018; Nachite et al., 2018; 2019) and (ii) surveys carried out, between 2018 and 2020, within the framework of the Monitoring Program of the quality of the sand of the beaches of the Kingdom, by the Department of the Sustainable Environment/LNESP and which targeted all the Moroccan coast. Maziane, F., Nachite, D., & Anfuso, G. (2018). Artificial polymer materials debris characteristics along the Moroccan Mediterranean coast. Marine pollution bulletin, 128, 1-7. Nachite, D., Maziane, F., Anfuso, G., & Macias, A. (2018). Beach litter characteristics along the Moroccan Mediterranean coast: Implications for coastal zone management. In Beach Management Tools-Concepts, Methodologies and Case Studies (pp. 795-819). Springer, Cham. Nachite, D., Maziane, F., Anfuso, G., & Williams, A. T. (2019). Spatial and temporal variations of litter at the Mediterranean beaches of Morocco mainly due to beach users. Ocean & Coastal Management, 179, 104846. 60 This is the result of analyses based on the data listed above. 61 DDD/LNESP (2020) Surveillance de la qualité du sable des plages du Royaume. Available at: https://www.environnement.gov.ma/images/a_la_une/ Publications%20PDF/Sable-FR-EXE-2020.pdf 62 Loulad S., Houssa R., Rhinane H., Boumaaz A, Benazzouz A (2017) Spatial distribution of marine debris on the seafloor of Moroccan waters. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 124: 3030-313 ; Loulad S., Houssa R., EL Ouamari N., Rhinane H. (2019) Quantity and spatial distribution of sea floor marine debris in the Moroccan Mediterranean Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin 139, 163–173. DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.12.036; Rhinane H., Houssa R, Loulad S. 2019. The seafloor marine debris o the north and central part of the Moroccan Atlantic waters from Tangiers (35°N) to Sidi Ifni (29°N): composition, abundance, spatial distribution, sources and movements. The international Archives. Phtog. Remote sens. Spatial Info. Sciences, XLII-4/ W19, 377-384. 46 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Table 7 : Summary of the status of marine plastic pollution in Morocco Indicators Sub-indicators Current Values Indicators for marine debris on Moroccan beaches Annual coastal flow of plastic debris 1.23KT/year (Mediterranean) Abundance of debris on beaches 751 items/100m Expressed in items/100m, and/or weight of items/100m Flows of wastes washed up on beaches % of debris as plastic. Expressed as % of total debris and/or % of total weight of 82.9% debris Cigarette filters, plastic caps and lids, wrappers, drink bottles, drink Top 10 marine debris items, by number and weight cans, small plastic bags, pieces of Status of Expressed in number of items/100m or weight of plastic bags, cups and lids, plastic Plastic Waste items/100m parts (polystyrene 0-2.5cm), shop- on Beaches: ping bags Activities and categories of % of recreational plastic debris in total plastic debris 58.3% debris that contribute more Expressed as % of total debris/100m to pollution % of plastic debris related to fishing activities in the total plastic debris 5.23% Expressed as % of total debris/100m % of single-use plastics in total plastic debris 57.17% Expressed as % of total debris/100m Indicators related to port activities Quantity of waste generated in T/year 38,532 T/year State of pollution % of plastics in this waste 30% at ports: % of plastics lost directly to the sea No data Indicators for marine debris on the seabed Abundance of debris on the seabed No data Expressed in items/area unit, and/or weight of items/area (0.5 items/m2 unit 36 gr/m2, off Fnideq) Pressures and State of Plastic Litter on the Shallow Plastic in benthic debris No data Coastal Seabed: Expressed as % of total debris and/or % of total weight of (78.5% by number of items, 42% by Amount of litter in general debris weight, off Fnideq) and plastics in particular, and the activities and categories Top 10 types of marine debris, by number and weight No data of debris that contribute most to shallow seabed pollution % of plastic debris related to fishing activities in the total No data Pressures and plastic debris (4.6% by number of items, 18% by State of Plastic Expressed as a % of total debris and/or weight of items weight, off Fnideq) Litter on the Seabed: Abundance of debris on the offshore seabed Highly variable Expressed as weight of items/area unit and/or number of Pressures and state of (See table 14) items/area unit plastic litter on the offshore seabed: Related to the amount of % plastic of benthic debris 40 to 90% depending on the mari- litter in general and plastics in Expressed as % of total number of pieces of debris and/or % time region particular, and the activities of total weight of debris and categories of debris that contribute most to pollution % of plastic debris related to fishing activities in the total of the offshore seabed plastic debris Up to 94% Expressed as % by weight of total plastic debris 47 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 4.1.4.3 Impacts and hot-spots 4.1.4.3.1 Socioeconomic and environmental impacts Studies examining the environmental and socioeconomic impact of marine plastic pollution in Morocco were found to be limited. Previous studies on the Mediterranean Sea, however, showed that ingestion of microplastics was observed in the majority of fish63. In terms of economic impact, an estimate by WWF (2019) 64 showed that Morocco’s economy loses US$26 million every year. Tourism loses US$13.6 million /year due to plastic pollution and additionally generates around 18K ton of waste every year, costing US$900,000 per year in waste management. Marine litter also decreases fishing efficiency by clogging boat engines and fishing nets. It has been estimated that marine litter causses loss of about 0.3% of total fisheries GDP per year, amounting to US$8 million. 4.1.4.3.2 Hot-spot analysis Based on the methodology described in Chapter 3, a hot-spot assessment was conducted for Morocco to identify priority intervention areas. Three types of indicators were used for the hot-spot analysis: (i) drivers and pressures; (ii) environmental state; and (iii) socioeconomic impact. While data were limited, socioeconomic and ecological impacts were evaluated based on qualitative indicators (See Table 4). The analysis focused on 14 coastal cities, of which five were facing the Mediterranean and nine were Atlantic cities. These cities were selected for the assessment of hot-spots according to the eight criteria or indicators related to: (i) population size; (ii) waste management; (iii) the amount of plastic waste not collected; (iv) the amount of plastic waste dumped in an open landfill; (v) the amount of plastic waste delivered to the sea; (vi) the abundance of marine waste; (vii) the percentage of plastics in total marine waste; and (viii) the percentage of medical/sanitary waste in total marine waste. The results of hot-spot analysis are summarized in Table 8. The analysis classified the cities with the following total scores: i. Hot-spot (A): Casablanca (178). This ranking is due to demographic pressure and waste disposal in the Mediouna dump. ii. Hot-spots (B): Tangier (138), Tetouan (121) and Kenitra (149). The high populations and the routing of waste to illegal dumps are the main causes of this ranking. iii. Sensitive Areas (C): Nador (102), Rabat-Salé (120), Mohammedia (113), El Jadida (110), Safi (104), Agadir (111) and Sidi Ifni (93) were classified as relatively sensitive areas primarily due to the state of the environment. iv. No classification (D): Saïdia (92), Al Hoceima (83) and Essaouira (91) were neither hot-spots nor areas sensitive to plastic waste. These hot-spots have been targeted and prioritized in formulating measures and projects in the Action Plan. 63 Alshawafi. A.; M. Analla, E. Alwashali, M. Ahechti and M. Aksissou (2017) Assessment of marine debris on the coastal wetland of Martil in the North-East of Morocco. Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 117, Issues 1–2, 15 April 2017, Pages 302-310.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.01.079 64 WWF (2019) Stop the Flood of Plastic. A guide for policy-makers in Morocco. Available at : https://wwfeu.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/05062019_ wwf_marocco_guidebook.pdf 48 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Table 8 : Results of hot-spot analysis for Morocco   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Mohammedia Casablanca Al Hoceima Rabat-Salé Essaouira El Jadida Tetouan Sidi Ifni Tangier Kenitra Agadir Nador Saidia Safi Location Driving Forces and Pressures Population Quantity of waste not properly ma- naged Amount of uncollec- ted plastic waste Quantity of plastic waste put in an open dump State of the Environment Amount of plastic waste delivered to the sea Abundance of ma- rine litter Percentage of plas- tics in total marine debris Percentage of medi- cal/sanitary waste in total marine waste Socio-economic Impacts Fisheries and aqua- culture Tourism and recrea- tion Biodiversity Maximum daily attendance (summer people/day) Beach clean-up Health and safety of food Total Score 92 102 83 121 138 149 120 113 178 110 104 91 111 93 SENSE NOT HS HS HS SENSE SENSE P. HS SENSE MEANING NOT SENSE SENSE Classification NOT (D) (C) (D) (B) (B) (B) (C) (C) (A) (C) (C) (D) (C) (C) P-HS (A): Priority Hot-Spots, HS (B): Hot-Spots, SENS (C): Sensitive Area : NOT (D): Neither Hot-Spots nor Sensitive Area Impact Negligible Slight Moderate Severe 49 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 4.1.4.4 Response 4.1.4.4.1 Institutional framework In Morocco, the governance and management of marine and coastal areas for both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic are ensured by governmental, public, and private institutions. This wide range of stakeholders requires coordination to make coherent decisions and implement coordinated management action. Key stakeholders include the Department of Sustainable Development under the Ministry of Energy Transition and Suitable Development, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, the Department of Marine Fisheries, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Royal Navy, and the Mohammed VI Foundation for the Protection of the Environment (Figure 18). Figure 18 : Stakeholders in Morocco for addressing marine plastic pollution Recovery-Sorting and recy- Plastics industry ; planning, Husehold waste D. ministries in charge of cling of plastic waste regulation, green economy management the coastline and the sea: (informal and formal) coastal planning, operation, control, investigation and Ministry of Industry régulation Association of Plastic and Commerce Directorate General for Local Valorisers Development (MI-DGCL) Producers Departement of Sus- Sorting and recycling tainable Develope- Importers cooperatives Local authorities ment (DDD) Private recycling Private companies Moroccan Federation Royal Navy companies of plastics Ministry of transport Individual Fight against plastic waste et and logistics recuperators the beaches Plastics and Rubber Technical centre Departement of Ports NGOs MI-DGCL Sectors of Activity in the lan- MI-DGCL sea interface and at sea Mohamed VI Foundation Agricultural olastic waste management MEF Tourism NGOs D. Agriculture ADII National Office research, surveillance and of Fisheries monitoring of marine debris DD-CAM Mr. Foundation Marchande National Aquaculture DDD/LNESP Developement Agrotech - SM Agency D. Marine fisheries National Institute for Ficheries Research National Ports Agency Universities Tanger Med Private sector Port Authority 4.1.4.4.2 Legal and regulatory framework Morocco has enacted a series of legal instruments to manage waste and to reduce marine plastic pollution (Table 9). Notably, Law 77-15 of 7 December 2015 stipulates a ban on the manufacture, import, export, marketing, and use of plastic bags. Law 22-10, which addresses the use of degradable or biodegradable plastic bags and sacks, also encourages the use of alternatives to plastics. Another important instrument in Morocco is Ecotax. Article 12 of the 2013 Finance Act set a 1.5% tax on the sale, production, and import of plastic materials and works made from these materials. This rate was revised in 2016 and set at 1% ad valorem. This tax was set to achieve a recycling rate of 22% by 2022 based on a business plan which was developed by the Department of Sustainable Development in 2012. The Ecotax was designed to be used for eligible projects in accordance with the operational manual, including downstream sorting facilities, pilot projects, outreach activities, and feasibility studies. This would result in a significant reduction of plastic pollution and hence a mitigation of its impacts on terrestrial and marine ecosystems and a preservation of ecosystem services. 50 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Table 9 : Main legal instruments related to management of marine plastic pollution in Morocco Year Law or Decree Description The framework law No. 99-12 on the National Charter for the Environment and Sustainable De- 2009 Law No. 99-12 velopment stipulates, in its article 8, the updating of the legislative framework relating to waste, including the promotion of waste recovery techniques and the integration of EPR principles. Law n° 28-00 relating to waste management and disposal aims to lay the foundations of a waste 2006 Law No 28-00 management policy. Decree n° 2-07-253 of July 18, 2008, on the classification of wastes and fixing the list of hazar- 2008 Decree No. 2-07-253 dous wastes, provides an inventory and classification of waste. This decree sets the technical requirements for the disposal and recovery processes of waste by 2012 Decree No. 2-12-172 incineration. This organic law specifies municipal creation and management of public services and facilities 2016 Law No. 113-14 necessary to collect, transport, treat, and recover household waste. Law No. 54-05 applies, according to Article 1, to contracts for the delegated management of 2006 Law No. 54-05 public services and facilities entered into by local authorities or their groupings and by public establishments. Relates to pleasure boating, differentiating the applicability of plastics laws from those that 2019 Law No. 13-101 apply to commercial or fishing vessels; it completes the Moroccan maritime legislation previously based on the Maritime Code of Commerce. Law No. 22-10 on the use of degradable or biodegradable plastic bags and sacks prohibits the 2010 Law No 22-10 manufacture of non-degradable or non-biodegradable plastic bags and sacks for the local mar- ket, as well as their import, holding for sale, offering for sale, sale, or distribution. This law supplemented Law No. 22-10 to stipulate the ban on the manufacture, import, export, 2015 Law No. 77-15 marketing, and use of plastic bags. Amends and supplements Law No. 77-15; Dahir no. 126.19.1 also further amends Law 57-18 2020 Law 57-18 with new definitions, reporting requirements designed to control manufacturers’ activities, and clearer definition of agents’ enforcement and inspection roles. This law establishes the basic rules for the development, protection, enhancement, and conser- 2015 Law No. 81-12 vation of the coastline. Decree No. 2.17.587 of December 10, 2018, setting the terms and conditions for the import, 2018 Decree No. 2-17-587 export and transit of waste. To further identify how to address current legal challenges, an additional in-depth study on policy and legal framework was conducted. The analysis outlined the main opportunities presented by the current plastic waste management system in Morocco related to the improvement of extended producer responsibility, the development of eco-organisms and the strengthening of their capacities, the optimization of the waste sorting process at source, and the formalization of the informal waste sector. Six action areas that include 19 recommendations are noted below and itemized in Table 10: Action Area 1): Strengthening the EPR system; Action Area 2): Organizing the legal elements of eco-organizations to strengthen their capacities; Action Area 3): Optimizing the waste source separation process; Action Area 4): Formalizing the informal waste collection and recovery sector; Action Area 5): Adapting the regulations on plastic waste; and Action Area 6): Improving coordination between institutions and strengthening their capacities. 51 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Table 10 : Recommendations for improving legal frameworks to address marine plastic pollution in Morocco Action Area: Recommendations: 1: Strengthen the EPR system Recommendation 1: Implement the EPR system for high-abundance plastic products in the marine environment and on beaches Recommendation 2: Apply EPR to fishing gear to ensure that manufacturers, not fishermen, bear the costs of collecting nets lost at sea 2: Organize the legal aspects Recommendation 3: Establish and institutionalize a coordination mechanism between plastic waste generators of eco-organizations and and institutions in charge of coastal and marine protection strengthen their capacities 3 : Optimize the waste source Recommendation 4: Support the sorting, recovery and recycling of plastic waste in small coastal settlements separation process Recommendation 5: Improve NGO work with households to promote source separation Recommendation 6: Organize and implement pilot actions with mass retailers to test the implementation of a deposit system on single-use beverage containers Recommendation 7: Sign voluntary agreements with coastal tourism and recreation establishments to prevent the use of single-use plastics 4: Formalize the informal waste Recommendation 9: Connect and integrate reclaimers into the value chain collection and recovery sector 5: Adapt the regulations on Recommendation 10: Revise the waste catalog to include waste generated by marine activities plastic waste Recommendation 11: Improve the effectiveness of Annex 5 of the MARPOL Convention, through the implementation of the new Law 69.18 on ship-source pollution and the strengthening of controls Recommendation 12: Establish a procedure for the marking and recovery of lost or abandoned fishing gear Recommendation 13: Define, through decree, the categories of products subject to truth-in-advertising labelling obligations Recommendation 14: Develop and adopt a standard for the recovery and recycling of plastic waste, in accordance with ISO guidelines (per ISO standard 15270:2008) 6: Improve coordination between Recommendation 15: Accelerate the application of the provisions of Law 28-00 (as revised), regarding institutional institutions and strengthen their organization capacities Recommendation 16: Strengthen the prerogatives of the Integrated Coastal Management Commission Recommendation 17: Strengthen controls to combat the informal production of single-use plastic bags prohibited by law Recommendation 18: Strengthen the monitoring of compliance with regulations on the collection and treatment of plastic waste from marine activities, especially in identified hot-spots Recommendation 19: Inform and strengthen the capacity of local coastal authorities to assess the socio- economic and environmental impacts of plastic waste Box 8 : Single-use plastic in Morocco Morocco is one of the largest consumers of single-use plastics. Before the plastic bag ban was implemented, Moroccans used an average of 900 plastic bags per year per capita, the second highest such consumption in the world. After the ban, almost all supermarkets stopped distributing single-use plastic bags. Although regulations have significantly reduced the use of plastic bags, Morocco does not currently have other regulatory or fiscal instruments to reduce or ban the most commonly used single-use items such as disposable containers and utensils, plastic cotton, and swabs. Recreational activities are significant contributors of marine plastic pollution. 98.14% of the litter generated by these activities are single-use plastics, of which cigarette butts represent 53.27%. The stakeholders in Morocco have already implemented a range of initiatives to reduce single-use plastics. For example, the Moroccan Supermarkets tackling Single-use plastics (MOSSUP Project) tested solutions to reduce the use of single-use plastic packaging in two supermarket chains in Rabat. Since March 19, 2021, supermarket customers can earn loyalty card rewards by switching to reusable packaging at deli counters and returning their PET plastic bottles for recycling. The MOSSUP project is managed by Searious Business and funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Small Business Innovation Research Program. 52 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 4.1.4.4.3 Existing programs and initiatives Morocco has prepared and implemented a range of strategies, programs and projects to prevent and reduce marine plastic pollution. These programs include: (i) the National Coastal Plan (PNL); (ii) the Bathing Water Quality Monitoring Program and the Beach Sand Quality Monitoring Program; (iii) the National Household Waste Program and its corollary, the National Waste Recovery Program; (iv) the National Strategy for Waste Reduction and Recovery (SNRVD) to promote the circular economy; (v) the National Liquid Sanitation and Wastewater Treatment Plan (PNA); (vi) the Industrial Pollution Prevention and Control Program; and (vii) the Mediterranean Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Program. Other flagship initiatives to prevent plastic waste have also been carried out as part of joint actions by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Department of the Environment, the Ministry of the Interior and the Mohamed VI Foundation for the Protection of the Environment. In addition, civil society has been active in awareness raising activities. 4.1.5 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis A detailed SWOT analysis was conducted in a participatory manner through a series of workshops. These workshops focused on the theme «Plastic waste management for marine pollution mitigation through circular economy approaches in the Moroccan coastal ecosystem.» The sub-themes considered were governance (institutional framework, regulatory framework, financing), the environmental dimension, and the socio-economic dimension. This analysis resulted in the formulation of strategic orientations and preliminary paths for the formulation of the LISP strategy. The main results of the SWOT analysis are presented in Annex  3. The analysis showed the strengths of the existing mechanism. The commitment of institutions concerned with the implementation of the National Sustainable Development Strategy and the existing cooperation among departments to address marine plastic pollution serves as a solid foundation for the governance mechanism. The governance mechanism is underpinned by a well-developed legal framework with specific laws regulating the import, production, and use of plastics. There is a wide range of existing programs, including those led by the government as well as by civil society, demonstrating the interest of society in addressing marine plastic pollution. The existence of the informal plastic recycling sector was found to be a foundation for enhancing plastic recycling. On the other hand, the analysis also showed the weaknesses in the existing mechanism. There is no comprehensive strategy that provides a coordinated vision for the entire plastic value chain and its stakeholders. The development of recycling has been inadequate, and source separation has not been well established. The existing Law 28-00 does not fully support recycling and recovery, and the upstream recovery of waste, particularly plastic waste, has not been fully integrated from a legal standpoint. The integration of EPR into Law 28-00 has also been delayed. Funding for recycling projects has been insufficient partly due to the financial constraints at the municipal level. Monitoring and scientific studies to quantify marine litter in the water column and floating waste, and to measure environmental and socioeconomic impacts, are limited. The SWOT analysis also demonstrated external opportunities and threats outside of the system. There is a growing global momentum to address marine plastic pollution as demonstrated by the creation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 and its target 14.1. The African neighboring countries are interested in south-south cooperation to address this transboundary environmental issue. The new development model for Morocco also prioritizes the organization of the informal sector for developing an inclusive economy to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are threats, such as the fluctuation in oil prices, which influences the economic viability of plastic recycling. The delay in the approval of the revised Law 28-00 also poses a threat to the system in moving towards a circular economy model. 