Global Plastic Waste Set to Double in 15 Years, Says Report

About 130 Metric ton (Mt) of plastic pollutes the environment – land, air and water – each year as of 2025. That figure is expected to rise to 280 Mt by 240 in the absence of ambitious global action. This would be equivalent to dumping nearly a garbage truck worth of plastic waste every second, according to a report produced by the Pew Charitable Trusts with the support of ICF International and thought partners the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Imperial College London, Systemiq and the University of Oxford.

The report further stated that this increase will be primarily driven by rapidly growing production and use of plastic, particularly in packaging and textiles. Microplastics make up 13% of global plastic pollution in 2025, with the largest sources being tyre wear and paint (10 Mt each), agriculture (3 Mt) and recycling (2 Mt).

In addition, the report revealed that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are likely to increase. Plastic-related GHG emissions are expected to surge by 58%, to 4.2 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2e) per year by 2040, equivalent to the emissions from 1bn gasoline-powered cars. 

Achieving the commitments made by the global community under the Paris Agreement – the legally binding international treaty adopted in 2015, which pledges to keep global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius and ideally under 1.5 degrees Celsius – will require rapid declines in annual emissions, especially from plastic production, which accounts for 86% of plastic-associated emissions in 2025, stated the report.

The report also revealed that the global annual primary production is expected to rise by 52% under Business as Usual (BAU) from 450 Mt in 2025 to 680 Mt in 2040, but waste management capacity will expand by only 26%, despite considerable investment.

By 2040, annual costs to collect and dispose of plastic would increase by 30% to $140bn, requiring additional public funds and posing a financial risk to businesses. Despite this increased spending, the share of plastic waste that is uncollected will nearly double by 2040 from 19% to 34%.

Health Threats Grow

According to a report published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, plastic pollution increasingly poses direct risks to human health. Studies show micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) – tiny fragments from discarded plastic now contaminate air, water, soils and even human tissues.

These hazards reach the blood stream and concentrate in different organs. Further, they are responsible for harmful changes, having an immediate effect including pain, inflammation or hormone imbalance.

Unchecked pollution could therefore result in an increasing global health burden as plastic production and waste increase, intensifying calls for stricter plastic control laws in addition to pollution and emissions reduction initiatives.