José Eduardo Martins calls for joint action by governments, industry and civil society to tackle plastic pollution
José Eduardo Martins believes that regulation and coordinated action from governments, industry and citizens will be essential to driving societal change in the fight against plastic pollution. The Abreu Advogados partner shared this view during the panel “Transition pathways: A Societal Approach”, held as part of the Plastics Summit – Global Event, which took place this Monday at the Lisbon International Fair.
The lawyer explained that regulation is key to promoting shifts in attitudes and behaviours, arguing that both government and industry play a decisive role in the environmental transition.
“Smart regulation, supported by clear communication, creates a society in which empowered consumers drive change together with industry and government. That is the true transition — not only technological, but also ethical and civic,” he said, citing examples of synergies already taking place in Portugal. “In Portugal, the Plastics Pact brought together industry, municipalities and NGOs around the same table. This collaboration does not replace the creation of legal frameworks, but rather lays the groundwork for better regulation. It turns confrontation into co-ownership.”
José Eduardo Martins believes that, in the coming years, product re-use will become the main driver of social change, with the conditions now in place for a genuine transformation to occur.
“Culturally, the disposable era is ending. Practices such as refilling, returning and reusing — once seen as niche — are becoming mainstream. What recycling was in the 1990s, reuse will be in the 2030s. Citizens are driving this change, not merely following it,” he explained. “By 2030, plastics will still exist — but they will be designed, used and valued differently: as materials to circulate, not to discard. This decade will decide whether we simply manage the problem or truly reverse the tide of plastic pollution. I believe we will — because public will, political direction and innovation are finally moving in the same direction.”
Organised by the Portuguese Association of the Plastics Industry, the Plastics Summit – Global Event brought together dozens of international experts to discuss the future of the plastics industry, fostering stimulating debates on innovation and sustainability.