4.1.6 Issues and strategic directions Based on the SWOT analyses, the following action areas were identified: (i) governance and institutional issues; (ii) regulations to reduce marine plastic pollution; (iii) mobilization of financial resources for a transition to a circular economy model; (iv) quantification of marine plastic pollution and its impacts; and (v) support of entrepreneurship for a circular plastic model (Annex 3). These areas were further refined around the following strategic themes: (i) vertical and horizontal integration of the value chain; (ii) improvement of the existing waste management system; (iii) strengthening of the regulatory framework for plastic waste management, recycling standards, and recycled products; (iv) organization and formalization of the informal sector; (v) evaluation of existing instruments such as Ecotax and EPR; (vi) identification of innovative, green, inclusive, and resilient projects; (vii) capacity building of institutions and local authorities; and (viii) design of financing mechanisms as well as incentive and/or subsidy instruments. These identified action areas were used to formulate the strategic objectives (See Section 5.2). 53 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 4.2 Tunisia: Status of Marine Plastic Pollution 4.2.1 Introduction Tunisia is a maritime nation with 1,670 km of coastline facing the Mediterranean. Traditionally, Tunisia’s development has been driven by coastal regions led by the blue sectors. The tourism sector alone employs 350,000 people, and fisheries employ 100,000 people. These two main blue sectors alone thus provide 450,000 jobs, and account for 15% of the country’s GDP. Coastal areas are home to 7.6 million people, which comprises more than two-thirds of Tunisia’s growing population. Therefore, coastal areas have been essential drivers of socioeconomic growth for the country. Therefore, investments in the blue economy make sense as a means to support the recovery of Tunisia’s economy from the COVID-19 pandemic. The government, through its Ministerial Committee of Maritime Affairs, has thus already started developing a Strategy of the Sea. Under the existing partnership, the World Bank has been supporting the development of this Strategy by conducting a diagnostic on the current status of the blue economy in Tunisia. It is expected that the blue economy approach to develop blue sectors while sustainably managing the marine and coastal ecosystems will be a crucial part of the Strategy of the Sea. In this regard, the government of Tunisia has stressed the importance of addressing marine plastic pollution, which is undermining the country’s blue economy potential. The LISP activities to assess the status of marine plastic pollution – and to formulate a strategy – are a vital contribution towards Tunisia’s development of a blue economy. In this section, the main results of the diagnostic on the status of marine plastic pollution in Tunisia are presented. In Tunisia, 10 workshops were held to prepare its diagnostics. In total, more than 44 participants across sectors participated in the assessment process. The stakeholder network were led by the Ministry of Environment and included the National Agency for Waste Management, the Agency for Coastal Protection and Development, the National Agency for Environmental Protection, the Tunis International Center for Environmental Technologies, the Ministry of Agriculture, Hydraulic Resources and Maritime Fishing, the Agency of Ports and Fishing Facilities, the National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies, the Tunisian Union of Industry, Commerce and Handicrafts, the Technical Center of Packaging and Packing, the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, the Office of Merchant Marine and Ports, the Agency for the Promotion of Industry and Innovation, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Professional Training and Employment. 4.2.2 Geographical scope As was the case for Morocco, the first step of the diagnostic was to identify and define a geographical scope for the assessment. For Tunisia, the geographical scope was defined as consisting of 13 coastal governorates of Tunisia, as well as the municipalities with direct contact with the coast (130 municipalities) (Figure 19). 4.2.3 Analysis of the plastic value chain Tunisia’s plastic industry has developed over the past four decades. It provides plastics and meets the country’s basic demand for household plastic goods, packaging, irrigation, agriculture, and construction. However, international trade in plastics remains low65. Currently, there are 283 plastic companies employing at least 10 persons, of which 79 companies (accounting for 28% of plastic producers) are exporting plastic products 66. To further refine these numbers, companies in the «plastic bags, sacks and covers» segment account for 42% of companies in the plastics industry 67. 65 MLAE (2018) Etude de quantification des sacs en plastique à usage unique en Tunisie 66 APII (2020) Available at: http://www.tunisieindustrie.nat.tn/ 67 MLAE (2018) Etude de quantification des sacs en plastique à usage unique en Tunisie 54 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Overall, the plastics industry is characterized by the import of significant volumes of raw materials. The sector also relies on imported machines and tools for production. Given the presence of the automobile industry in the country, more than a third – 36% - of technical plastic products manufactured in the country are used in the automotive and other vehicle industries. Other significant sectors using technical plastics products include the building industry (33%); industrial equipment (7%); medical packaging (5%), and various other sectors (11%). Plastic waste in Tunisia represents on average 9.4% of household and similar waste and totals about 2,686,420 tons of which about 2Mt are generated in the coastal governorates, especially in the big cities, such as Tunis, Bizerte, Sousse, and Sfax68, including 0.18Mt of plastic waste/year. It is estimated that 55KT of plastic waste was mismanaged within the coastal governorates in 2020. Municipalities are primarily responsible for the collection and transportation of household waste. Municipalities collect mixed waste without any source separation. In the absence of a selective sorting system and the necessary infrastructure, plastic waste is either mixed with household waste and buried in controlled landfills, or partly collected by formal and informal collectors, or abandoned. In 2017, approximately 15,000 to 18,000 people were directly or indirectly involved in waste collection and recycling in Tunisia, including the informal sector for collection known as «Barbéchas69.» The informal workers primarily work as collectors or laborers at informal collection centers. The informal workers collect much of the plastic packaging, including plastic (PET) bottles and HDPE packaging and stretch wrap. The collected plastics are sent to the ECOLEF system (a package recovery scheme; see Section 3.2.3.4.1), to formal companies operating outside the ECOLEF system, or to transporters who take the goods to the next level in the recycling chain. Recycling of plastics is limited to 4% for packaging materials (plastic, paper, and other types of waste) in Tunisia. The quantities collected and recycled within the ECOLEF system have decreased from 15,800 tons in 2009-2010 to less than 3,000 tons in 2020, of which more than 70% of these packaging materials are plastic70. For some products where the recycling infrastructure is absent, such as PET, plastics are ground before export (90% are exported to Morocco and Turkey). On the other hand, HDPE products are mainly recycled and transformed in Tunisia. Similarly, films and stretch wraps are widely collected, particularly those generated by industries. In addition, some initiatives for the collection and recycling of PS (yoghurt pots on an industrial scale) and PVC are being developed. However, polystyrene PS products remain uncollected71. There have not been recent studies in Tunisia that quantify recycled materials or estimate the amount of plastic exported. Tunisia faces challenges in managing the final disposal of waste, including plastic waste. There are 13 controlled landfills in the study area, of which 11 of are currently operational. The National Waste Management Agency (ANGed) is responsible for the planning, construction, and management of controlled landfills. However, the lack of clarity in mandates between ANGed and municipalities, especially after the local government code in 2018, posed a particular challenge in managing the existing landfills and creating new ones. In addition, inappropriate equipment and infrastructure created additional challenges to the final disposal of waste. Public perceptions, and hence the level of acceptance of landfills, have been negatively affected by the current challenges. 4.2.4 Drivers, Pressures, State, Impact and Response analysis 4.2.3.1 Drivers Population is a driver of current marine plastic pollution. The coasts of Tunisia are subject to increasing pressures, due to the concentrations of populations as well as visitors. According to the INS (2014) 72 , the total population of the 13 governorates facing the Mediterranean Sea was 7.768 million inhabitants, and this was estimated to grow to 8.6 million in 2021. 68 ANGed (2020) Interview avec la direction des études de l’ANGed 69 (2020) Interview avec la direction des études de l’ANGed 70 ANGed (2020) Interview avec la direction des études de l’ANGed 71 Chaabane, W., Nassour, A., Bartnik, S., Bünemann, A., & Nelles, M. (2019). Shifting towards sustainable tourism: Organizational and financial scenarios for solid waste management in tourism destinations in Tunisia. Sustainability, 11(13), 3591. UTICA, 2021 (Interview avec le président de la chambre des collecteurs, Mr Hamza Chaouech 72 INS (2014) National Institute of Statistics. Available at: http://www.ins.tn/ 55 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Population increase is accompanied by a corresponding increase in solid waste. In Tunisia, 11 landfills have been built in the coastal governorates. The distance of controlled landfills from the coastline ranges from 1 km to 50km. According to ANGed, the average production of waste is 0.65 kg/inhabitant/day. The average composition of plastic in household waste is 9.4%, but it differs from one municipality to another, such as in Sidi Bou Saïd (high income area – 17.61%), and Bardo (middle income area -12.1%). The percentage of plastic waste in high-tourist accommodations in Hammamet and Gammarth was around 14-20 %.73 Waste from tourism is an important driver of marine plastic pollution. Coastal tourism is a key economic sector in Tunisia. Although the COVID-19 pandemic led to the decline of visitors, the country received around 9.43 million visitors in 2019. Because of the popularity of coastal areas – visited by 95% of tourists – more than 76% of the hotels and restaurants, especially those targeting tourists, are located in the coastal governorates. This results in increased waste production in coastal governorates. The most important tourist cities in terms of hotel waste generation are Tunis, Gammarth, Hammamet, Sousse, Monastir and Djerba.74 However, there is no dedicated system for waste management in touristic establishments, and there is no source separation in place to support plastic recycling. Recreational activities75on the beach are another contributing factor to marine plastic pollution. Tunisia’s coastal line extends to 1,670km and has more than 142 beaches across the coastal governorates: Jendouba (2), Beja (1), Bizerte (21), Ariana (3), Tunis (7), Ben Arous (5), Nabeul (34), Sousse (12), Monastir (9), Mehdia (10), Sfax (5), Gabes (11) and Medenine (22). The percentage of plastic waste generated by recreational activities is estimated to be between 60 and 70% of total beach waste. It should be noted that the type of coastline impacts clean-up operations and their frequency, and thus affects the level of marine plastic pollution. According to APAL (2013)76 , 70% of the Tunisian coast lacks beaches. The average length of these beaches varies from 1 to 7 kilometers and the average width ranges from 5 to 70 meters. Plastic use in agriculture is also increasing. A wide range of plastics are currently used in agriculture, including polyolefins such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), copolymer, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and less commonly, polycarbonate (PC) and poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA). Some plastics such as irrigation and greenhouse plastic films are left in the field and these thus remain in situ. In total, 34,150 tons of agriculture plastic waste are estimated to be produced per year. Fisheries and aquaculture are a growing economic sector in Tunisia. Production increased by more than 2%I between May 2020 and May 2021, growing from 41,562 tons to 41,673 tons77. Fishing and aquaculture activities, however, generate plastic waste in the form of nets, fishing lines, cages, pots, ropes, crab pots, shipping containers, and packaging waste such as PET. According to WWF (2019), fishing, aquaculture and shipping account for 15% (1.3 kt) of the plastic debris generated on the Tunisian coastline. Based on the average rate of 11kg of plastics generated per ton of aquaculture production, it is estimated that Tunisia’s aquaculture throughput along the coastlines produces 275 tons of plastic per year. Marine transportation accounts for 97% of Tunisia’s international trade. While shipping serves as a key economic driver, it also contributes to marine plastic pollution. There are 42 fishing ports as well as a considerable number of artisanal fishing landing sites in the coastal governorates. Mismanaged plastic waste from ships and activities at ports has led to leakage of plastics into the marine environment. 73 Chaabane W, Nassour A, Nelles M. (2018) Solid Waste Management Key Indicator Development for Hotels: A Tunisian Case Study Analysis. Recycling.; 3(4):56. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling3040056 74 Chaabane W. (2019) Les iles Tunisiennes étouffent sous le plastique, Heinrich Boll Stiftung, Atlas du plastique. Available at : https://tn.boell.org/ fr/2020/03/05/les-iles-tunisiennes-etouffent-sous-le-plastique 75 Recreational activities include leisure activities that take place on the coastline: beach tourism, boating, recreational fishing, beach use, etc. 76 APAL(2013) Unpublished report - Interview with Mr. Mehdi Ben Haj on coastal figures 77 Ministère de l’Agriculture, Direction Générale des Pêches et de l’Aquaculture (2020) Rapport de l’étude préparatoire pour le projet de construction de navires de surveillance pour la gestion des ressources halieutiques en république tunisienne. Available at : https://openjicareport.jica.go.jp/ pdf/12327474.pdf 56 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Table 11 : Summary of drivers for marine plastic pollution in Tunisia Indicators Definition Sub-Definition Current value Land-based activities Driving force (plastic use % of population in the area of influence compared to Estimated 71.8% (2021) and waste generation) the population Population Unit: Number of inhab- % of the population of the area of influence (coastal 71.8% of the total population itants governorates) compared to the population (11.8M) in 2020 Total amount of solid waste Total amount of solid waste generated by the coastal (HHW) generated in the Waste generated population (13 coastal governorates) - LISP (in kt/year) 2 Mt/year (2020) area of influence - LISP (in (Estimated by % of coastal housing in 2020) Mt/yr) Plastic waste disposed of in uncontrolled landfills  0.27 in2020 Quantity of plastic waste Poorly managed plastic poorly managed (dumped + Uncollected plastic deposit  0.32 waste not collected) in KT Total of mismanaged plastic waste 0.59 Plastic waste generation Plastic waste generated Total plastic waste generated in LISP area 0.18 Mt/year (Mt/year) Plastic waste disposed of in uncontrolled landfills  25.38 Quantity of plastic waste Poorly managed plastic poorly managed (dumped + Uncollected plastic deposit  30.08 waste not collected) in KT Total of mismanaged plastic waste 55.46 Ratio between the number of overnight stays re- corded over a year and the population of the province No data Tourism intensity - or coastal prefecture (%) Amount of plastic waste (generated by international 12,800 Kt/ year tourism) Quantity of plastic waste Agriculture plastic waste generated (areas with under- Agricultural plastic waste generated from agriculture 34,150 tons per year cover agriculture and drip irrigation system) activities (Tons per year) Sea-based activities % of plastic waste generated by high fishing intensity High % (over 16,000 tons/year) > 6% of plastic waste generated Fishing by fishing activities in total % of plastic waste generated by moderate fishing Average % plastic waste intensity (between 5,000 and 16,000 tons/year) 3 – 6% Unit: % % of plastic waste generated by low-intensity fishing Low % (less than 5,000 tons/year) < 3% Amount of plastic waste Estimated at 275.8 tons/year for all Aquaculture activity generated by aquaculture Quantity of plastic waste generated by 1 ton of aqua- Tunisia (25,080 tons of production Unit: kg/ton of aquaculture culture production in 2020) production Quantity of plastic waste generated by maritime traf- Very important fic of more than 13 hr/km2/month Quantity of plastic waste generated by maritime traf- Amount of plastic waste Moderate fic between 5 and 13 hr/km2/month Vessel traffic generated by maritime traffic Quantity of plastic waste generated by maritime traf- Unit: qualitative Low fic between 2 and 5 hr/km2/month Quantity of plastic waste generated by maritime traf- Very low to nil fic of less than 2 hr/km2/month Overall commercial traffic > 20% with passenger Very strong traffic > 15% Overall commercial traffic > 20% without passenger traffic or overall commercial traffic between 2% and Moderate 20% with passenger traffic > 15% Quantity of plastic waste Port activity Overall commercial traffic between 1% and 2% wit- generated by port activity hout passenger traffic or overall commercial traffic < Low 1% with passenger traffic > 15% Overall commercial traffic between < 1% and passen- Very low to nil ger traffic < 15% 57 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Box 9 : Data gap regarding plastic waste generated by tourism and fishery sectors in Tunisia Data related to tourism: The lack of recent data between 2017 and 2020 prevented the evaluation of waste generated by the tourism sector in Tunisia. The COVID-19 pandemic, which heavily impacted the sector, also complicated the ability of tourism stakeholders to engage and provide updated statistics during the national assessment process. Data related to fisheries: Information related to marine plastics pollution by the fisheries sector was not available in Tunisia. The Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries is now looking into opportunities to address this knowledge gaps. The stakeholders in Tunisia are aware of the need to increase knowledge and better manage marine plastic pollution from fishing activities. As such, the operational action plan includes proposed activities such as developing and implementing a pilot project for marking fishing gear in Djerba for the declaration of lost gear (See Annex 5 P. 3.1.8) 4.2.3.2 Pressures and Resulting Status For Tunisia, the average coastal daily plastic flow onto Tunisian beaches is estimated at 9.5 kg/km/d. The estimate is derived from the numbers for waste generation at the national level, which ranges between 5.2KT/year and 10.4KT/year78, as well as beach litter surveys in Gammarth beach, Sidi Mansour and Chaffar beaches in Sfax, Djerba Midoun beach (Djerba), Hammamet beach, and the coasts of Kerkennah islands. The daily flow rate varies from one beach to another. The most common beach litter items identified in the Tunisian beaches were plastics (48-78%), based on fieldwork on five beaches in Djerba, Sfax (Sidi Mansour and Chaffar), Hammamet and Gammarth. Common items included plastic bottle caps, larger plastic fragments (between 2.5cm to 50cm), plastic food packaging, plastic bags, smaller plastic fragments (0-2.5cm), plastic cutlery, plastic bottles, sponges, yoghurt pots, and candy sticks. Plastic bottles are among the most common litter items despite their high recyclability. Field studies on microplastics in Tunisian beaches are limited. Nevertheless, a recent study showed that microplastics and mesoplastics made of polyethylene PE and polypropylene PP dominate in the samples, with percentages of 60.8% and 31.5% respectively79. Table 12 : Indicators on the status of marine plastic pollution in Tunisia Indicators Sub-indicators Current Values Indicators of marine debris on Tunisian beaches Pressures and Status of Annual coastal flow of plastic debris 17 kT Plastic Waste on Beaches Abundance of debris on beaches (PE) : Expressed as items/100m, and/or weight of 9.5 kg/km/d Related to the amount Flows of waste washed up items/100m of waste in general and plastics in particular, and the on beaches % of debris as plastic activities and categories of Expressed as % of total debris and/or % of total 78% debris that contribute most weight of debris to pollution plastic bottle caps, larger plastic fragments (between 2.5cm to Top 10 types of marine debris by number and weight 50cm), plastic food package, Expressed as a % of total debris and/or weight of plastic bags, smaller plastic items fragments (0-2.5cm), plastic cutlery, plastic bottles, sponges, yoghurt pots and candy sticks Activities and categories % of recreational plastic debris from total waste A minimum of 48% and a maxi- of debris that contribute Expressed as % of total debris/100m mum of 78%. more to pollution % of plastic debris related to fishing activities from Scientific research/monitoring total plastic debris is needed Expressed as % of total debris/100m % of single-use plastics in total plastic debris. Scientific research/monitoring Expressed as % of total debris/100m and or % of total is needed debris/100m. 78 This estimate was conducted based on Jambeck et al. (2015), assuming that a proportion of 20% to 40% of the quantities of municipal plastic waste, generated by the population living within 50 km of the coastline, enters into the marine environment. The lower estimate (20%) corresponds to 5.2KT/ year, while the higher estimate (40%) is 10.4KT/year. 79 Chaabane W et Baccar A (2018) Résultats des visites de terrain pour la caractérisation des déchets sur les plages Tunisiennes (Unpub.) 