Plastiks at the World Economic Forum: Verified Plastic Recovery

On August 3rd, Plastiks was invited to the World Economic Forum offices in Geneva to take part in the official kickoff of the Global Plastic Action Partnership Solutions Day, co-hosted by the WEF and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The session, “All Hands on Deck for Financing the Circular Plastics Economy” marked the beginning of INC.5, the final round of negotiations toward a legally binding global plastics treaty.

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The stakes were clear: global regulators, financial institutions, and impact platforms must converge around scalable, verifiable solutions for plastic recovery.

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Representing Plastiks, CEO and Founder André Vanyi-Robin joined a panel of global leaders from the UNEP Finance Initiative, OECD, The World Bank, The Circulate Initiative, and the World Economic Forum to present a model that connects blockchain technology with traceable environmental finance.

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For André , the Solutions Day at the World Economic Forum highlighted a clear shift toward action: “There’s strong alignment around the need to address traceability in a verifiably trustworthy way. 

He added: “During the event, we forged new strategic relationships that will no doubt strengthen the industry and drive collective efforts to ensure that innovation, blockchain, and artificial intelligence become the backbone of sustainability. A sustainability model rooted in traceability, verification, and real-impact investment free from greenwashing.”

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^{The Problem: Why Finance Needs Proof?} 

Despite rising commitments from governments and corporations to address plastic pollution, the global system for recovery financing remains fragmented, underfunded, and, most critically, unverifiable. 

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At the heart of this challenge is a simple truth:

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Plastic recovery without traceability cannot be trusted. And unverified claims, no matter how well-intentioned, weaken the credibility of environmental finance. 

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According to the European Commission, over 42% of corporate environmental claims are misleading or unsubstantiated. This erosion of trust not only undermines real impact, it directly impedes the flow of funding to recovery entities that are driving results on the ground. 

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At INC.5, the urgency was palpable. Stakeholders across finance, policy, and recovery unanimously agreed: 

• Scalable impact requires traceable systems. 

• Plastic recovery must be verifiable to qualify for ESG reporting, compliance, or climate finance. 

• Without digital infrastructure, national treaty goals will remain unenforceable. 

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The demand now is for platforms that can transform recovery data into standardized, verifiable, and reportable environmental outcomes.

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^{The Insight: Traceability Is the Foundation} 

At the World Economic Forum and UNEP’s Solutions Day, a common theme emerged across all panels and stakeholder interventions: impact without proof is no longer acceptable. 

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What used to be aspirational, terms like “circularity,” “ESG compliance,” and “sustainable sourcing”—is now entering a phase of enforceability. Regulators, funders, and reporting bodies are aligning around one core requirement: verifiable data.

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This is where Plastiks sets a new standard.

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Instead of relying on paper trails, unverifiable declarations, or third-party summaries, Plastiks integrates real-time, blockchain-registered evidence into every stage of the recovery lifecycle.

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Here’s what our platform ensures: 

• Field-level plastic recovery verification: Every kilo of plastic recovered is backed by photo, geolocation, timestamp, and invoice documentation. 

• Immutable blockchain tracking: Each data point is registered on-chain, preventing tampering or retroactive edits. 

• Impact roadmaps: Recovered plastic is directly tied to pre-approved environmental, social, or operational outcomes. 

• Ongoing oversight: AI tools and audits are built into the validation layer, ensuring credibility at scale. 

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In short, traceability is not an add-on. It is the architecture that enables: 

• Scalable ESG reporting 

• Treaty-aligned national strategies 

• Climate finance that avoids greenwashing 

• Investor confidence in verified outcomes 

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The future of recovery finance won’t be built on trust alone. It will be built on traceable, standardized proof, and Plastiks is delivering exactly that.

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^{The Solution: The Plastiks Verification Model} 

At the WEF and UNEP Solutions Day, Plastiks introduced a solution that answers one of the treaty process’s most critical questions: 

How do we finance and scale plastic recovery—credibly, verifiably, and globally? 

The answer lies in our blockchain-powered, three-step methodology. It transforms local recovery actions into trusted, ESG-compliant outcomes that governments, brands, and investors can stand behind. 

^{Step 1: Field-Level Verification} 

Every plastic recovery action is documented with: 

• Photographic evidence 

• Geolocation and timestamps 

• Invoice and weight documentation 

This creates the first layer of verifiable proof, anchoring recovery data in space, time, and quantity. 

^{Step 2: Blockchain Registration} 

Each verified action is registered immutably on the blockchain, ensuring: 

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• Ownership transparency 

• Tamper-proof transaction history 

• Real-time data availability to partners and regulators 

This secures the data’s integrity, turning recovery into a traceable asset. 

^{Step 3: Roadmap-Linked Credit Issuance} 

Recovery actions are linked to impact roadmaps, custom-built plans that define how proceeds from plastic credit sales will fund: 

• Social impact (e.g. healthcare, housing, dignified employment) 

• Environmental impact (e.g. reforestation, clean-up campaigns) 

• Operational impact (e.g. tech upgrades, scale capacity) 

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Each plastic credit issued represents 1 kg of verified plastic recovered and tied to an approved, traceable project. AI-driven oversight and audits monitor ongoing alignment. 

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This model positions Plastiks as a core enabler for: 

• ESG-aligned investment in verified plastic recovery 

• National compliance strategies under the upcoming global treaty 

• Transparent reporting frameworks for CSRD and EPR compliance 

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At the World Economic Forum, this clarity, and proof, was what captured attention from UNEP, OECD, The World Bank, and ESG finance leaders. 

Plastiks didn’t just propose a vision. We demonstrated a working, scalable system for verified environmental finance.

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^{Building the Infrastructure Behind the Plastic Treaty} 

As the world moves toward a binding global plastic treaty, the success of its implementation will hinge not on ambition, but on infrastructure.

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Traceability, verification, and transparency are no longer optional. 

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They are the foundational elements that will determine whether commitments become outcomes, and whether finance reaches the frontlines of recovery.

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At the World Economic Forum and UNEP’s Solutions Day, Plastiks demonstrated that this infrastructure already exists. Our blockchain-based model verifies every kilo of recovered plastic, links it to impact roadmaps, and ensures it’s visible, reportable, and aligned with ESG and treaty goals.

Without traceable data, the plastic treaty risks becoming another policy without teeth. Plastiks is here to ensure it delivers results—on the ground and on the record. 

Whether you are: 

• A government preparing for treaty compliance, 

• A brand aiming to meet CSRD and EPR requirements, or 

• An investor looking to fund verifiable climate and circularity solutions

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Plastiks is the infrastructure you can trust. Take the Next Step: Book a strategy session to explore verified recovery