Mismanaged Plastic Levels Could Almost Double Unless Action Is Taken, Study Warns

A new study estimates that unless urgent action is taken, annual levels of mismanaged plastics seeping into the environment could almost double by 2040.

The Nordic Council of Ministers for the Environment and Climate report, developed by Systemic, warns that plastic pollution will escalate if globally coordinated policies are not implemented.

It claims virgin plastic production could rise by 66%, from 430 million tonnes in 2019 to 712 million tonnes in 2040, with mismanaged plastic nearly doubling to 205 million tonnes by that date.

The report proposes a package of 15 global policy interventions to combat the rising pollution crisis caused by plastic waste.

These include targets to reduce virgin plastic production, bans on avoidable single-use plastics and collection and recycling rate targets.

It adds the effective implementation of these policies can only be triggered by standard global rules from the international, legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution.

The report claims that promoting reuse, recycling, and limiting single-use plastics could help achieve a 30% cut in global virgin plastic production by 2040 compared to 2019 levels.

It adds select developed economies might reduce consumption by over 60%, while some developing countries might see up to a 50% rise due to growth factors.

The study also claims that reducing, eliminating, and expanding circularity could help reduce annual mismanaged plastics volumes by 90% by 2040.