58 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Indicators Sub-indicators Current Values Indicators related to port activities Scientific research/monitoring Quantity of waste generated in T/year State of pollution at ports: is needed Linked to the quantity of % of plastics in this waste Scientific research/monitoring waste in general and plastics Expressed as a % is needed in particular generated by port activities % of plastics lost directly to sea Scientific research/monitoring Expressed as a % is needed Indicators for marine debris on the seabed Pressures and state of plas- Abundance of debris on the seabed Scientific research/monitoring tic litter on the seabed: Expressed in items/area unit, and/or weight Pressures and status of plastic lit- is needed Related to the amount of lit- of items/area unit ter in general and plastics in ter on the shallow coastal seabed particular, and the activities Amount of litter in general and Scientific research/monitoring plastics in particular, and the activ- % plastic of benthic debris is needed and categories of debris that ities and categories of debris that Expressed as % of total debris and/or % of contribute most to seabed contribute most to shallow seabed total weight of debris Scientific research/monitoring pollution pollution is needed Top 10 marine debris types, by number and Scientific research/monitoring weight is needed % of plastic debris related to fishing activi- ties of the total plastic debris Scientific research/monitoring Expressed as a % of total debris and/or is needed weight of items Abundance of debris on the seabed Pressures and status of plastic offshore Scientific research/monitoring litter on the offshore seabed Expressed as weight of items/area unit and/ is needed Related to the amount of litter in or number of items/area unit general and plastics in particular, and the activities and categories of % plastic of benthic debris debris that contribute most to pollu- Expressed as % of total number of pieces of tion of the offshore seabed debris and/or % of total weight of debris Scientific research/monitoring % of plastic debris related to fishing activi- is needed ties of the total plastic debris Expressed as % by weight of total plastic debris Box 10 : Single-use plastics in Tunisia The Tunisian government has enacted Decree No. 32 of January 16, 2020, detailing the types of plastic bags whose production, import, distribution, and possession are prohibited on the domestic market. This decree covers the following single-use plastics: (i) primary packaging bags with a thickness greater than 15 microns; (ii) OXO-degradable or OXO-fragmentable plastic bags, as well as bags labeled «biodegradable bag» that tests and analyses show do not meet biodegradation requirements; (iii) plastic bags that include in their chemical composition a total concentration of heavy metals greater than 100 ppm. This threshold can be revised, if necessary, by the order of the Minister of Environment. However, the assessment results indicated a delay in the application of this decree to single-use plastic bags. Therefore , the Tunisian government plans to include dedicated actions on single-use plastics in the LISP Action Plan, including the following: (i) an agreement with the profession to prepare a study for the diagnosis and rehabilitation of the sector; (ii) a study of diagnosis and upgrading of the production chain of plastic bags in Tunisia; (iii) a voluntary agreement with the Chamber of Commerce to prohibit the distribution of single-use plastic bags at the point of sale, starting in March 2017; and (iii) a voluntary agreement with the Tunisian Association of Owners of private pharmacies in September 2017 to prohibit the distribution of plastic bags in pharmacies from March 2018. For further details of the LISP Action Plan, see Chapter 5.3 and Annex 7. 59 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 4.2.3.3 Impacts and hot-spots Marine plastic pollution costs Tunisia’s economy. A study has showed that environmental degradation in Greater Tunis costs US$17.3 million and opportunity costs of solid waste amounts to US$23.1 million80. According to WWF (2019), marine plastic pollution costs US$16.6 million to tourism, US$1.7 million to fishing, US$1.6 million to maritime transportation, and US$4.7 million for cleanups. Plastic pollution has societal costs as well as economic ones. The informal sector plays a significant role in recovery at various points in the waste management cycle, from collection at households to recovery at controlled landfills. The number of waste pickers seems to have increased, yet most of them, especially the elderly and women, live in very precarious conditions, and often without social security coverage. The identification of hot-spots was conducted in Tunisia, based on the methodology developed for the LISP Model (see Chapter 2). The identification focused on 13 Tunisian Mediterranean coastal municipalities. These were selected for the assessment of hot-spots according to eight criteria or indicators related to: (i) population size; (ii) waste management; (iii) amount of plastic waste not collected; (iv) amount of plastic waste put in an open dumpsite; (v) amount of plastic waste delivered to the sea; (vi) abundance of marine litter; (vii) percentage of plastics in total marine litter; and (viii) percentage of medical/sanitary waste in total marine litter. These indicators were not all equally important, and weighting factors were thus used for selected indicators. In Tunisia, indicators related to biological and socioeconomic impacts were not evaluated due to the lack of sufficient data. The results identified the following cities as hot-spots (Table 13): Priority hot-spots : Mehdia (115), Monastir (122), Sfax (109) and Medenine (119) Hot-spots : Jendouba (score 86), Beja (82), Ariana (82), Tunis (96) and Nabeul (91) Sensitive Areas : Bizerte (73), Ben Arous (78), Sousse (75), and Gabes (76). Table 13 : Results of hot-spots analysis in Tunisia   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Mahdia Bizerte Nabeul Sousse Mede- Ariana douba Gabes Arous nastir Tunis Jen- Sfax Beja nine Mo- Ben Site Drivers Population 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Amount of mismanaged waste 2 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 4 4 2 1 4 Amount of uncollected plastic waste 3 3 2 3 4 3 3 1 3 4 3 2 4 Quantity of plastic waste in 2 2 1 3 3 3 3 1 4 4 3 2 4 in unauthorized landfill Environmental Status Amount of plastic waste leaked into the sea 3 2 2 3 3 2 2 3 4 3 4 2 4 Abundance of marine litter 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 4 3 3 2 3 Percentage of plastics in total marine litter 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Percentage of medical/ sanitary waste 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 3 2 1 3 1 1 in total marine litter Intensity of fishing acti- vity and resulting waste 1 1 2 1 1 1 4 2 4 4 4 3 4 Total Score 86 82 73 82 96 78 91 75 122 115 109 76 119 PRIO- PRIO- PRIO- HOT- HOT- HOT- PRIORITY RITY RITY HOT- SENSI- HOT- SENSI- SENSI- RITY SENSI- Class SPOT SPOT SPOT HOT- HOT HOT- SPOT (B) TIVE (C) SPOT (B) TIVE (C) TIVE (C) HOT- TIVE (C) (B) (B) (B) SPOT (A) SPOT SPOT SPOT (A) (A) (A) P-HS (A): Priority Hot-Spots, HS (B): Hot-Spots, SENS (C): Sensitive Area NOT (D): Neither Hot-Spots nor Sensitive Areas Impact Negligible Slight Moderate Severe 80 GIDMA (2020) Diagnosis of the national integrated household and similar waste management strategy 2020-2035 60 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 4.2.3.4 Responses 4.2.3.4.1 Legal and regulatory frameworks Tunisia has an established legal framework for addressing marine plastic pollution (Table 14). Of note is the recent development of Decree No.2020-32 in 2020, which sets out the types of plastic bags whose production, import, marketing, possession, and distribution are prohibited on the domestic market. This decree prohibits single-use plastic bags with a thickness of less than 40 microns (μ) or a capacity of less than 30 liters, and primary packaging bags with a thickness of more than 15μ. The ECOLEF system, a post-consumer packaging management system, is a key instrument for plastic packaging waste management in Tunisia. ECOLEF was as established by Decree No. 97-1102 on 2 June 1997. It was the first packaging management system in MENA, and among the first in Africa to promote public-private partnerships for recycling and packaging waste recovery. The system encourages the private sector to collect packaging waste through the creation of collection micro-enterprises and to sell the collected products to ANGed. Most of the collection is done by informal waste collectors. Currently there are 175 micro collection companies, 65 approved recycling micro-enterprises, and 35 ANGed collection and storage points. A 5% tax on the net added value of certain locally manufactured or imported plastic polymers provides funding for the ECOLEF system. The ECOLEF system has met with a number of successes, along with challenges and obstacles. Since its launch in 2001, more than 150,000 tons of plastic packaging waste have been collected, of which 70-90% has been recycled, and around 18,000 jobs have been created81. Between 2001 and 2013, the export volume of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) increased at an average annual rate of 96%. Despite its important role and relative success, however, the overall contribution of the ECOLEF system to the recovery of household waste remains low. Currently, only 4% of waste is managed by the ECOLEF system. This means that only small quantities are collected as compared to the high level of plastic that is mismanaged82. Table 14 : Legal and regulatory mechanisms for Tunisia Year Law or Decree Description N°65-2 1965 Creation of the Office of Merchant Marine and Ports (1965/amended 1972) Law N°75-33 1975 Organic Law of the Municipalities (14 May 1975) Decree N°85-56 1985 Regulating discharges of waste into the environment (2 January 1985) Act 95-72 1995 Creation of the Coastal Protection and Development Agency (24 July 1995) Act 96-41 1996 Waste and control of its management and disposal (10 June 1996) Decree 97-1102 1997 Creation of ECOLEF, on the management of packaging, including plastic (2 June 1997) Decree No. 98-2092 Establishment of the list of large urban agglomerations and sensitive areas that require the 1998 (28 October 1998) preparation of master plans for development Decree 2005-2317 Creation of ANGed, a national civil body specializing in waste management, and responsible 2005 (22 August 2005) for ECOLEF Law 2007-1866 Hygiene regulations for waste management areas managed by local authorities; establishes 2007 (23 July 2007) the authority to impose fines Code 2018 Code of Local Authorities (9 May 2018) Law N°2020-30 2020 Social and Solidarity Economy (30 June 2020) Decree N°2020-32 Established domestic-market restrictions on the production, import, distribution, and pos- 2020 (16 January 2020) session of plastic bags 81 ANGeD (2018) Evolution of plastic and metal packaging recovered by ECO-LEF. Source ANGed, activity report 2018. 82 Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung (2020) Fabrique Écologique et Break Free From Plastic. Atlas Du Plastique. Faits et chiffres sur le monde des polymères synthétiques. 61 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Analysis of the existing legal instruments showed that the existing instruments do not cover all aspects of the plastic value chain from eco-design to improved recycling. The specific application of existing legal frameworks to plastics has been limited because the existing legal instruments do not cover the entire aspects of the plastic value chain, and do not integrate the solution under a common vision, from eco-design to the improvement of the recycling and waste management. The ECOLEF system needs to be optimized to achieve a higher level for collection and recovery of recyclable plastic materials by incorporating circular economy principles. Application and enforcement of existing legal framework is another challenge, and lack of sufficient financing is a key cause of the limited enforcement. For example, the application of the requirements of Law 96-41 of 10 June 1996 on Waste and Control of its Management and Disposal and Decree 97-1102 on ECOLEF has only been partial. Companies’ obligations to recover packaging waste have not been fully realized due to the lack of monitoring and control. The application of the Local Authorities Code in relation to waste management is not well understood, but the problems experienced in the creation and management of landfills in several regions indicate difficulties in applying the Code. A clear national organizational, institutional and financial structural plan should be developed by integrating all the actors throughout the plastic value chain, building on the existing legal framework in Tunisia. 4.2.3.4.2 Institutional frameworks Tunisia has an institutional framework rich with numerous stakeholders to combat marine plastics pollution. There are ten main national institutions responsible for managing environmental issues, including the Ministry of Environment, the National Agency for Waste Management (ANGed), the National Agency for Environmental Protection (ANPE), the Coastal Protection and Development Agency (APAL), the International Center for Environmental Technologies (CITET), the Ministry of Agriculture, Hydraulic Resources and Fisheries, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Transportation, and the National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies (INSTM) (Figure 20). Figure 20 : Stakeholders of the LISP Tunisia Ministry of Environment/WB (Management/Technical assistance) Focal point General direction for Environne- ment and quality of life • ANGED • DG-Local a rs/Municipalities • Data exchange • APAL • exchange of ideas/concertation • ANPE • Adapt to the local context • Provide political orientations in THE MAN ACTORS:STAKEHOLDERS • CITET harmony with the strategird and programs of the ministry MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY/Packtec/APII MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, WATER RESSOURCES AND FICHERIES DG of agricultural production National institute of science and technologiy of the sea Diagnosis of plastic pollution Departement of Fisheries situation in coastal zones in Tunisia MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS O ce of merchant marine and ports INTEGRATION MINISTRY OF TOURISME LISP Strategy Fondation and ONGs Private collection and recycling companies Private collection and recycling companies Bleu Economy Strategy Producers / UTICA 62 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE The institutional framework is rich in stakeholders operating in a dynamic civil society. However, there are several opportunities for improving the institutional framework. Particularly, a clarification of mandates and clearer rules of collaboration between the Ministry of Environment, ANGed, and local authorities for waste management, as well as clarification of responsibilities between APAL and municipalities on coastal cleanup operations, could be beneficial (Table 15). Table 15 : Summary of institutional and regulatory challenges Institutional challenges Regulatory challenges Integrated plastics waste management requires clarification Develop language to cover all aspects spanning the entire of roles and responsibilities between different actors. plastics value chain. All actors need to be engaged to address marine plastic Develop producer incentives for eco-design in the regulatory pollution (including producers and tourist establishments). There is a need to optimize the financial and organizational framework. management of the current packaging recovery system Develop incentives for the use of recyclable products in the regulatory framework. (ECOLEF). Logistics for waste management and plastic pollution control Regulate the contribution of producers for their plastic products placed on the market. need to be improved. Private sector needs to be further involved to prevent marine Make the necessary control and monitoring tools available to plastic pollution. the relevant sectors. Working conditions of informal waste collectors need to be Clarify the responsibilities of institutions involved in waste improved. management through legislation. Responsibility for monitoring marine plastic pollution needs to Formalize the activity of the informal waste management be clearly defined. Responsibility of the actors to apply the laws needs to be sector to meet existing frameworks. enforced. 4.2.3.4.3 Programs and initiatives to address marine plastic pollution The government is implementing various initiatives and strategies to prevent and reduce marine plastic pollution. Recently, the preparation of a New National Strategy for integrated management of household and similar waste (2020-2035) has been completed. The strategy sets out a series of waste management objectives, including a target to increase the material recycling rate of household and similar waste to 20% by 2035. ANGed is working on a project to develop Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) supported by GIZ. The project aims to improve the existing ECOLEF system for packaging waste. Tunisia is also working towards establishing an Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Program of the Mediterranean Sea and coasts under the framework of the Barcelona Convention and its Program for the Assessment and Control of Marine Pollution in the Mediterranean (MEDPOL) Program. This national monitoring program will enable a coordinated regional monitoring of marine plastic pollution based on common indicators83. 4.2.5 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis The SWOT analysis is dedicated to identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the current plastic waste management system in Tunisia. The analysis examined institutional frameworks, legal and regulatory frameworks, financial frameworks, research, development and monitoring dimensions, and management strategies. The main results of the SWOT analysis are presented in Annex 4. The analysis identified strengths in Tunisia’s existing system. The institutional framework has a number of stakeholders, which include a dedicated agency for waste management (ANGed), coastal protection (APAL), and established research entities. The engagement of the private sector in packaging waste management and the partnerships between municipalities and civil society for waste reduction are also an encouraging sign of stakeholder cooperation. The legal frameworks including the ECOLEF system, and the Decree N°2020-32 banning plastic bags, also serve as strong bases for actions to address marine plastic pollution. The current financing model such as that used by the ECOLEF system, whereby producers directly contribute, as well as 83 IMAP common indicators on marine litter includes: Common Indicator 22: Trends in the amount of waste spread and/or deposited on the coastline, Common Indicator 23: Trends in the amount of litter in the water column, including microplastics and litter on the seabed (EO10), and Potential Indicator 24: Trends in the amount of detritus that marine organisms ingest or become entangled in, especially identified mammals, seabirds, and sea turtles 63 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE the “protection fund for tourists areas” financed by the hotels (2% of the profits) used by the municipalities and APAL for beach cleanup operations, are each essential for improving waste management and preventing plastic leakage into the marine environment. However, a number of challenges still exist. Notably, there are no policy or legal instruments which address the entire plastic value chain under a common vision. Consequently, efforts in addressing marine plastic pollution by different actors are scattered, without effective information-sharing mechanisms. The governance and institutional mechanisms also require clarification on governmental mandates, particularly between national and local actors with overlapping and often unclear responsibilities. These elements result in inefficient waste management practices. Limited participation of municipalities in the organization of the ECOLEF system also limits the effectiveness of the scheme. External factors such as the COVID-19 impact on the system pose challenges, but also provide opportunities for addressing marine plastic pollution. The ongoing pandemic delayed the implementation of planned activities, increased the use of single-use plastics, and added health risks for informal waste workers. However, there is a growing international awareness of the impact of marine plastic pollution. This provides an impetus for Tunisia to mobilize stakeholders, including donors and international partners, to seize the opportunity to move towards a greener, more circular economic model with which to aid in recovery from the pandemic. 4.2.6 Strategic issues and directions The diagnostics undertaken to assess the status of marine plastic pollution as well as the SWOT analysis led to the identification of key issues that need strategic planning. These issues included: (i) institutional issues, (ii) legal and regulatory frameworks, (iii) financing, (iv) data and decision-support tools, and (v) socioeconomic issues. The subsequent processes to develop a LISP Strategy for Tunisia, therefore, used these strategic areas identified by the diagnostics to start formulating Strategic Objectives (See Section 5.3 and Annex 7). 64 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE CHAPTER 5. LISP STRATEGIES AND ACTION PLANS Credit : Wassim Chaabane 65 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 5.1 Overview The diagnostics for the status of marine plastic pollution in Morocco and Tunisia were followed by the development of LISP Strategies and Action Plans. The assessment -- especially the SWOT analysis for each country -- helped identify critical issues to be addressed in order to better address marine plastic pollution. These areas identified by both countries included: (i) the need to improve governance and management of sources and flows of waste in coastal areas in a concerted and coordinated manner; (ii) strengthening of legal frameworks; (iii) enhancing the technical, managerial, and financial capacities of stakeholders; (iv) a need for more comprehensive information and greater awareness of marine pollution and its impacts on the degradation of ecosystem services; and (v) strengthening research innovation and knowledge creation. Using the results of the diagnostics, participatory workshops were organized to formulate the LISP Strategies and Action Plans. For Morocco, the stakeholder consultation process during the formulation phase of the Strategy and Action Plan began on 4 November 2020. In total, 15 workshops were organized to consult with stakeholders for the formulation of strategy and its operational action plan. In addition, two workshops with the private sector were organized. Similarly, in Tunisia, five workshops were organized to co-create the framework of the LISP strategy and to identify a list of measures and projects to be included in its Action Plan. LISP strategies set a vision and present Strategic Objectives as described in Chapter 3 on the LISP methodology. To operationalize the LISP Strategy, a LISP Action Plan is to be developed. Each Strategic Objective is broken down into Operational Objectives along with measures and projects to achieve them. The progress of the implementation of the LISP Strategy is measured by a set of indicators, established during the diagnostic process. 