Introduction

2.1 Introduction

Key messages

• 1A usable first version of the inventory beats a complete one: a rough but honest draft is what lets Steps 4 to 6 improve it, and an explicit “no data available” is more useful than a blank cell.
• 2Gaps are prioritised on four equally weighted sub-scores — availability, reliability, ease of filling, impact of filling — then re-weighted by urgency, because a binding Basel Convention deadline outranks a worse quality score.
• 3The system only survives Step 7: a durable mandate, funding, a named team and cross-ministry coordination. Funding constraints are the most common reason national data systems stall after their first pilot.

4Part II is a step-by-step guide for countries developing a national Plastics Data Inventory: a structured, ongoing collection of data on plastics across the full life cycle, from production through to disposal and environmental leakage. It is intended primarily for the government agencies responsible for leading this work, typically the Ministry of Environment or the National Statistics Office, though it will also be useful to any other institution, project team, or partner supporting this effort.

5While improving individual data points is valuable in its own right, this Part is intended to support countries in progressing from isolated improvements towards the establishment of a working Plastics Data Inventory. This is a shared reference point that compiles the full life cycle of plastics data so different parts of government can draw on it, refine it over time, and it may eventually inform the development of a Plastics Account. The workflow is designed to enable countries to establish a usable first version of the Inventory within a reasonable timeframe, then improve it through successive iterations, rather than delaying action until complete data become available.

2.1.1 The seven-step workflow for developing a National Plastics Data system

1The workflow comprises seven steps, set out below.

2Step 1: Identify Data Sources and Map Stakeholders. Existing data sources are reviewed and recorded in the Plastics Data Checklist. As each entry identifies a source organisation, this step also generates an initial list of stakeholders: those who hold or use plastics data.

3Step 2: Assess Data Quality. Each identified source is assessed and scored for availability and reliability, allowing later steps to distinguish between data that meets the required standard and data that requires further development.

4Step 3: Build the First Draft of the Data Inventory. The data identified and assessed under Steps 1 and 2 is compiled into the first draft of the Inventory, with data gaps and underlying assumptions clearly identified.

5Step 4: Analyse Gaps and Set Priorities. The first version of the Inventory is used to identify genuine data gaps and decide which to address first, taking into account both data quality and the relative urgency of different reporting and policy needs.

6Step 5: Engage Stakeholders to Close Priority Gaps. The prioritised gaps identified in Step 4 are used to approach the specific stakeholders holding the relevant data, through structured and lasting engagement rather than a general call for information.

7Step 6: Improve, Verify and Consolidate the Inventory. Data received from stakeholders is incorporated into the Inventory, remaining gaps are addressed through the collection of primary data, and the resulting Inventory is presented to stakeholders for verification prior to being finalised as the working version.

8Step 7: Institutionalise and Sustain the System. A durable institutional mandate is established, coordination arrangements are agreed among the institutions responsible for the various reporting and policy uses of the Inventory, and the system is embedded to ensure its ongoing operation and continuous update as new data becomes available.

The sequence is a starting point, not a fixed process

These seven steps are presented in a logical sequence. It is provided as a starting point rather than a fixed process. Countries with more established statistical systems may complete certain steps simultaneously, while countries at an earlier stage of development may need to repeat parts of the workflow more than once before the Inventory is ready to use. The key consideration is that each step is carried out at a level appropriate to the country’s own capacity and circumstances.

2.1.2 Structure of The Following Section of the Handbook

1Each step is presented as its own section, following a consistent structure. A brief statement of Purpose introduces the step; Key Actions identify the actions to be undertaken; Key Tools list the templates, checklists and other resources available in support of the work; and Outputs describe what the step produces and how it feeds into the next one. A Detail and supporting guidance section follows, providing further explanation, illustrative examples and context.

2Cross-references point to related guidance elsewhere in the Handbook, including the data collection methods and sampling techniques used in Step 3 and Step 6.