5.2 Morocco The assessment of the status of marine plastic pollution in Morocco informed the formulation of the LISP Strategy and its operational action plan. The assessment especially the SWOT analysis led to the identification of thematic action areas (See Section 4.1.6), while the hot-spot analysis pointed out geogra- phical priority areas. Based on the assessment and participatory process, Morocco’s LISP vision was formulated as follows: Considering the strategic objectives of protecting the coastline and the sea, preserving ecosystem services, and promoting the circular economy, as set out in the SNDD, the PNL and the SNRVD; Considering Morocco’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda, which addresses, inter alia, marine debris and pollution through SDG 14 (target 14.1), with a particular focus on land-based sources of activity; Considering that the plastics industry is one of the vital sectors of the country and that plastic materials play a major role in the national economy; Considering all the initiatives undertaken by the parties concerned, The Moroccan «LISP» strategy thus aims to «reduce plastic leakage from land and marine sources to the marine and coastal environment, fulfill Morocco’s international and regional commitments, and make Morocco a model country in the mitigation of marine plastic waste in the region.” Achieving this vision is possible through stakeholder participation and engagement in improving solid waste management systems, adopting circular and inclusive business models, integrating the informal sector into the value chain, and changing behaviors and habits regarding the use of single-use plastics. To achieve the vision, Morocco has set six strategic objectives: i. Strategic Objective 1 : Improve governance and strengthen the technical and managerial capacities of local coastal authorities and all stakeholders concerned to ensure integrated, efficient, and sustainable management of plastic waste from land and sea sources ii. Strategic Objective 2 : Prevent and reduce plastic waste through the adoption of circular economy approaches iii. Strategic Objective 3 : Connect and integrate the informal «ecosystem» into the value chain, to help communities, municipalities and waste management companies recover post-consumer waste in an efficient and more inclusive manner 66 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE iv. Strategic Objective 4 : Strengthen communication, education and awareness-raising of stakeholders on the impacts of marine debris and on preventive measures to change behaviors and habits regarding the use of single-use plastics and plastic bags v. Strategic Objective 5 : Strengthen monitoring, innovative research, and knowledge-sharing at national and regional levels to ensure sustainable management of plastic waste along the value chain vi. Strategic Objective 6 : Contribute to the promotion and implementation of measures undertaken at the regional level (Atlantic Africa and MENA countries) to prevent and reduce plastic pollution from land and marine sources These strategic objectives were formulated to provide an effective and detailed response, by which to address the major issues identified by the assessment, especially through its SWOT analysis. Strategic Objective 1 is to “Improve governance and strengthen the technical and managerial capacities of local coastal authorities and all stakeholders concerned to ensure integrated, efficient and sustainable management of plastic waste from land and sea sources.” This objective shows the way forward for stakeholders and leaders in Morocco to establish multi-actor and multi-sector mechanisms to coordinate all actors involved in the plastic value chain. The multi-sectoral workshops held under the leadership of the Department of Environment under this technical assistance will serve as a strong foundation for improved coordination of stakeholders. The Strategic Objective has two main operational foci: (i) updating, adapting and applying the regulatory framework and economic and fiscal instruments for plastic waste reduction and amending it with specific, standardized provisions for recycling; and (ii) strengthening financing mechanisms, particularly within the framework of regional and international cooperation. Strategic Objective 2 is to “Prevent and reduce plastic waste through the adoption of circular economy approaches.” Morocco aims to move away from the linear economic model to a circular economy model to minimize the negative impacts of plastics while maximizing the benefits of plastics and their products, and providing environmental, economic, and societal benefits, including job creation. Under this Strategic Objective, actions will be taken to address barriers to the circular economy (Box 11), through (i) the implementation of a plastic waste prevention program; and (ii) the establishment of business models for the creation of economic, social, and environmental values. Box 11 : Main barriers to the development of circular business models External barriers Internal barriers Supply chain barriers: Organizational barriers: Lack of partners and low availability Administrative constraints of recoverable materials More complex management and planning Increased dependence on external parties processes Lack of information exchange between supply chain actors Financial barriers: Conflicts of interest between supply chain Lack of financial resources actors High initial investment costs Lack of consideration for the recovery and Higher costs associated with the new circular recycling requirements of plastic products in business models (e.g., segregated collection) their design. Unclear financial and business models Poor reuse practices/third party reluctance Barriers related to lack of knowledge and Market barriers: appropriate technology: Fluctuation and low prices of virgin materials Lack of technical know-how and expertise Lack of consumer interest/lack of ownership of Insufficient data and poor dissemination of circular business models information Resistance from stakeholders with interests in Low capacity to provide high quality products the linear model and lack of standards for various uses Challenges in designing and creating sustainable Institutional barriers: products Ineffective recycling policies Lack of incentives that favor material consumption over services such as VAT Specific accounting rules and management systems not adapted to the circular economy Lack of standards and guidelines for the quality of recycled products Insufficient awareness among stakeholders 67 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Strategic Objective 3 is to “Connect and integrate the informal ‘ecosystem’ into the value chain, and to help communities, municipalities and waste management companies recover post-consumer waste in an efficient and more inclusive manner.” The diagnostics showed that the current system does not optimize partnerships among municipalities, waste management companies, and the informal sector. Currently, the informal sector is largely responsible for post-consumer waste recovery. Therefore, this Strategic Objective aims at connecting actors to encourage partnerships and integrate the informal waste sector to efficiently recover plastic materials. The informal workers may organize themselves as a cooperative or as self- employed workers. Another option could be to institutionalize the sector as a public service in accordance with Law No. 28-00 and Organic Law No. 113-14 in defining the competencies of the municipalities. This Strategic Objective is in line with the vision of the New Development Model to set up a system for informal workers to ensure access to professional training and public contracts, administrative and tax facilities, and the social security system. Strategic Objective 4 is to “Strengthen communication, education and awareness-raising of stakeholders on the impacts of marine debris and on preventive measures to change behaviors and habits regarding the use of single-use plastics and plastic bags.” The diagnostics demonstrated that there is a growing interest in civil society in Morocco to address marine plastic pollution. Building on the existing activities, the Strategic Objective aims to strengthen efforts to ensure a larger scope of awareness – in the process, raising all actors, including the decision makers and the private sector. Dissemination of good practices will be conducted to stimulate transition to more sustainable consumption and production patterns. Strategic Objective 5 is to “Strengthen monitoring, innovative research, and knowledge-sharing at national and regional levels to ensure sustainable management of plastic waste along the value chain.” Monitoring and research are crucial for evidence-based decision making. The diagnostics showed the lack of data on aspects such as the impact of marine plastic pollution on marine biodiversity in Morocco. Socioeconomic aspects of plastic management, such as the role and possible incorporation of informal waste pickers, are understudied. In addition, further research and innovation are crucial for reducing plastic use to improve product design and to enhance recyclability. Thus, this Strategic Objective strives to fill knowledge gaps and support research and innovation to address marine plastic pollution. Strategic Objective 6 is “Contribute to the promotion and implementation of measures undertaken at the regional level (Atlantic Africa and MENA countries) to prevent and reduce plastic pollution from land and marine sources.” This Strategic Objective aims to share the experience of the LISP model with neighboring countries to coordinate and harness synergies from the efforts to protect marine and coastal ecosystems. Morocco envisages strengthening its contribution to regional efforts by enhancing south- south cooperation with MENA countries as well as with West African countries. 68 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Figure 21 : Morocco LISP Strategic Objectives Strategic objectve 1 Strategic objectve 4 Impprove governance and strengthen the Strengthen communication, education technical and managerial capacitie of local and awareness-raising of stakeholders coastal authorities ans all stakeholders on the impacts of marine debris and on concerned to ensure integrated, efficient, preventive measures to change behaviors and sustainable management of plastic and habits regarding the use of single- waste from land and sea sources use plastics and plastic bags SO1 SO4 Strengthen Information governance & awareness Strategic objectve 2 SO5 Strategic objectve 5 SO2 Monitoring, Prevent and reduce plastic waste through the adoption of Circular economy LISP research & innovation Strengthen monitoring, research, innovation, and knowledge sharing at circular economy approaches approach VISION national and regional levels to ensure sustainable management of plastic waste along the value chain SO3 SO6 Integrated Regional waste cooperation management Strategic objectve 6 Strategic objectve 3 Connect and integrate the informal Contribute to the promotion and «ecosystem» into the value chain, to help implementation of measures undertaken communities, municipalities and waste at the regional level (Atlantic Africa and management compagnies recover post- MENA countries) to prevent and reduce consumer waste in an efficient and more plastic pollution from land and marine inclusive manner sources To implement these six Strategic Objectives, an Operational Action Plan (LISP Action Plan) was created. The LISP action plan will outline measures to reduce the production of unnecessary plastic, promote design for durability and improved recyclability, enhance plastic recycling, improve waste management, and mobilize all stakeholders to take concerted actions towards a plastic circular economy. For each Strategic Objective, Operational Objectives and specific measures were formulated (Table 16). In addition, for each Strategic Objective, a portfolio of projects was prepared (Annex 5) along with its operational plan (Annex 6). These projects will contribute to the achievement of the Strategic Objectives as well as to Operational Objectives. The LISP Action Plan includes a matrix of the Program of Measures. The matrix contains a list of measures along with specific projects. The responsibility, priority levels (on a scale of 1-3), implementation timeframe (short, medium, or long term), and budget for each action item were clarified in the matrix. Some measures were of higher priority because they were prerequisites to other measures or projects. For hard interventions, a separate operational matrix was prepared with an estimated budget for each investment. The total amount of the Action Plan was about 1.235 billion Dirhams. Hard interventions account for 65% of the overall budget. Indicators were set to monitor progress in the implementation of the LISP Action Plan. The Department of the Environment, along with key stakeholders, will establish a steering committee to monitor and evaluate the LISP Action Plan using the key indicators (Table 16). These are aggregate performance indicators that allow for assessment of progress towards the achievement of operational objectives, and thus towards strategic objectives. Thus, these indicators do not intend to measure the progress of each project activity. Once the implementation plan is formulated in consultation with all stakeholders indicators for assessing the achievements of projects will be formulated. 69 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Table 16 : Overview of Morocco’s LISP Strategy and its Action Plan Morocco’ LISP Vision Reduce plastic leakage from land and marine sources into the marine and coastal environment, fulfill Morocco's international and regional commitments, and make Morocco a model country in the mitigation of marine plastic waste in the region OPERATIONAL MEASURES AND SO INDICATORS OBJECTIVES PROJECTS 1) Number of cooperative agreements and other instruments established between relevant sectoral departments to implement actions to combat marine pollution by plastic waste OO11. Establish a 2) Number of coordination meetings among implementing partners dedicated operational 3) Existence of documents dealing with marine litter in public SO1. Improve governance model for policies governance and waste management 4) Budget allocated to the reinforcement of OREDDs (National strengthen the and strengthen Observatories of the Environment and Sustainable Development) technical and existing solid waste and their regional networks institutionalized in the framework managerial capacities management of SIREDs (coastal regions) integrating the monitoring of marine of local coastal initiatives including plastic pollution indicators authorities and the plastic component 5) Budget allocated to the program to strengthen the technical 15 Measures and four and managerial capacities of local coastal authorities in the fight all stakeholders projects identified against plastic waste leakage at sea concerned to ensure integrated, effective, and sustainable OO12. Strengthen the management of 6) Revised waste law including provisions on recycling and legal and regulatory plastic waste from formalization of the status of «Environmental Agents» for informal framework for the land and marine reclaimers (before the end of 2022) management of sources 7) Establishment of standards and specifications for recyclable household waste plastic waste and recycled plastic products and plastic waste 8) Strengthened, updated and enforced regulatory and normative in order to ensure instruments for fishing accessories the development of 9) Increased number of penalties for ship-source pollution recovery and recycling offenders and for failure to report lost fishing gear channels 10) Number of municipalities that have joined the Green Ecosystem aggregation program 11) Number of voluntary agreements «for the prevention of single-use plastics» signed by tourist, recreational and commercial establishments (large-scale distribution companies) located on the coast 12) Number and amount of pilot projects on eco-design of plastic products and packaging OO21. Prevent and 13) Annual budgetary envelope investment by state authorities to reduce plastic waste support companies in substituting single-use plastic packaging and from land-based reducing over-packaging and post-consumer sources 14) Rate of reduction of plastic debris delivered to the sea (compare with baseline and with the completion level of target 14.1-ODD14) 15) Proportion of solid plastics waste adequately managed (directed to secure facilities) in relation to total waste generated in coastal municipalities within the LISP influence zone 16) Budget allocated to upgrading existing CEVs and replicating them in other coastal communities SO2: Prevent, reduce 17) Effective establishment of the EPR instrument plastic waste through 17 Measures and 2 the establishment OO22. Establish an 18) Volume of plastic waste (nets and fishing accessories) collected projects identified of circular economy effective system and recycled or placed in CEVs approaches for the collection, 19) Volume of beach cleanup waste collected and recycled or storage, transfer, and placed in CEVs treatment of plastic 20) Volume of ship-generated waste collected and recycled or waste from coastal placed in CEVs and marine activities 21) Support budget for beach clean-up campaigns 22) Recycling rate of post-consumer plastic waste 23) Public support budget allocated to cooperatives and VSEs - SMEs in collection-sorting-recycling, for investment or working capital financing OO23. Improve the 24) Number of collection-sorting-packaging centers set up in the performance of the coastal municipalities and managed by VSEs/SMEs and with terms recycling sector and of reference with informal collectors upstream and with formal the economic and recyclers downstream financial viability of 25) Volume of recyclable waste (including plastics) processed in related projects collection-sorting centers interfacing between informal collectors and formal recyclers 26) Turnover of plastics recycling companies 27) Plastic market information system established 70 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE OO31. Ensure the 28) Number of informal reclaimers supported, organized, and effective and inclusive connected to collection-sorting centers with a (fair trade) schedule integration of informal of conditions reclaimers into the 29) Number of active and regularized informal reclaimers in the VECs SO3: Connect and value chain and 30) Increase (%) in informal reclaimers’ income integrate the informal connect them with 31) Rate of coverage by the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) and «ecosystem» into other actors working RAMED (Medical Assistance Scheme) for informal collectors the value chain, downstream in the 32) Number of jobs created in collection/sorting centers and in new helping communities, value chain recycling units 9 Measures and 14 municipalities, and projects identified waste management companies to recover OO32. Formalize the 33) Communication and awareness plans developed and post-consumer plastic informal recycling implemented in coastal regions waste more efficiently industry sector and 34) Number of information, education, and communication products and inclusively integrate it into and tools developed and disseminated the plastic waste 35) Number of capacity-building workshops for elected officials and ecosystem to improve coastal territorial actors on the fight against plastic pollution and its the competitiveness of socio-economic impacts the recycling sector 36) Communication and awareness plans developed and OO41. Strengthen implemented in coastal regions communication and SO4. Strengthen 37) Number of information, education, and communication products public awareness on communication, and tools developed and disseminated environmental and education and 38) Number of capacity-building workshops for elected officials and health issues related awareness of coastal territorial actors on the fight against plastic pollution and its to plastic waste stakeholders on the socio-economic impacts impacts of marine 11 Measures and five debris and prevention projects identified measures and on OO42. Promote 39) Number of capacity-building workshops for NGOs to ensure behavior and habits the involvement effective information and awareness-raising of households and regarding single-use of civil society in consumers on the risks of plastic pollution and on preventive plastics and plastic the mobilization actions bags of stakeholders 40) Number of NGOs supported for the improvement and scaling up concerned by the of their initiatives (sorting at source, eco-kiosks, selective collection, problem of plastic waste fishing, diving, beach cleaning, etc.) waste in coastal areas 41) Budget allocation for research innovation in plastics recycling technologies and monitoring and characterization of marine plastic OO51. Strengthen debris research innovation 42) Number of research innovation projects implemented to reduce and technological marine plastic pollution development in eco- 43) Number of research and development partnerships between design, treatment, SO5: Strengthen sectoral departments and research institutions and centers recycling and recovery monitoring, research 44) Budget allocated to research projects of plastic waste innovation, and 45) Number of accepted and patented innovations in the areas of knowledge sharing eco-design, technologies, etc. at national and 14 Measures and regional levels to 11 projects identified ensure sustainable 46) Budget for strengthening existing surveillance systems management of plastic 47) Marine litter information system established and operational waste along the value (battery of indicators reported in the diagnostics report and a chain (from design to baseline established) OO52. Support and recovery) 48) Budget invested in improved characterization and monitoring strengthen marine 49) Specific module (or Decision-making Dashboard) on marine litter monitoring plastic waste, integrated in the SIREDDS (coastal regions) systems 50) Investment budget allocated to the acquisition of microplastics characterization equipment 51) Number of microplastics monitoring and characterization operations on beaches, of floating debris, and on the sea bed 52) Number of documents produced on innovations (tools, instruments, approaches, etc.) under the LISP Action Plan and other sectoral initiatives 53) Budget mobilized for the implementation of a regional program SO6: Contribute for the Development and Protection of the Marine and Coastal to the regional OO 61. Strengthen Environment for the countries of Atlantic Africa in the framework of implementation cooperation with triangular cooperation (Atlantic Africa and the countries of Five Measures 54) Funds mobilized by Morocco from international agencies for MENA countries) of the Region in the and five projects the implementation of a regional initiative to combat marine litter measures to prevent prevention and control identified on the Atlantic coast of Africa in the framework of South-South and reduce plastic of marine plastic cooperation pollution from land and pollution 55) A harmonized monitoring program for Atlantic Africa, marine sources capitalizing on the instruments and indicators developed for the Mediterranean and drawing on the battery of indicators developed within the framework of the LISP-Morocco Project, drawn up and adopted by the partner countries 71 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 5.3 Tunisia The assessment of the status of marine plastic pollution in Tunisia informed the preparation of the strategic framework for Tunisia. The SWOT analysis identified thematic action areas: (i) a institutional and governance framework; (ii) regulatory framework and international conventions; (iii) financing; and (iv) management issues (See Section 4.2). The hot-spot analysis also informed the prioritization of intervention areas in preparing projects. Based on the assessment results and stakeholder consultation, Tunisia’s LISP vision has been construed as “A plastic-free Tunisian coastline adopting inclusive and sustainable circular models.” This vision was formulated through a series of five thematic workshops to develop a strategy. At these workshops, relevant assessment results corresponding to the thematic action areas were presented to feed into the discussions. To achieve this vision, five Strategic Objectives (SOs) were identified through consultative and co- designing process. The five Strategic Objectives are: i. Strategic Objective 1 : Ensure good governance of plastic waste ii. Strategic Objective 2 : Design a successful financial model to prevent and reduce marine plastic pollution iii. Strategic Objective 3 : Strengthen the integrated management of plastic waste from land, coastal, and marine sources iv. Strategic Objective 4 : Develop research and innovative approaches to combat marine plastic pollution v. Strategic Objective 5 : Strengthen education, awareness, and communication actions These strategic objectives were formulated in response to the major issues identified by the assessment, especially from the SWOT analysis in Tunisia. Strategic Objective 1 : Ensure good governance of plastic waste. This objective aims at enhancing the governance frameworks to address marine plastic pollution. The diagnosis showed that at times, there are overlapping mandates for waste management among ANGed, CITET and APAL. On the other hand, some key actors in the management of plastic waste on the coast are not yet sufficiently involved. The objective is therefore to promote effective and inclusive governance of plastics that is aligned with the strategy for the integrated management of household and similar waste (SNGIDMA), strengthening the capacities of stakeholders, and involving them in the plastic value chain while clarifying roles and responsibilities and ensuring coordinated action. Strategic Objective 2 : Design a successful financial model to prevent and reduce marine plastic pollution. This essential step aims at improving the financing mechanisms for addressing marine plastic pollution. Financial incentives need to be put in place to stimulate the transition to a circular economy. For example, financing can support improvement of product design for recyclability, develop alternative materials to plastics, and improve waste management measures. In Tunisia, an improved financing mechanism is needed to enhance the recycling rate of plastics. Strategic Objective 3: Strengthen the integrated management of plastic waste from land, coastal, and marine sources. Waste management is one of the major challenges for the Tunisian government. With the ongoing decentralization process, and given the insufficient resources available to the municipalities, the current waste management model is not efficiently managing waste volume, especially during the high seasons in coastal areas. The management of plastic waste thus needs to be improved while considering the concept of the circular economy, through the introduction of selective sorting at the source of waste and the recovery of plastic materials for recycling. Strategic Objective 4 : Develop research and innovative approaches to combat marine plastic pollution. This objective is geared towards reducing and preventing plastic pollution through research and innovation at national and local levels. These efforts can take place through the partnerships of research institutes, the private sector, and the government. The assessment process has demonstrated that there are knowledge gaps such as field data related to quantity, types, and size of plastics on beaches, in the water column and on the seabed. Research efforts as well as improved environmental monitoring schemes can address these gaps. Innovation is also crucial for improving product design, transforming collection methods and improving recycling technology to prevent leakage of plastics to the sea. Strategic Objective 5 : Strengthen education, awareness, and communication actions focusing on raising consciousness and promoting environmental education. The diagnostics and participatory process 72 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE highlighted the importance of environmental education in Tunisia to improve awareness on marine plastic pollution and to encourage action by all stakeholders. The participation of all stakeholders -- including educational professionals as well as media – are urgently needed to encourage adoption of sustainable consumption and production patterns at all levels. To implement the LISP Strategy, Tunisia has started developing a framework for its Action Plan. Operational objectives, measures, and projects were identified to achieve the LISP vision and its five Strategic Objectives (Table 17). Through the consultation workshops, 84 measures and 44 projects have been identified thus far (Annex 7). The government is continuing the development of the draft LISP Action Plan by identifying institutions responsible for each measure and setting a monitoring mechanism. The network of stakeholders established through the LISP process under the leadership of the Ministry of Environment will continue to serve as the strong foundation for the finalization of its strategy. Table 17 : Overview of Tunisia’s Lisp Strategy And its Action TUNISIA LISP VISION A plastic-free Tunisian coastline adopting inclusive and sustainable circular models SO OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES MEASURES AND PROJECTS SO1. Ensure good governance OO.1.1. Design a governance model involving all actors in the plastics 29 Measures and nine projects identified of plastic waste value chain OO.1.2. Optimize regulatory instruments for the circular economy and the fight against marine plastic pollution OO.1.3. Promote the participation of the private sector throughout the plastics value chain OO.1.4. Build stakeholders’ capacities for sustainable plastic waste management and the circular economy SO2: Design a successful OO.2.1. Strengthen and promote adequate financial instruments to 13 Measures and three projects identified financial model to prevent and reduce marine plastic pollution reduce marine pollution from OO.2.2. Strengthen investments and put financial resources in place. plastic waste SO3: Strengthen the integrated OO.3.1 Improve management services for plastic waste streams from 21 Measures and 17 projects identified management of plastic waste land and coastal sources in governorates and coastal municipalities from land, coastal and marine sources OO.3.2. Promote the recycling of goods and products containing plas- tics OO.3.3. Improve existing plastic waste treatment and sorting systems SO4: Develop research and OO. 4.1. Promote and enhance scientific research related to the moni- 9 Measures and eight projects identified innovation to combat marine toring and assessment of the impacts of marine plastic pollution plastic pollution OO.4.2. Promote innovation in alternative products, eco-design and recycling SO5: Strengthen education, OO.5.1. Improve awareness of decision-makers, politicians, authori- 12 Measures and seven projects identified awareness, and communica- ties, and citizens on the prevention and reduction of marine plastic tion actions pollution OO.5.2. Strengthen the capacity of NGOs and civil society and their role in raising awareness and providing information to combat ma- rine pollution by plastic waste 73 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE LISP Figure 22 : LISP Tunisia Strategic Objectives VISION 74 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE CHAPTER 6. THE WAY FORWARD Credit : Wassim Chaabane 75 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 6.1 Progress during the first phase of the technical assistance This synthetic report illustrated the progress made by the governments of Morocco and Tunisia in addressing marine plastic pollution with the support of PROBLUE under the Technical Assistance “Cleaner, plastic-free, coastal and marine areas of North Africa.” This Technical Assistance served as a first phase of cooperation between the World Bank and the governments on marine plastic pollution. The activities under this phase produced nine technical reports, including assessments on the status of marine plastic pollution and strategic documents. Throughout the activities, the Technical Assistance involved stakeholders across sectors and throughout the value chain, including governments, academia, the private sector, and civil society. By doing so, the activities helped establish networks of key actors working on marine plastic pollution in each country. Through their assessments, both Morocco and Tunisia made significant progress in understanding the status of marine plastic pollution. The assessments estimated the current plastic leakage rate to the surrounding marine environment and identified geographical hot-spots that require prioritized intervention. The SWOT analyses conducted as part of the assessments helped identify the strengths and weaknesses of current response mechanisms and measures in each country, including the existing governance framework and waste management systems. This synthesis report showed that the assessments pointed towards common areas of further actions in both countries. These common action areas included: (i) enhancing governance and encouraging cooperation across stakeholders; (ii) strengthening legal frameworks; (iii) improving waste management; (iv) improving financing for actions to address marine plastic pollution; (v) enhancing environmental education and raising awareness about marine pollution and its impacts; and (vi) promoting research and innovation. These common areas confirmed that collective actions are required across the plastic value chain, and that neither upstream nor downstream actions alone can resolve plastic pollution. Based on the assessment results, both Morocco and Tunisia have set their respective visions to move towards a circular economy model and make coastlines clean and free of plastics. Both countries have set Strategic Objectives informed by assessments and participatory workshops. To operationalize the strategy, Morocco has finalized the preparation of its operational action plan, the LISP Action Plan. Tunisia has also prepared a framework of its strategy and action plan with an initial list of measures and projects to implement the strategy. These strategies and action plans will guide the future course of activities in preventing and reducing marine plastic pollution. 6.2 Limitations of the assessments While the technical assistance improved the understanding of marine plastic pollution in both countries, it also helped identify existing knowledge and information gaps including sources, pathways and fates of marine litter, including microplastics. During the first phase, assessments relied on qualitative analyses when there were no existing quantitative data. Quantitative analyses were used on macroplastics generated by solid household waste from land-based sources as it accounts for nearly 80% of the potential volume of plastic waste84 . On the other hand, the assessments mainly used qualitative approaches for the remaining 20% of plastics waste, which have originated from other sources such as cars, motor The assessments focus on macroplastics and did not assess microplastics due to the lack of both qualitative and quantitative data. Globally, tire dust from wear and tear is known to be a significant source of microplastic pollution, accounting for 78% of microplastic leakage to the ocean by mass85 . Other types of microplastics such as plastic pellets, textiles, and personal care products also contribute to marine plastic pollution. Microfibers can be generated by washing textiles, and via the degradation of plastic materials such as ropes, nets, and sanitary products86 . However, the lack of field data and published studies in both countries prevented the assessments from including details about the status of microplastic pollution. The assessments also did not examine some known pathways of plastic pollution such as wastewater. At least two of these routes are as follows (i) when wastewater is collected through sewage networks,micro and macroplasics are carried by sludge to a wastewater treatment plant, and ultimately transferred to landfills; and (ii) the direct discharge of water containing macro or microplastics sends them directly into 84 Li, W. C., Tse, H. F., & Fok, L. (2016). Plastic waste in the marine environment: A review of sources, occurrence and effects. Science of the Total Environment, 566, 333-349 85 Lau, W. W., Shiran, Y., Bailey, R. M., Cook, E., Stuchtey, M. R., Koskella, J., ... & Palardy, J. E. (2020). Evaluating scenarios toward zero plastic pollution. Science, 369(6510), 1455-1461. 86 Tobin, C., & Urban-Rich, J. (2021). The Fully-Synthetic Microfiber (FSMF) Pipeline–from source to mitigation strategies. Environmental Advances, 100133. 76 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE the sea or into rivers. Future assessments of these pathways could also consider the type of wastewater treatment technology, as recent studies have demonstrated that the capacity of wastewater treatment plants in removing microplastics depends on the design of those plants87. Wind and water are other pathways for marine plastic pollution that could be further examined in the future. A recent study based on models and field observations showed that globally, 80 percent of plastic leakage comes from riverine systems88. Thus, additional studies could be conducted to model the flow of plastic leakage by rivers and winds to the sea based on models and additional field data. Such a modelling effort has already been conducted in Indonesia. The model showed that land-based sources have higher contributions via rivers than through direct input from coastal areas in Indonesia. This result confirmed the significance of river systems as a pathway of marine plastic pollution89 and informed future actions by the government. The assessments also revealed the lack of field data, particularly on sea-based sources of marine plastic pollution, both in Morocco and Tunisia. Sea-based sources, such as abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear and waste from ships, are known to account for approximately 20 percent of overall marine plastic pollution. For both countries, the lack of data did not allow quantitative assessments. Thus, the indicators for sea-based sources were mostly described in a qualitative manner. The overall data limitations also prevented the assessments from including plastic flow analyses along the entire value chain from production to leakage into the marine environment. Thus, it is recommended that more detailed plastic flow analyses be conducted in the future, by conducting quantitative analyses of plastic waste generated from different sectors in consideration of the proportion of recyclable and non- recyclable plastic waste. For Tunisia, it will be especially important to collect data on the amount of plastic imported and exported, the amount of plastic waste collected, and the amount and rate of plastic recycled, as there have been no studies providing these data for different polymers. Such studies could complement the previous flow analysis conducted by WWF (2019)90 for both countries. In addition, a market analysis of the plastics value chain should be conducted. This analysis could identify potential barriers to recycling plastics by analyzing two aspects: (i) producer demand for recycled plastics; and (ii) consumer demand for products made with recycled plastic. If the demand is low, this analysis will help to identify the causes, in order to formulate measures to stimulate the market for recycled plastics. Previous studies have characterized existing barriers as including (i) insufficient market communication; (ii) lack of value chain coordination, which ultimately leads to a lack of traceability of plastics along the value chain; (iii) technical barriers to recycling; and (iv) legislative barriers affecting the recycled plastics market (Box 11). While the LISP action plans for Morocco and Tunisia have included specific measures to address these barriers, this additional analysis will further examine the major barrier in that recycled plastics can be more expensive than virgin plastic if oil prices fall. The analysis could also assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has increased the demand for packaging products due to the increase in online shopping of consumer goods such as electrical and electronic appliances, personal care products, and personal protective equipment. To better understand the current level of plastic circularity, Circular Economic value (CEV) should also be assessed in both countries. The approach would measure system attributes and detect entry points for improving system circularity. CEV considers the material flow and energy consumption of production systems, individual products or any other activity. The concept follows the basic circular principles to minimize the material and energy needs of all analyzed objects. This methodology was applied to Kenya and showed that the plastic material flow stands at 32.72%, indicating the need for preventing material leakage (Box 12). This analysis can help both governments understand the current status of plastic circularity in their respective countries - or in a specific location - as they make plans to move towards a more circular economy. In summary, the following future studies should be considered to improve the understanding of marine plastic pollution in both countries: (i) field surveys of macro and microplastics ; (ii) assessments of sea-based sources of marine plastic pollution: (iii) modeling of plastic waste flows from land to sea; (iv) characterization and quantification of macroplastics and microplastics carried by wastewater; (v) market assessments of plastic recycling; (vi) mapping of plastic flows across the value chain; and (vii) assessment of the circular economy value (CEV)91 by adopting the methodology developed by Horvath et al. (2018)92 for Kenya. 87 Freeman, S., Booth, A. M., Sabbah, I., Tiller, R., Dierking, J., Klun, K., ... & Angel, D. L. (2020). Between source and sea: The role of wastewater treatment in reducing marine microplastics. Journal of environmental management, 266, 110642. 88 Meijer, L. J., van Emmerik, T., van der Ent, R., Schmidt, C., & Lebreton, L. (2021). More than 1000 rivers account for 80% of global riverine plastic emissions into the ocean. Science Advances, 7(18), eaaz5803. 89 World Bank (2021) Plastic Waste Discharges from Rivers and Coastlines in Indonesia. Available at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/indonesia/ publication/plastic-waste-discharges-from-rivers-and-coastlines-in-indonesia 90 WWF (2019) Stop the flood of plastics: a guide for policy-makers in Morocco. Available at: https://wwfeu.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/05062019_ wwf_marocco_guidebook.pdf. WWF (2019) Stop the flood of plastics a guide for policy-makers in Tunisia. Available at: http://awsassets.panda.org/ downloads/05062019_wwf_tunisia_guidebook.pdf 91 This value is used to assess system attributes and detect key activities to establish a sustainable circular business model 92 Horvath, B., Mallinguh, E., & Fogarassy, C. (2018). Designing business solutions for plastic waste management to enhance circular transitions in Kenya. Sustainability, 10(5), 1664. 77 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Box 12 : Evaluation of Circular Economic Value in Nairobi, Kenya Horvath et al. (2018) conducted a case study in Nairobi to examine the circularity level in plastic material flow. The analysis showed that the overall circularity level stands at 32.72%. This circularity was evaluated using six parameters: MIM (ratio of imported plastic raw materials to the total volume of plastic manufacture inputs); MEX (ratio of exported plastic products to the total volume of plastic manufacture outputs); LCM (ratio of non-recyclable plastic waste to the total plastic waste amount); CML (ratio of non-recycled recyclable plastic waste from the total recyclable plastic waste amount); CML (ratio of non-recycled recyclable plastic waste from the total recyclable plastic waste); WCL (ratio of non-collected plastic waste to the total plastic waste amount) and WPL (ratio of non-recycled recyclable plastic waste to the collected plastic waste amount). The diagram below shows the performance of the six parameters. 69.74% (LCM) of the consumed plastic was not suitable for recycling. CML was 84.73%, indicating that most of the recyclable plastic was not recycled. This could be due to a lack of capacity in the waste management systems. Only one-third of the total plastic waste generated was collected through the main solid waste management channels, and the remaining 67% (WCL) was outside the system’s boundaries. In total, 86% (WPL) of the collected recyclable plastic waste is sent to incineration or controlled landfills. Figure 23 Analysis of the circular economic value in Kenya using six performance indicators (Source: Horvath et al. 2018) Figure 23 : Analysis of the circular economic value in Kenya using six performance indicators MIM 100.00% WPL MEX 86.00% 13.06% 67.00% 69.74% WCL LCM 84.73% CML Source: Horvath et al. 2018 78 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE 6.3 Second phase of the technical assistance Both countries are starting to move towards the second phase of the Technical Assistance in partnership with the World Bank. During the second phase, the governments plan to initiate the implementation of priority activities included their respective action plans. These action plans already incorporate several activities aimed at addressing data and knowledge gaps identified during the first phase. The main activities proposed for Phase 2 of the technical assistance are outlined in Table 18. The government of Morocco plans to develop an investment plan for the implementation of the LISP strategy and its Action Plan. In addition, a dedicated LISP communication strategy will be developed to support the participation and contribution of all stakeholders and to raise awareness of the pressing nature of marine plastic pollution, and to encourage sustainable production and consumption patterns. Building on the analytical work during the first phase, additional studies are also planned to develop a system for reducing plastic use in agriculture, examine potential economic instruments for phasing out the production and use of single-use plastics, and assess the role and contributions of the informal waste sector to plastic recycling. To improve field data, the designing of an integrated data management system for monitoring and assessment will also be supported. The government of Tunisia plans to finalize its LISP Action Plan based on the strategic framework developed under the current Technical Assistance. Based on the action plan, the government will start implementing priority activities during the second phase. Such priority activities include an analysis of the existing institutional arrangements for waste management, as the assessment indicated opportunities for clarifying mandates and rules of collaboration between the Ministry of Environment, ANGed, APAL, and local authorities. Field surveys on marine plastic and microplastic pollution are also planned in selected hot- spots to address knowledge and data gaps identified during the first phase. A communications strategy will also be prepared to mobilize all stakeholders in the country to implement the Action Plan and to accelerate a transition to a circular economy model. 6.4 Conclusion Overall, the first phase of the Technical Assistance confirmed that reducing marine plastics pollution will require action throughout the plastic value chain, with the cooperation of actors across sectors and across the plastic value chain. Upstream actions need to be implemented at the start of the plastic value chain. Such upstream measures include taking actions to reduce unnecessary use of plastics, encouraging sustainable consumption and production patterns, developing alternatives to plastics, and improving the design of products for durability and enhanced recyclability. At the same time, downstream actions are also needed to improve solid waste management systems, source separation, collection rates, and recycling rates. Neither upstream nor downstream actions alone can fully address marine plastic pollution. Therefore, governance and management mechanisms that bring together key stakeholders across the plastic value chains are needed to create a lasting and systemic change throughout the plastic value chain. By setting their LISP Strategies, Morocco and Tunisia have taken a significant step towards preventing and reducing marine plastic pollution. However, the journey has only just began. The action plans need to be implemented in order to realize the vision to make coastlines free of plastics. All stakeholders, including donors and partners, need to be mobilized to implement the Action Plans. The technical assistance also reconfirmed that no single country can solve this transboundary problem alone. As demonstrated at the virtual regional workshop on marine plastic pollution held in March 2021, all countries need to work together to prevent and reduce marine plastic pollution, whose impacts reach beyond borders. In this regard, the World Bank is committed to continue supporting the governments of Morocco and Tunisia as well as other MENA countries in their efforts to prevent and reduce marine plastic pollution. It is hoped that the experiences in Morocco and Tunisia will encourage and inspire actions in the MENA region and beyond to prevent and reduce marine plastic pollution. 79 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Table 18 : Proposed technical assistance during Phase 2 for the development and implementation of strategies and their operational action plans in Morocco and Tunisia Morocco Tunisia Develop an investment plan for the implementation of the Finalize the operational LISP Action Plan based on the strategic LISP strategy, including an analysis of barriers to private framework prepared during the first phase. investments for the implementation of the LISP strategy. Develop a LISP Morocco communication strategy to Develop a LISP Tunisia communication strategy to stimulate a encourage sustainable consumption and production transition to a circular economy. patterns through the implementation of the LISP Strategy and Action Plan. Conduct analysis for the development of a system for Conduct a policy and institutional review of the waste reducing the use of plastics in agriculture. management sector with a focus on plastics and political economy issues to unlock barriers for policy reforms and investments. Examine potential economic instruments for phasing out Conduct a field survey of marine plastic and microplastic pollution the production and use of single-use plastic bags (e.g. levy, in selected hot-spots. discounts to consumers). Assess the value chain and the contribution of the informal Strengthen the monitoring program on marine litter and waste sector to plastic recycling. designing a database Strengthen existing beach litter monitoring programs Design pilot activities with at least two coastal municipalities to by conducting training and designing an integrated reduce plastic consumption in hotels and other tourism facilities. information management system. Design a voluntary agreement scheme with tourism and recreational facilities to prevent and reduce the use of single-use plastics. Credit : Wassim Chaabane 80 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE ANNEX Annex 1: Benchmark for the EPR instrument Regulatory Scope of EPR In its most basic form, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) holds the producers of recyclable goods responsible for not just the creation of the materials in question, be they plastic bottles, bags, agricultural plastics, fishing waste, or other material types -- but also requires responsibility and ownership of the chain of events and activities that follow production. This oversight potentially includes such forward-looking considerations as packaging, promotion, an emphasis on maximum recyclability, appropriate standards for collecting and recycling of materials, and generally, oversight and responsibility of all aspects of the goods produced from start to finish. This producer-driven chain of responsibilities along the lifecycle of products ensures that there are no weak links, no elements left to chance or to other entities, and an assurance that producers of goods own the entire process. However, it is clear that EPR is a regulation based on collection and recycling performance, in terms of targets and results to be achieved, rather than on the means used to achieve these targets93. EPR is also one of the main waste management policy instruments that support the implementation of the waste hierarchy in Europe. It is a key policy instrument in the EU that has contributed to the collection and recycling of plastic. EPR can significantly contribute to the achievement of the current EU waste targets and the new, more ambitious EU circular economy targets 94. The diversity of EPR applications The applications of EPR principles are multiple, and are also found outside the plastics industry. Thus, it cannot fully address the specific requirements for all categories of plastics. However, the principles of EPR do aim to internalize environmental externalities and encourage producers to consider environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of a product. In this way, EPR provides a basis for efficient end-of-life collection, better reuse and recycling of collected products, and incentivizes manufacturers to develop products with lower environmental impacts95. EPR was first implemented in Europe in the 1990s for beverage packaging. Since then, this instrument has been introduced into EU legislation and applied to several other products such as electrical and electronic equipment, batteries (as is the case in Morocco) and an end-of-life vehicles directive (an ongoing initiative in Morocco). Today, most EU member states have EPR systems in place for the collection and recovery of packaging waste. EPR, applied to packaging, has contributed to a significant increase in recycling rates within the EU. This also applies to plastic packaging where recycling rates reached an average of 40 percent in 2015, well above the 22.5 percent target set by the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. Since plastic is generated from fossil fuel, energy recovery and incineration of plastic packaging waste in the EU has also increased. The EU has introduced EPR through several other specific waste laws such as the ELV Directive 2000/53/EC and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Recycling (WEEE) Directive 2012/19/EU96. The plastic waste stream from end-of-life vehicles is about 12-15 percent of the typical modern car 97. EPR has also been applied to agricultural plastics. These include greenhouse plastic films, mulch plastics, and row liners. The collection rate of agricultural plastic waste is between 75 and 95 percent, with a high recycling rate of 98 percent98. In some countries, EPR has been implemented for other specific types of plastic- containing waste such as99: Austria (plastic films and bulky plastics); Belgium (disposable plastic kitchen utensils); France (pesticide packaging, fertilizers, seed packaging, office equipment, and ink cartridges); and Portugal (medical and pharmaceutical packaging). 93 Coglianese, C., Nash, J., Olmstead, T. (2002). Performance Based Regulation: Prospects and Limitations in Health, Safety and Environmental Protection. Regulatory Policy Program, Center for Business and Government. John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Cambridge, MA, USA. 94 Watkins, E., Gionfra, S., Schweitzer, J.-P., Pantzar, M., Janssens, C., ten Brink, P. (2017). EPR in the EU Plastics Strategy and the Circular Economy: a Focus on Plastic Packaging. Institute for European Environmental Policy, Brussels, Belgium. Study report 2017. 57pp. 95 OECD (2014) The State of Play on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Opportunities and Challenges. OECD, Paris. 96 European Commission (2014). Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council Amending Directives 2008/98/EC on Waste, http:// ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/pdf/Legal%20proposal%20review%20targets.pdf. 97 Plastics Europe, 2013. Automotive World Moves with Plastics. https://www.plasticseurope.org/en/resources/publications/104-automotive-world-moves- plastics-brochure 98 ApeEurope (2018) European regulation-national collecting schemes (NCS). Available at: http://www.plastiques-agricoles.com/ape-europe-missions/agricultural- plastics-european-regulation/ 99 European Resource Efficiency Platform, 2014. Manifesto & policy recommendations 31 March, 2014. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/resource_ efficiency/documents/erep_manifesto_and_policy_recommendations_31-03- 2014.pdf. 81 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Effectiveness and enforcement challenges of EPR to promote recirculation of plastic waste A recent study looked at evaluating the effectiveness of EPR implementation in Spain and Portugal100. The results showed that this instrument has a positive impact in both countries. Nevertheless, there are some obstacles that need to be overcome: (i) the recycling targets set by the EU are extremely demanding for 2025 and 2030 (e.g., a gap of almost 50% compared to the EU recycling target of 65% was noted in 2015); (ii) the lack of services (in terms of the number of collection bins available) required to reach these targets in several geographical areas; (iii) the need to promote eco-design in order to reduce the materials used for packaging and the use of materials with high recyclability rates; (iv) taking into account advances in recycling technologies and sorting techniques to improve material recyclability; and (v) adopting the packaging value chain approach (design - production - transport - consumption - recycling - market for recycled products). As part of the circular economy for plastics, EPR has been effectively applied in British Columbia and has achieved the highest recycling rates in Canada101. In 2017, 73.9 percent of plastic beverage containers supplied in British Colombia (BC) were collected and managed by Encorp Pacific102 and 82.5 percent of used plastic oil and antifreeze containers supplied in BC were collected for recycling by the BC Used Oil Management Association (BCUOMA). The RecycleBC PPP103 program has leveraged $20 million in capital investment in PPP recycling, a significant portion of which is related to plastic recycling, and the program has expanded the types of plastics collected, and reduced the contamination of collected materials. Recommendations for improving EPR effectiveness Several authors recommend applying rigor by setting high plastics recycling targets. This would provide an incentive for producers to undertake significant plastic collection and recycling efforts and by defining performance standards and desired outcomes. Strong performance standards would encourage producers to build supply chains involving commercial collaborations, private collectors and processors, and local governments. While provinces and territories must tailor collection coverage requirements to their geographic and socio-economic realities, these requirements should still allow producers the flexibility to use a multitude of collection and material consolidation strategies to meet performance standards while promoting efficiency. Also, there are many opportunities and new approaches to make existing EPR systems for plastic packaging and other post-consumer plastic waste streams more effective and efficient. These include: Appropriate product design, and in particular, circular design or eco-design (e.g., design for reuse and recycling) is one of the main avenues for improving end-of-life product reuse and recycling levels. In addition, design improvements significantly reduce the cost of recycling plastic packaging waste by about 50%104. For this, incentives are important for producers who favor circular products and integrate EPR. In practice, eco- design for recycling is not always implemented by the actors responsible for paying the production costs – particularly in low-income countries, where the share of imported products is high and the possibility of influencing the product or packaging design through local EPR is low. Improving selective waste collection and treatment : Most EPR-based initiatives tend to meet only the collection and recycling targets set in waste legislation. Future recycling targets will require more efficient collection, sorting, and final treatment of waste. Various modern technologies for recycling plastic waste have been developed and are summarized in the international benchmark study (see that study’s Section II.7). However, regardless of the efficiency of the recycling technologies, the experiences gleaned from other EPR systems show that source separation and sorting is the most important step in the recycling loop. Proper source separation ensures a higher quality of recycled plastics. Implementation of this recommendation in the MENA region is crucial, as the region has struggled to establish source separation. Local authorities as well as producers have a role to play in developing adequate collection schemes and in raising public awareness, which seems to be crucial to ensure the proper functioning of selective collection105 it is clear that the focus on low-cost collection solutions, such as mixed packaging collection or collection of easy-to- collect waste streams (e.g., bulk commercial plastic packaging), is not sufficient to increase plastics recycling. Integrating EPR into a sustainable and circular business model: a sustainable business model is commonly 100 Sergio Rubio, Tânia Rodrigues Pereira Ramos, Manuel Maria Rodrigues Leitão, Ana Paula Barbosa-Póvoa (2018) Effectiveness of extended producer responsibility policies implementation: The case of Portuguese and Spanish packaging waste systems, Journal of Cleaner Production doi: 10.1016/j. jclepro.2018.10.299 101 Smart Prosperity Institute (Canada). (2019). A vision for a circular economy for plastics in Canada: the benefits of plastics and how we get it right. Available at: https://www.plasticseurope.org/en/resources/publications/104-automotive-world-moves- plastics-brochure the waste 102 Encorp Plastics is a producer responsibility organization operating a deposit-refund [deposit] system on behalf of beverage producers 103 Printed Paper and Packaging 104 Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2017) The New Plastics Economy: Catalyzing Action. 105 Department of the Environment - Morocco and GIZ (2016) Pilot experiments of Source separation of household and similar waste in Morocco. 82 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE defined as having three main components: value proposition, value creation and delivery, and value capture106 This model is based on the economic, environmental, and social trilogy of the business ecosystem and involves different stakeholders at all three levels107. Thus, a sustainable and circular business model has measurable ecological and social value in addition to economic value108. This model requires companies to adapt their organizations and activities to enable more transparency and create sustainable value for all stakeholders109 This will help to provide a focus on innovation for sustainability and business strategy. Thus, companies using plastics as a resource should integrate economic, social and environmental considerations, and take into account the full life cycle of their product and the requirements of stakeholders in their ecosystem. Annex 2 : Regulations addressing plastic pollution in selected African and Mediterranean countries Country Regulation Law passed banning plastic bags <30μ thick. Plastic bags> 30μ were subjected to the imposition of a tax. Enforcement of the plastic South Africa bag ban has been insufficient. A lack of consumer acceptance of the levy has kept consumption levels high. Ban on the use of plastic bags in Hurghada. Distribution of 50,000 free cloth bags by the Hurghada Environmental Protection and Egypt Conservation Association, along with letters explaining the health and environmental reasons for the campaign. Plastic bags In 2017: ban on < 20μ bags and levy on thicker bags in supermarkets (about $0.03) (Udasin, 2016). Impact: a survey revealed that four months after the law came into force, 42% of shoppers had not bought any plastic bags in super- Israel markets. 2019 plastic bag fee, with a target of reducing their use to 90 bags per person per year by 31 December 2019, and to 40 bags per person per year by 2025. Italy A ban on the sale of non-biodegradable plastic bags. This ban has not been fully implemented due to disputes over EU trade laws. In 2007, a ban on plastic bags <30μ and a tax was imposed on bags>30μ. A law was passed to ban plastic bags <60μ, and the country Kenya continues to impose a tax on thicker bags. Plastic bags 2009: Ban on the production, import, sale and distribution of black plastic bags. Impact: Although considered only partially successful, the law is considered a very important step forward. 2016: Ban on the production, import, sale and distribution of plastic bags. The law does not apply to insulated bags, garbage bags, or Morocco bags for industrial or agricultural use. Impact: 421 tons of plastic bags were seized in a single year (2017). Citizens have switched to using cloth bags. The Moroccan govern- ment has stated that plastic bags are virtually no longer used in the country. Plastic products Plastic Ecotax: in 2014, a new tax came into force, introduced by the 2013 Finance Act, which taxed all plastic products (raw materials and end products equally) at 1.5% of the total value, in order to encourage plastic recycling 2013: A ban on the manufacture, use and import of plastic bags. Anyone who uses, manufactures or imports plastic bags can be fined Mauritania or imprisoned for up to a year. The ban came after a 70% mortality rate for cattle and sheep in the capital, Nouakchott, as a result of ingesting plastics. Senegal 20016: Ban on the production, import, possession and use of plastic bags <30μ Tanzania In 2005, an initial ban was issued in Zanzibar for bags <100μ. Legislation was then passed banning <30μ bags in the rest of the country. Plastic bags: 2017: Ban on the production, import and distribution of single-use plastic bags in large supermarkets and levy on consu- mers for thicker bags > 50μ. Tunisia Single-use bags: Single-use plastic bags and plastic bags of unknown origin are banned from March 1, 2020 for retail spaces and pharmacies, and from January 1, 2021 for producers and suppliers. Source: adapted from: Xanthos and Walker (2017)110 and Horizon (2020)111 106 Osterwalder, A., Pigneur, Y., Bernarda, G., Smith, A. (2005) Value proposition de-sign: How to create products and services customers want. John Wiley & Sons. 107 Antikainen, M., Valkokari, K., (2016) A framework for sustainable circular business model innovation. Technol. Innov. Manage. Available at: https:// timreview.ca/article/1000 108 Bocken, N.M., de Pauw, I., Bakker, C., van der Grinten, B. (2016) Product design and business model strategies for a circular economy. J. Indus. Prod. Eng. 33 (5), 308-320. 109 Bocken, N.M., de Pauw, I., Bakker, C., van der Grinten, B. (2016) Product design and business model strategies for a circular economy. J. Indus. Prod. Eng. 33 (5), 308-320. 110 Xanthos, D., Walker, T.R., (2017) International policies to reduce plastic marine pollution from single-use plastics (plastic bags and microbeads): a review. Maritime Pollution Bulletin. 118 (1-2), 17-26 111 Deapartment of Environment of the Government of Morocco (2019) Rapport régional sur l’évaluation du progrès de SEIS SUDI II - Maroc. Available at: https://siredd.environnement.gov.ma/Oriental/Content/images/documents/Liens/RAPPORT%20NATIONAL%20SEIS%20II%20SUD%20 MAROC%202019.pdf 83 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Annex 3 : Results of the SWOT analysis for Morocco Profile: "Plastic waste management for a reduction of marine pollution and for a registration in the circular economy approaches in the Moroccan coastal ecosystem." Internal diagnosis Theme Internal diagnosis Weaknesses Commitment of the institutions concerned with the implementation Insufficient coordination between stakeholders in the value chain of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development (objectives and issues): Multi-headed management/ lack of a central entity that sets the strategy for the entire value Objective 39: Establish sustainable management of integrated chain (from collection to recovery) industrial platforms Objective 40: Develop new «green» industrial sectors Dominance of the informal sector upstream and downstream of the «plastics» industry Objective 52: Adopt clean production standards Obstacles to the development of recycling 47 indicators for the theme «Coastline and Sea»; (currently <20%) (target set by the PNDM for Issue 2: Successful transition to a green economy: (i) moving from a 2020): sorting at source is difficult to establish traditional logic in waste management to a circular economy logic; and there is a lack of local skills and (ii) moving from the informal economy to one that is socially aware and reflective of economic solidarity Issue 5 : Pay particular attention to sensitive areas, and more specifically to Axis 22: Improving the management and development of the coastline, which has four objectives: (i) to ensure the promulgation of control and sanction measures relating to the law for the coastline, (ii) to develop a plan for the development and management of the coastline, (iii) to strengthen actions to improve the quality of coastal marine waters; and (iv) to improve the control of accidental marine pollution Operational co-piloting of the PNDM (MI and DE) Territorial responsibility instituted (through local authorities) Sorting and recycling development initiative (with support from cooperatives) Existence of decentralized waste management master plans Involvement of NGOs Mature delegated management The collection-cleaning rate is over 90% in the major coastal cities Development of SNRVD Instituting of LRP and LRS (LRP developed and adopted, 1 LRS-KRIS developed, other LRSs planned) Involvement of the institutions concerned with the management of marine litter, in particular in the elaboration of the conceptual note on the responsibilities in the management of marine litter Partnership between DDD, MI, and MCI in the fight against plastic bag pollution Well-established legal arsenal: Framework law on the national Very little support for recycling and recovery under Law 28-00 charter for the environment and sustainable development, Law 28- 00, Organic Law n°113-14, Law on delegated management The upstream recovery of waste, especially (n°54-05), Coastal law 81-12 plastic, is not integrated into a law (28-00 or Recent specific laws regulating the import, production and use of organic law) as a public service in its own right plastics: Delay in incorporating EPR into Law 28-00 Law No. 22-10 on the use of degradable or biodegradable plastic Constraints to the full deployment of the Ecotax bags and sacks instrument Law 77-15 of December 7, 2015: stipulates the prohibition of the Lack of standardized technical specifications manufacture, import, export, marketing and use of plastic bags for recyclable and processed plastics There are some standards already adopted: for transport Governance: Law 57-18 (published in BO 6845 of January 6, 2020): This law aims Regulatory packaging for dangerous goods and recycled to eradicate the clandestine means of production and import of framework, plastic materials, there is a standard «NM ISO plastic bags, and targets the use of prohibited bags that persist in international 16103» and «NM EN 15348» for recycled PET the souks and the unorganized itinerant trade, which are supplied by conventions and plastic, etc. (Cf. lMANOR). (Cf. lMANOR) clandestine networks and smuggling environmental taxation Polluter pays principle established by EPR (Framework Law 99-12) and the principle of green collection Ecotax New Law 13-101 on boating (June 2020) Regulation 3 of MARPOL Annex 5 applied: Mention the adoption of the Government Council (in 2019) the draft law on pollution from ships that encompasses all annexes of MARPOL - a draft law No. 69.18, relating to pollution caused by ships (adopted by the Moroccan Government Council in May 2019) 84 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Good capacity to mobilize funds from donors Lack of ability to manage funds dedicated to Financing instruments : National Fund for the Environment waste management) (FNEDD) Carbon Capital Fund Morocco (FCCM), dedicated to Limited know-how and lack of skills carbon finance in Morocco and intervening, among others, Low project delivery capacity in ecological waste disposal projects; CDM funds, including The absence of the contribution of the plastic recycling : Projects have not been successful due to emitters on the market (producers and limited know-how in waste management and lack of sorting importers) operations Feasibility studies of recycling projects A 200 million dirham conversion fund for companies affected Governance : are limited to internal costs (CAPEX and by law 77-15 banning the manufacture, import, export, Funding OPEX) and do not integrate, in the analysis marketing and use of plastic bags, and a fund to support of variants, the positive and negative business competitiveness externalities of disposal options (incineration, (IMTIAZ) for investment projects in alternative industries landfill) or recycling-recovery Funds mobilized to set up sorting centers at controlled Insufficient funding for recycling projects landfills : 186.2 million dirhams (2018) Low capacity of local governments in terms Financial support provided to start-ups for the circular of funding economy under the Cleantech Program 85 million dirhams allocated to campaigns for the collection of plastic waste and plastic bags Concept note - marine litter outlining specific interventions by Insufficient means for the quantification and relevant stakeholders (coordination mechanism to be put in monitoring of marine debris in the water place) column and floating waste Sand Quality Monitoring Program / Beach Debris Insufficient measures taken in the profiling of Characterization the beaches MAP project, Mediterranean Action Plan Lack of microplastic migration data Bathing Water Quality Monitoring Program Insufficient quantification of plastic macro- Beach cleaning operations + labeling waste in the seabed The monitoring of marine litter is being initiated (DDD, INRH) Lack of data on the impacts of plastic NGOs active on the coast (awareness, cleaning, observational pollution on marine biodiversity diving, etc. Insufficient assessment of the contribution of sea-based activities to marine plastic waste pollution (fishing and aquaculture, port Environmental activities, shipping and maritime transport) dimension Low impact of beach cleaning operations : return of waste to controlled or uncontrolled landfills (circularity to be put in place) Not taking care of the waste at the level of all the beaches, in spite of their collection The indirect environmental benefits of recycling and recovery are insufficiently assessed and communicated Not all beaches are automatically covered by the waste collection system; some are not covered at all Beach waste collection is limited to the summer season Human potential/youth in the 15-34 age range: 43% of the Significant impacts in terms of loss of population in the area of influence - LISP (employability niche ecosystem services: fishing, aquaculture = Recovery and recycling potential) (their reduction will be achieved by reducing Creation and development of circular blue jobs plastic pollution upstream) High recycling turnover : High potential value of plastic waste High cost of beach cleaning / impact on local Large number of companies dedicated to the collection of authorities recycled materials : Interest of some collection companies to Informal reclaimers (ragpickers) marginalized establish a formal recycling sector in the value chain / unsafe working conditions Existence of a market for recyclable plastics Informal recyclers hinder the standardized Existence of informal sector structures active in the sorting recycling pathway Socio-economic and recycling of plastics Lack of incentive or subsidy instruments dimension Unvalued social benefits: potential creation of direct and indirect jobs related to sorting- recycling Economic loss (without recycling): 189 million dirhams (WBG-DE, 2017) 85 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE External Diagnosis Opportunities Threats Technical Assistance funded by PROBLUE Delay in the approval of the revised version of Law 28-00 Agreed-upon SRL - RSK / ICZM approach Failure to integrate the informal sector for the circular economy Global Commitment to address marine plastic pollution Economic viability of recycling projects conditioned by the price of oil, The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDG) addresses the efficiency of upstream sorting, and the minimum economically marine debris and pollution through Goal 14 (target 14.1), with viable tonnage a particular focus on sources from land-based activities (others: Fluctuation in the cost of oil waste management (11 & 6), environmentally sound management of Insufficient technical skills chemicals and wastes throughout their life cycle (12 & 4), and overall waste reduction (12 & 5) Business resistance to the introduction of EPR Nurturing these opportunities on the SDGs The lack of specific regulations for recycling Engagement in key global and African conventions: all African Lack of opportunities for recycled materials coastal states (except Eritrea and Libya) are parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78); the London Convention and Protocol on the Dumping of Wastes at Sea; the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions on hazardous substances; the Conventions on Migratory Species and on Biological Diversity which contain provisions to prevent the harmful impact of marine plastic debris and microplastics; the four conventions and action plans including the Barcelona Convention (Mediterranean), the Abidjan Convention (West Africa) Prioritizing the organization of the informal sector in the new economic model and in the economic recovery initiative after COVID-19 South-South cooperation and opening of Morocco to Africa SwitchMed program with the European Union to be capitalized 86 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Annex 4 : Results of the SWOT analysis for Tunisia Management of plastic waste for the mitigation of marine pollution and for maximization of approaches for the circular economy of plastic along the Tunisian coastline Diagnosis of internal factors Theme Forces Weaknesses Institutional An institutional framework rich in the number Non-performing plastic waste management and governance of stakeholders: about twenty actors contribute No collection and recycling target for plastic waste by framework to the design and implementation of actions the current operator on the ECOLEF system against plastic pollution (ministries, intervention Articulation of responsibilities between national and bodies such as agencies, municipalities, research local actors is not optimized institutions, associations, and the private sector, as Conflicting relations between the citizen and the well as the informal sector) municipality hindering the efficient management of Private sector involvement in packaging waste household and similar waste management, including plastic waste management An increasingly important place of the informal, An activity that generates employment and plays an unorganized sector in the sorting and recycling of important social role household and similar waste The existence of a specific agency for waste Lack of organizational responsibility of producers management (ANGed), which aims to develop and importers in the current ECOLEF model technical tools, strengthen skills, federate efforts Operation and control of the ECOLEF system by the and means and ensure the monitoring and public sector (ANGed) evaluation of the themes concerned with a positive impact An ECOLEF system based essentially on the collectors Existence of APAL and recyclers under agreement, without clearly indicating the conditions of participation in the An important activity of export of the collected system and the rules of the trade to be respected recyclable materials Low involvement of municipalities in the organization A very dynamic civil society, especially in the of the ECOLEF system field of awareness, education, monitoring and Imbalance between the means of the municipalities experimentation and their prerogatives related to waste management Existence of some initiatives of selective sorting in Insufficient participation of the citizen in the sorting households, hotels, industries, etc. and choice of packaging and other plastic products Qualified research and innovation organizations Scattered associative initiatives not based on a such as CITET, INSTM, Packtec, as well as research national vision to solve the problem centers and Tunisian universities Encouraging entrepreneurship in the field of waste Insufficient educational role in schools in the absence of a national environmental education program management, collection, recovery, recycling, etc. Municipalities partnering with civil society to The role of the media in raising awareness among citizens is almost non-existent, in the absence of a implement selective sorting projects clear vision of possible sustainable solutions Weak involvement of municipalities and regional authorities in the development of national household and similar waste management programs Absence of a structure for monitoring the implementation of national strategies and programs in the field of waste management and their evaluation 87 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Management of plastic waste for the mitigation of marine pollution and for maximization of approaches for the circular economy of plastic along the Tunisian coastline Diagnosis of internal factors Theme Forces Weaknesses The legal framework establishing decentralization through the local government code has not been studied Existence of a decree that organizes the ECOLEF in its entirety in relation to the responsibilities developed system, the public system of recovery of recyclable by the municipalities, the coverage of new rural areas that waste, mainly plastics have been attached to municipal spaces, and the relationship Application and existence of the polluter-pays principle of municipalities with ANGed in terms of creation and use of in the country’s regulatory texts landfills and payment of management fees Existence of the environmental police, a body specialized The imbalance between the legal reforms and the means made in the observation of violations of the rules of hygiene available for their application has created enormous difficulties and public cleanliness in the implementation of these legal provisions Existence of a national regulatory framework that The imbalance between the objectives of the Environmental supports the requirements of the Barcelona Convention Protection Tax and solid waste management, including for the protection of the marine environment and the collection and recovery Mediterranean coastline The ECOLEF system covers only a few types of plastic waste that New laws validated by the Tunisian Parliament: law have a market value. of social and solidarity economy, and other laws are The current regulatory framework does not affect single-use being studied: law of the auto-entrepreneur, law of types of plastic other than shoulder bags, such as disposable crowdfunding, etc.; cups and tumblers Tunisia participates in international conventions related Blocking the International Blue Flag Program since 2016 to the themes of climate, biodiversity, protection of the coasts and the Mediterranean Sea, etc. Lack of industrial zones in some cities, especially the island of Kerkennah, and blocking of recycling projects requiring authorization from the ANPE Waste management funding is fragmented Cost recovery for household and similar waste management, particularly for collection and transportation, remains fairly low There is no specific fee for the municipal waste management service Municipalities often suffer from weak human and technical resources in the management of household and similar waste, including plastic Lack of an economic model for the management of hazardous waste adapted to the specific needs of the country The State remains the main source of funding for waste management in Tunisia: 80% of the cost of investment Insufficient funding for recycling projects and operation of transfer centers and technical Low contribution (insufficient / not studied) from the producers landfills, in addition to the overall budgetary allocation issuing packaging on the Tunisian market (only 7% of companies transferred to municipalities are contributing) The creation of a depollution fund by the framework law Limited know-how and lack of skills for plastic control; 92-122 of December 29, 1992, and the 1993 finance law Low project delivery capacity creating the depollution fund (FODEP) Financing The current Ecotax system presents difficulties tin achieving Part of the ECOLEF system is financed through the state and developing the EPR system. A regulatory framework that budget, via the Environmental Protection Tax (EPT) will help to avoid double payment by producers (MSEs and EPR The producer contributes directly to the ECOLEF system system operators) needs to be worked out A portion of the Tourist Zone Protection Fund financed ECOLEF’s funding from the TPE has decreased significantly with by the hotels (2% of sales) is used by the municipalities the decrease in quantities collected and APAL to finance waste management and beach Lack of funding for beach and coastal cleanup; cleaning operations Knowledge of the costs associated with waste and its management is fragmentary and approximate There is no cost accounting system in place yet, neither in the municipalities nor in ANGed There is no fee for the municipal waste management service. The State remains the main financer of waste management in Tunisia Insufficient research and development funding for eco-design and innovation in alternative products to plastics Lack of specific funding for plastic marine pollution monitoring operations 88 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Management of plastic waste for the mitigation of marine pollution and for maximization of approaches for the circular economy of plastic along the Tunisian coastline Diagnosis of internal factors Theme Forces Weaknesses Lack of in-depth research on the impact of plastic pollution that can support decision making Insufficient programs to identify and monitor marine plastic Existence of qualified institutions for research and debris in the water column and floating litter development and monitoring Lack of data on the impacts of plastic pollution on the Several research studies on the monitoring of waste on ecosystem, biodiversity, economy, fishing, etc. Research, beaches and in the marine environment development Lack of scientific data (hot-spotting) and indicators to plan beach and monitoring Environmental associations are active on beaches and cleaning operations dimension coastal areas through awareness raising, cleaning, research, and documentation of the results of Lack of data on the environmental benefits of recycling - environmental pollution caused by plastics recovery and lack of communication Existence of a national beach labeling program Lack of coherent programs of awareness, education on the environment and marine pollution Lack of an information system with data on potential plastic waste deposits and guiding activities in this area Human resources are weak in the communes; The accounting system of the municipalities does not favor management by objective of household and similar waste The staffing level in the municipalities is very low Low amount collected and recycled/exported for recycling - only Ministry of Environment, ANGed and APAL have qualified 4% personnel in terms of waste management and coastal A large number of machines in several municipalities are in management poor condition or have broken down due to lack of proper An increasingly active private sector maintenance Means of The current specifications for the private sector are based on the management Logistical/human support from APAL for beach cleanup Support of ANGed’s Mechanism 41 for the cleaning of obligation of means and not of results streets and coastal areas Existence of some municipal dumps in the coastal areas Availability of national and international experts to Existing controlled landfills, if they are in operation, face a support programs and operations variety of management and capacity issues Difficulty of mechanical cleaning on some beaches, and difficulties of manual cleaning on most rocky beaches Lack of necessary recycling infrastructure Lack of logistical means within the ECOLEF points Difficulty in managing COVID-19 sanitary waste Diagnosis of external factors Opportunities Threats COVID 19 recovery phase and financial recovery packages Unlimited support from producers and multinational companies for the Political instability development of EPR in Tunisia Delay in the application of the decree of single-use plastic bags Opportunity to exchange experiences with other countries to develop Failure to formalize informal collectors and block small collectors regulations and cover other types of UUTs from developing EPR Development of waste recovery and treatment centers Most controlled landfills in coastal areas are in the process of Take advantage of the decentralization policy closure CITET and Packtec involvement in eco-design programs COVID-19 situation and difficulty in implementing planned Innovation and technology at lower cost projects Support of international institutions for Tunisia, especially in the framework Lack of financial and technical support from the authorities of the European and Mediterranean policy Strong competition on the national market with Asian plastic Global commitment to fighting plastic marine pollution products sold at affordable prices Donor engagement Stock sustainability Issue Exchange of experiences with other countries The valorization initiatives encountered are time-dependent and Existence of a new national strategy for the integrated management of disappear when resources run out. household and similar waste (2020 - 2035). 89 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Annex 5 : Operational Measures and Projects in Morocco’s LISP Action Plan Corresponding OS OO correspondents Projects P1. Develop and implement a technical and managerial capacity-building program for members of the environmental observation network in coastal SO1. Improve governance areas and strengthen the technical and managerial P2. Implement a project dedicated to the improvement and reinforcement of OO11. Establish a dedicated operational capacities of local coastal collection (including on beaches and in ports), disposal/treatment/ecycling of governance model for waste authorities and all relevant plastic waste in the identified priority coastal “hot-spots” management and strengthen existing stakeholders to ensure an solid waste management initiatives, P3. Establish skills to more effectively manage and administer development integrated, efficient and including the plastic component. centers in the field of solid waste and marine debris management in coastal sustainable management of plastic waste from land and provinces and prefectures marine sources P4. Implement a pilot project on the implementation of extended producer responsibility (EPR) for plastic waste OO21. Preventing and reducing plastic P5. Project to upgrade and innovate the Oum Azza sorting and recycling SO2: Prevent, reduce waste from land-based and post- center and duplicate the experience in other CEVs (Kenitra, Tangiers, etc.). plastic waste through the consumer sources’. establishment of circular P6. Develop a program to support the improvement of collection and economy approaches OO22. Establish an effective system recycling systems in order to optimize the potential for mobilizing plastic for the collection, storage, transfer and waste and reduce its transfer to the sea (Target: 500,000 tons/year by 2030 treatment of plastic waste from coastal in the coastal areas identified as hot-spots) and marine activities P7. Set up collection, sorting (by type, color) and volume reduction centers for plastic waste in all coastal areas (coordinate the implementation of this project with the Green Ecosystem aggregation program based on the same approach) P8. Set up devices to intercept floating debris, especially upstream of river outlets near sensitive areas (hot-spots) P9. Develop and implement a stormwater management plan to prevent waste from entering the marine environment, especially during extreme weather events. P10. Set up and operationalize intermediary storage facilities for waste collected in fishing ports to allow for waste sorting and proper storage andpromotion of recycling P11. Launch a pilot project to eliminate the use of Single-Use Plastics in high- traffic areas (airport, train stations) P12. Project to support coastal municipalities in collecting plastic waste at municipal sewage levels to eliminate waste before it enters the water system and to raise awareness of plastic pollution in these municipalities SO3: Connect and integrate OO31. Ensure the effective and inclusive the informal ‘ecosystem’ integration of informal reclaimers into P13. Strengthen the beach litter monitoring system: integrate the monitoring into the value chain, helping the value chain and connect them with of microplastics, and set up a monitoring system for marine litter and micro- communities, municipalities other actors working downstream in the waste at harbors on the sea floor and at the biota level and waste management value chain. P14. Develop and implement a waste disposal program (floating and companies to recover sea bottom) to reduce the stock of waste in Moroccan maritime waters post-consumer waste in an OO32. Improve the performance of the (especially at hot-spots) efficient and more inclusive recycling sector and the economic and manner financial viability of related projects P15. Establish a program to mark and retrieve derelict fishing gear P16. Implement plastic waste collection and disposal initiatives, such as the “Fish for Litter” and “Adopt a Beach” programs. P17 Equip all ports and landing points with a “Waste reception and sorting plan” and adequate port reception facilities (ISO standard / Blue Flag for marinas) P18. Develop and implement an investment project in existing and new plastics recycling facilities by adopting sustainable circular business model “synergy with the Green Ecosystem.” P19. Support project for the operationalization of the recycling platform of agricultural plastic waste (+ household plastic waste) in Souss-Massa and duplicate it in the two other coastal regions (Casa-Settat and Rabat-Salé- Kenitra) P20. Develop energy recovery techniques and support the creation of channels for the energy recovery of plastic waste from fishing and aquaculture gear, where material recovery (always the first priority) is not possible (priority to material recovery is in accordance with the hierarchy of waste management methods recommended by the SNRVD) 90 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE P21. Develop and implement a project to strengthen and scale up existing programs (eco-schools, environmental education in schools, the “Bhar Bla Plastique (plastic-free sea)” operation, etc.) P22. Develop and implement a training and awareness-raising program for OS4. Strengthen OO41. Strengthen communication and elected officials in coastal municipalities (capitalize on the Blue Flag initiative) communication, education public awareness on environmental and P23. Put up signs and posters to raise awareness of the impacts of plastic and awareness raising health issues related to plastic waste. pollution on the marine environment, in coastal communities, seaside of stakeholders on the activity areas, and port areas OO42. Promote the involvement of impacts of marine debris civil society in the mobilization of P24. Pilot project to print messages on the dangers of plastic waste on the and preventive measures stakeholders concerned by the problem environment in general and the marine environment in particular, on single- and on behaviour and of plastic waste in coastal areas use plastics (Analogous to messages printed on cigarette boxes warning of habits regarding single-use the dangers of tobacco use) plastics and plastic bags P25. Launch an extensive, saturating communication and awareness campaign on sustainable consumption of plastics and packaging, aimed at the general public (alternatives to plastic, single-use plastics, etc.). P26. Develop purification technologies to avoid hazardous chemical additives (endocrine disruptors) in recycled plastics P27. Implement a more sustainable plastics design and production program (easy to reuse, repair and recycle, and without toxic additives) P28. Develop and implement a project approach using R&D in new designs and materials as alternatives to plastics in general and single-use plastics in particular P29. Implement a research program on marine plastic litter and micro-waste (assessing their risks and impacts on marine resources and ecosystems, on human health, and on socio-economic aspects) P30. Initiate modelling projects as useful tools for managing and mitigating SO5: Strengthen monitoring, the impacts of marine debris: (i) Modeling of plastic flows from Moroccan research innovation and OO51. Strengthen research innovation coastal basins; and (ii) Modeling of transport and accumulation of floating knowledge sharing at the and technological development in marine litter national and regional level eco-design, treatment, recycling and to ensure sustainable recovery of plastic waste. P31. Develop a program to map nets and other fishing gear lost at sea, as well management of plastic as large objects (tires and other items) OO52. Support and strengthen marine waste along the value chain litter monitoring systems P32. Initiate a priority program to develop a baseline and methodology for (from design to recovery) assessing and monitoring the spread and extent of marine plastic litter P33. Investment project (Department of Sustainable Development/LNESP) for the acquisition of microplastics characterization equipment P34. Design and implement a priority program for monitoring and characterizing microplastics on beaches (in parallel with macro waste monitoring) P35. Develop and implement a Continuous Training and Technical Capacity Building Program for the technical and scientific staff of LNESP, INRH and specialized companies/laboratories P36. Prepare and initiate a monitoring program for floating debris and the seabed in collaboration with INRH, the Royal Navy, and universities with expertise in this field P37. Develop and implement a regional program for the development and protection of the marine and coastal environment for the countries of Atlantic Africa within the framework of triangular cooperation (including the regional scaling up of the marine debris information system established in Morocco) P38. Establish and adopt a regional initiative to combat marine plastic SO6: Contribute to the pollution of the Atlantic coast of Africa within the framework of South- regional implementation OO61. Consolidate innovations on a South cooperation with the support of international and regional agencies (Atlantic Africa and MENA national scale. countries) of measures to prevent and reduce plastic OO62. Strengthen cooperation with the P39. Set up an exchange platform to disseminate experiences and best pollution from land and countries of the Region in the prevention practices in the field of monitoring, surveillance, and clean-up of marine litter marine sources and control of marine plastic pollution. P40. Set up a regional exchange platform for sharing information (like SEIS for the Mediterranean) on marine plastic debris P41. Set up a harmonized monitoring program on the scale of Atlantic Africa by capitalizing on the instruments and indicators developed for the Mediterranean and on the battery of indicators developed within the framework of the LISP-Morocco Project 91 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Annex 6 : LISP Operational matrix of projects for Morocco Timeline Implementing Estimated budget Projects CT MT LT Implementer(s) Partners (in millions MAD) (2022- (2022- (2022- 2024) 2026) 2030) 1. Develop and implement a technical and Sustainable NHRI, training managerial capacity building program for the Development and research 3.00 members of the environmental observation Department institutions network concerning coastal regions MI/coastal local 2. Implement a project dedicated to the authorities improvement and strengthening of collection Sustainable (including beaches and ports), disposal, Development OTP 20.00 treatment and recycling of plastic waste in the Department identified priority coastal hot-spots Mohammed 6 Foundation 3. Establish centers for the development of MI MESRSI/Vocational skills in the field of solid waste and marine Sustainable training 40.00 debris management at the level of the coastal Development provinces and prefectures Department Sustainable 4. Implement a pilot project on the Development CCGEM implementation of extended producer Department 10.00 responsibility (EPR) for plastic waste FMP MIC MI ODCO 5. Project of upgrading and innovation of the sorting-recycling center of Oum Azza and Sustainable Delegated 5.00 duplicate the experience to other CEVs Development companies (Kenitra, Tangier, etc.). Department 6. Develop a program to support the improvement of collection and recycling MI systems in order to optimize the potential of plastic waste mobilization and reduce the Sustainable 40.00 transfer to the sea (Target: 500,000 tons/year Development by 2030 in the coastal areas identified as hot- Department spots) 7. Establish collection, sorting (by type, color) MIC and volume reduction centers for plastic Sustainable waste in all coastal areas (coordinate the Development FMP Department 100.00 implementation of this project with the Green AMPR Ecosystem aggregation program based on the MI same approach) Municipalities 8. Set up devices to intercept floating debris, Sustainable especially upstream of the mouths near Development INRH 20.00 sensitive areas (hot-spots) Department 9. Develop and implement a stormwater management plan to prevent waste from DPDPM MTL 10.00 entering the marine environment, especially ABH during severe and extreme weather events 10. Establish and operationalize intermediate OTP Sustainable storage facilities for waste collected in fishing Development 10.00 ports that will allow for waste sorting and Department proper storage, to promote recycling Sustainable 11. Launch a pilot project to eliminate the use of Development single-use plastics (SUDs) in high-traffic areas Department MTL 5.00 (airports, train stations) MIC 12. Project to support coastal municipalities in collecting plastic waste at municipal sewage Sustainable MI/coastal local levels to remove the waste before it enters the Development 20.00 authorities water system and to raise awareness of plastic Department pollution in these municipalities 92 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Timeline Estimated Implementing Projects CT MT LT Implementer(s) budget (in Partners millions MAD) (2022- (2022- (2022- 2024) 2026) 2030) 13. Strengthen the beach litter monitoring system: Sustainable integrate microplastic monitoring, and implement a Development INRH marine litter and micro-waste monitoring system at Department 10.00 harbors and at sea (floating and on the bottom) and in OTP the biota 14. Develop and implement a waste disposal program Sustainable (floating and on the bottom) to reduce the stock of Development INRH 50.00 waste in Moroccan maritime waters (especially in hot- Department spots) Sustainable 15.Establish and implement a program to mark and D. fishing Development 5.00 retrieve derelict fishing gear Department INRH 16.Implement (and scale up) plastic waste collection Sustainable Mohammed 6 and disposal initiatives, such as the «Fish for Development 5.00 Foundation Litter» and «Adopt a Beach» programs Department NGO 17.Equip all ports and landing points with a «Waste MTL Reception and Sorting Plan» and adequate port Sustainable OTP 10.00 reception facilities (ISO standard / Blue Flag for Development marinas) Department FMP 18.Develop and implement a project to invest in CGEM existing and new plastics recycling facilities by MIC Sustainable 60.00 adopting sustainable CBMs «synergizing with the Development green ecosystem» Department 19.Support project for the operationalization of the MI recycling platform of agricultural plastic waste Sustainable Regional (+ household plastic waste) of Souss-Massa and Development Council - duplicate it in the two other coastal regions Department Souss-Massa 40.00 (Casa-Settat and Rabat-Salé-Kénitra) D. Agriculture Agrotech-SM Professional Associations 20.To prioritize and develop techniques of energy Sustainable recovery of plastic waste, in accordance with the Development D. Energy hierarchies recommended by the SNRVD, and to Department COVAD 20.00 support the creation of channels for recovery of fishing and aquaculture gear. Agrotech-SM 21.Develop and implement a project to strengthen Sustainable and scale up existing programs (eco-schools, Mohammed 6 Development 5.00 environmental education in schools, operation Foundation Department «Bhar Bla Plastique (plastic-free sea)», etc.) 22. Develop and implement a training and MI awareness program for elected officials in coastal communities in the fight against marine Sustainable FMVIE 5.00 plastic pollution (capitalizing on the Blue Flag Development initiative) Department 23.Putting up signs and posters to raise awareness Sustainable FMVIE of the impacts of plastic pollution on the marine Development DPDM 3.00 environment, in coastal communities, seaside Department D. Tourism activity areas, and port areas 24.Pilot project to print messages on the dangers of MIC plastic waste on the environment in general and Sustainable Mohammed 6 the marine environment in particular, on single- Development 3.00 Foundation use plastics (e.g. messages printed on cigarette Department INRH boxes) 25.Launch a vast communication and awareness Sustainable campaign on sustainable consumption of plastic Development Department NGO 4.00 and packaging, aimed at the general public (alternatives to plastic, single-use plastics, etc.) MIC 26.Develop purification technologies to avoid CGEM hazardous chemical additives (endocrine MIC FMP 10.00 disruptors) in recycled plastics CTPC 27.Implement a program to design and produce FMP more sustainable plastics (easy to reuse, repair MIC CTPC 10.00 and recycle and without toxic additives) CGEM 93 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Timeline CT MT LT Implementing Estimated budget Projects Implementer(s) Partners (in millions MAD) (2022- (2022- (2022- 2024) 2026) 2030) Sustainable Develop and implement a project - R&D in new 28. Development designs and materials as alternatives to plastics MIC/MESRSI Department 20.00 in general and single-use plastics in particular CTCP Implement a research program on marine 29. Sustainable plastic litter and micro-waste (assess their Development Mr. Health risks and impacts on marine resources and Department 15.00 ecosystems, on human health, and on socio- INRH economic aspects) MESRSI Initiate modeling projects as a useful tool for 30. management and mitigation of marine debris Sustainable impacts: (i) modeling of plastic flows from Development ABH Department 3.00 Moroccan coastal basins; and (ii) modeling of Universities transport and accumulation of floating marine debris Fishing 31. Develop a program to map nets and other Department fishing gear lost at sea and harmful bulky waste Sustainable MELE/DPDM 3.00 (tires and other large items) Development Department 32. Initiate a priority program to develop a baseline Sustainable and methodology for assessing and monitoring Development INRH 2.00 the spread and extent of marine plastic litter Department Sustainable INRH Investment project (DDD/LNESP) for the 33. Development acquisition of microplastic characterization Universities 20.00 Department- equipment LNESP Merchant Navy Design and implement a priority program 34. Sustainable for monitoring and characterization of Development INRH 10.00 microplastics on beaches (in parallel with Department- Universities macro-waste monitoring) LNESP Develop and implement an ongoing training 35. Sustainable and technical capacity building program for Development INRH 2.00 the technical and scientific staff of the NESRL, Department- Universities NHRI, and specialized companies/laboratories LNESP 36. Prepare and initiate a program of monitoring Sustainable INRH and surveillance of floating debris and the Development Merchant Navy 5.00 seabed in collaboration with INRH, the Royal Department- Navy, and universities competent in the field. LNESP Universities To develop and implement a regional program 37. for the development and protection of MAECAMRE the marine and coastal environment for Sustainable Other relevant the countries of Atlantic Africa within Development 50.00 departments the framework of triangular cooperation Department (with regional scaling of the marine debris information system established in Morocco) 38. Establish and adopt a regional initiative to combat marine plastic pollution of the Atlantic Sustainable MAECAMRE coast of Africa within the framework of Development Other relevant 2.00 South-South cooperation with the support of Department departments international and regional agencies 39. To set up an exchange platform to disseminate Sustainable MAECAMRE experiences and best practices in monitoring Development Other relevant 3.00 and surveillance, and marine litter clean-up. Department departments 40. To set up a regional exchange platform for Sustainable MAECAMRE sharing information (such as SEIS for the Development Other relevant 5.00 Mediterranean) on marine plastic debris Department departments To set up a harmonized monitoring program 41. at the scale of Atlantic Africa by capitalizing MAECAMRE Sustainable on the instruments and indicators developed Development Other relevant 60.00 for the Mediterranean and on the battery of Department departments indicators developed within the framework of the LISP-Morocco project 94 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Annex 7 : Framework for LISP Strategy and Action Plan for Tunisia Operational objectives Projects Strategic Objective 1 : Ensure good governance of plastic waste OO.1.1. Design a governance model involving P. 1.1.1. Establish a national platform for the exchange of observations and information on marine all actors in the plastics value chain plastic pollution and for monitoring the implementation of the LISP Action Plan P. 1.2.1. Develop and implement a project to upgrade existing ECOLEF points and reopen closed points in coastal areas to support the operation of EPR systems for the different channels P. 1.2.2. Develop and implement two pilot projects “Hotels without single-use plastics” in the tourist OO.1.2. Optimize regulatory instruments for areas of Hammamet and Djerba the circular economy and combat marine plastic pollution P. 1.2.3. Design, develop and implement a National Program for the Formalization of the Informal Plastic Waste Collection and Recycling Sector that integrates the EPR model, the social and solidarity economy law, and the principles of self-entrepreneurship, as well as the guidelines of the new national strategy for the integrated management of household and similar waste OO.1.3. Promote the participation of the P. 1.3.1. Develop and implement a start-up accelerator program to promote innovative projects in private sector throughout the plastics value sustainable production, collection, recycling and recovery of plastic waste chain P. 1.3.2. Create and equip a quality control unit for products made of or containing plastic and recyclables P. 1.4.1. Develop and implement a capacity building program for the National Institute of Standardization and Industrial Property (INNORPI), CITET and Packtec and all other actors involved in the standardization of plastics production and recycling OO.1.4. Build stakeholders’ capacities for P. 1.4.2. Establish capacity-building centers for the fight against marine pollution in the 13 coastal sustainable plastic waste management and governorates and develop and implement a national program to strengthen the technical and the circular economy managerial capacities of actors involved in the fight against marine plastic pollution P. 1.4.3. Develop and implement a support program for municipalities in coastal areas to fight against marine plastic pollution through the creation and implementation of guidelines for plastic waste management, education and awareness raising practices, etc. Strategic Objective 2 : Design a successful financial model to prevent and reduce marine plastic pollution OO.2.1. Strengthen and promote adequate P. 2.1.1. To train hotel operators on the “Plastic Free Labell” and apply it to 10 hotels in the Hammamet financial instruments to reduce marine and Sousse tourist areas while providing financial incentives for certified hotels plastic pollution P. 2.2.1. Develop and implement a Public/Private Partnership (PPP) pilot project for source separation in coastal tourism establishments OO.2.2. Strengthen investments and put in place financial support P. 2.2.2. Create a register of EPR “obligated companies” that issue products on the Tunisian market (producers, importers, bottlers) to ensure transparency with respect to their financial contribution and to ensure the proper functioning of EPR systems Strategic Objective 3 : Strengthen integrated management of plastic waste from land, coastal, and marine sources P. 3.1.1. Develop and implement three pilot projects on source separation in three regions with differing socioeconomic status, and ensure the duplication of experiences in other regions in the framework of EPR P. 3.1.2. Expand PET bottle recovery projects through a deposit or return incentive system in a municipality as part of EPR P. 3.1.3. Design and implement a capacity-building program for clean-up operations in coastal municipalities, developedthrough delegated management to private companies P. 3.1.4. Develop and implement a national beach clean-up plan, while integrating the stakeholders involved in the operation P. 3.1.5. Develop and implement a program for the disposal of floating waste and seabed waste to reduce the stock of waste in Tunisian maritime waters P. 3.1.6. Develop and implement a plan to strengthen and upgrade beach and coastal cleaning facilities in five pilot municipalities OO.3.1 Improve management services P. 3.1.7. Install the necessary equipment for the reception and sorting of plastic waste at a fishing port for plastic waste streams from land and in the following governorates: Medenine, Sfax, Monastir, Mehdia, and Nabeul coastal sources in governorates and coastal municipalities P. 3.1.8. Develop and implement a pilot project for marking fishing gear in Djerba for the declaration of lost gear using geographical data P. 3.1.9. Strengthen and upgrade the reception and sorting facilities for plastic waste at marinas in the following areas: Sousse, Monastir, Sidi Bousaid, Tabarka, Bizerte, Djerba, Hammamet, and Gammarth P. 3.1.10. Strengthen and upgrade the reception and sorting equipment for plastic waste at the commercial ports of La Goulette and Rades P. 3.1.11. Develop a pilot project in Monastir aimed at the recovery of plastic bags used by the aquaculture sector through a “deposit system” or “return premium system” P. 3.1.12. Setting up a pilot unit for the recovery and recycling of agricultural plastic waste and other similar types of plastic in Nabeul, and duplicating the experience in coastal towns in the north, center and Sahel region of Tunisia P. 3.1.13. Develop and implement a monitoring and control program for industrial activities generating plastic and microplastic 95 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE Operational objectives Projects P. 3.2.1. Develop and implement a pilot project for the production and use of refuse-derived fuels (RDF) OO.3.2. Promote the recycling of goods and in the Gabes cement plant and identify opportunities for optimizing the use of this alternative fuel in products containing plastics the cement sector in Tunisia P. 3.4.1. Use the results of the rehabilitation and closure studies of the Jbel Chekir (Greater Tunis) and Sfax landfills OO.3.4 Improve existing plastic waste P. 3.4.2. Establish and implement an evaluation and upgrading program for the current landfills of treatment and sorting facilities Tabarka, Bizerte, Nabeul, Monastir, Tunis, Gabes, and Medenine P. 3.4.3. Strengthen and set up waste recovery and treatment units in Bizerte, Sousse, Sfax, Monastir, Djerba, Mehdia and Gabes Strategic Objective 4 : Develop research and innovation to combat marine plastic pollution P. 4.1.1. Develop and implement a research project supporting the Observatory of the Environment (OTEDD) in monitoring methodology OO. 4.1. Promote and enhance scientific research related to the monitoring and P. 4.1.2. Establish a program to strengthen funding for research related to marine plastic pollution assessment of the impacts of marine plastic between the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research pollution P. 4.1.3. Develop and implement a research project for modelling and assessment of plastic waste streams (macro and micro) from land and marine sources P. 4.2.1. Develop and implement an innovation support program for the production of sustainable alternative products in partnership with Packtec and CITET P. 4.2.2. Develop a pilot project to support three companies through research to develop the eco-design of their plastic packaging products within the framework of a CITET/Packtec - University - Private partnership) OO.4.2. Promote innovation in alternative products, eco-design and recycling P. 4.2.3. Establish a specialized inter-university master’s degree for the promotion of sustainable production and consumption patterns P. 4.2.4. Design and develop an annual national competition for the best innovative project ideas for developing alternatives to single-use plastics P. 4.2.5. Organize seminars to disseminate the results of research into technological innovation (eco- design, recycling, alternative products) to industrialists and technology clusters. Strategic Objective 5 : Strengthen education, awareness and communication actions P. 5.1.1. Develop and implement a national plastic marine pollution awareness program geared towards: • Citizens, educators, and students • Policy makers, parliamentarians, political parties, and NGOs P. 5.1.2. Organize an annual “plastic-free coastline day” to be celebrated in the coastal governorates OO.5.1 Improve awareness of decision- P. 5.1.3. Develop an awareness program for industries producing and consuming plastics or plastic makers, politicians, authorities and citizens products about the importance of sustainable production and consumption patterns of resources, and on the prevention and reduction of marine the benefits of integration into an EPR model. plastic pollution P. 5.1.4. Develop an information and awareness program for fishermen, farmers, and aquaculturists to combat plastic pollution P. 5.1.5. Provide a training program for media journalists (print, broadcast, television, web magazines) and others on the issue of marine plastic pollution and possible solutions P. 5.1.6. Strengthen the environmental education program planned in primary schools between the Ministry of Education and the Tunisian Environmental Law Association (ATDE) OO.5.2. Strengthen the capacity of NGOs P. 5.2.1. Networking of associations involved in the fight against marine plastic pollution and better and civil society and their role in raising communicating their essential support roles to national activities, including the construction of the awareness and providing information to information platform combat marine pollution by plastic waste 96 PLASTIC-FREE COASTLINE The World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA 97