The Plastic Problem: Understanding Our Waste's Composition

Plastic waste is a growing problem. The world is producing twice as much plastic waste as it did two decades ago, with the bulk of it ending up in landfill, incinerated or leaking into the environment. Only 9% of plastic waste is recycled, with 50% ending up in landfill and 22% evading waste management systems entirely. Rich countries produce the most plastic waste per person, but it is the mismanagement of waste in low-to-middle-income countries that is most concerning, as it is at risk of leaking into the environment.

Plastic waste in OECD countries

Plastic waste is a growing problem, with only 9% of plastic waste being recycled. The rest is incinerated, ends up in landfill, or leaks into the environment. Rich countries produce the most plastic waste per person, but it is mismanagement of waste that leads to plastic pollution. Mismanagement is more common in low-to-middle-income countries, as they tend to have poorer waste management infrastructure.

Almost half of all plastic waste is generated in OECD countries. In 2019, OECD countries generated roughly half of all plastic waste, but their global share is projected to decrease to one-third in 2060. This is despite a projected doubling of their plastic waste generation, from 172 Mt in 2019 to 358 Mt in 2060. Plastic waste generated annually per person varies from 221 kg in the United States and 114 kg in European OECD countries to 69 kg, on average, for Japan and Korea. Most plastic pollution comes from the inadequate collection and disposal of larger plastic debris known as macroplastics, but leakage of microplastics (synthetic polymers smaller than 5 mm in diameter) from things like industrial plastic pellets, synthetic textiles, road markings and tyre wear are also a serious concern. OECD countries are behind 14% of overall plastic leakage.

Total volumes of traded plastic waste plunged after China introduced import restrictions at the start of 2018, but shipments surged to alternative destinations that are not always well-equipped to manage the by-products of plastics recycling. The search for new recycling markets led to higher flows of plastic waste to Thailand, Malaysia, Viet Nam, India and Turkey, an OECD member country. Other major OECD importers of plastic waste for recycling include the United States, Korea, Canada and EU countries.

The OECD's Global Plastics Outlook shows that rising populations and incomes are driving a relentless increase in the amount of plastic being used and thrown away, and policies to curb its leakage into the environment are falling short. Sanitary landfilling will remain the most common way of managing plastic waste, accounting for 50% of all waste in 2060.

Plastic waste in low-to-middle-income countries

Plastic waste is a growing problem, with the world producing twice as much as two decades ago. Only 9% of plastic waste is recycled, with the rest incinerated, sent to landfill, or leaked into the environment. Richer countries produce the most plastic waste per person, but the mismanagement of waste is a bigger problem in low-to-middle-income countries. This is because these countries have poorer waste management infrastructure.

Mismanaged waste is at risk of leaking into the environment. In 2019, 6.1 million tonnes of plastic waste leaked into aquatic environments, with 1.7 million tonnes ending up in the ocean. There is now an estimated 30 million tonnes of plastic waste in the sea, and a further 109 million tonnes in rivers.

The cost of dealing with plastic waste is also much higher for low-to-middle-income countries. A report by the WWF found that the lifetime cost of a kilogram of plastic for these countries is around $150, compared to $19 for wealthier nations. This is because low-to-middle-income countries have little influence on which plastic products are produced and how they are designed, but are expected to manage these products at the end of their life.

Despite a partial ban on the practice across the EU, the UK continues to send plastic waste to low-to-middle-income countries.

Plastic waste in the ocean

Plastic waste is a growing problem, with the world producing twice as much plastic waste as it did two decades ago. While only 9% of plastic waste is recycled, 50% ends up in landfill, 19% is incinerated, and 22% evades waste management systems, ending up in uncontrolled dumpsites, open pits, or the natural environment. In 2019, 6.1 million tonnes of plastic waste leaked into aquatic environments, with 1.7 million tonnes flowing into the oceans. There is now an estimated 30 million tonnes of plastic waste in the oceans, with a further 109 million tonnes in rivers.

Rich countries tend to produce the most plastic waste per person, but mismanagement of waste is a more significant factor in plastic pollution. Mismanagement, such as inadequate collection and disposal of larger plastic debris, means that waste is at risk of leaking into the environment. Mismanaged waste is much higher in low-to-middle-income countries, which often have poorer waste management infrastructure.

The impact of plastic waste in the ocean is devastating for marine ecosystems. Unlike other kinds of waste, plastic does not decompose, so it can remain in the environment indefinitely, causing harm to marine life. Marine animals can become entangled in derelict fishing nets and other plastic debris, leading to injury or death.

Plastic waste in rivers

Plastic waste is a growing problem, with only 9% of plastic waste being recycled. The rest is incinerated, dumped in landfill, or ends up in uncontrolled dumpsites, open pits, or aquatic environments. Rich countries produce the most plastic waste per person, but it is the mismanagement of waste that leads to plastic pollution, which tends to be much higher in low-to-middle-income countries.

The world's major rivers and estuaries are hotspots for plastic waste, as trash and microparticles wash down tributaries and congregate before entering the oceans. Research has found that as plastic waste accumulates in rivers, aquatic species like insects and snails are increasingly choosing to settle on plastic rather than natural features like rocks or fallen branches. This is reshaping riverine ecosystems, both physically and behaviourally.

The increase in plastic waste in rivers coincides with a decline in natural habitats in urban rivers, as development increases sedimentation, which blankets riverbeds in silt and sand, and restricts the supply and movement of rocks, fallen tree branches, and aquatic plants. This means that invertebrates are more likely to live on litter, especially in rivers with poor habitat quality.

Aquaculture equipment and abandoned and lost fishing gear are a main source of plastic waste in rivers. However, it is often suggested that a considerable share of total marine plastic litter originates from land, which is transported by rivers into the ocean. Riverine plastic transport remains relatively understudied in comparison to marine plastic litter, emphasising the urgency to increase the global knowledge on plastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems.

Plastic waste in landfill

Plastic waste is a growing problem, with the world producing twice as much plastic waste as it did two decades ago. The bulk of this waste ends up in landfill, is incinerated, or leaks into the environment. Only 9% of plastic waste is recycled, with 50% ending up in landfill.

The amount of plastic waste generated annually per person varies from 221 kg in the United States to 69 kg, on average, for Japan and Korea. The containers and packaging category had the most plastic tonnage at over 14.5 million tons in 2018. This category includes bags, sacks, wraps, other packaging, bottles, and jars.

Rich countries tend to produce the most plastic waste per person. However, what's most important for plastic pollution is how much of this waste is mismanaged, meaning it is not recycled, incinerated, or kept in sealed landfills. Mismanagement means it's at risk of leaking into the environment. Mismanaged waste tends to be much higher in low-to-middle-income countries due to poorer waste management infrastructure.

In 2019, 6.1 million tonnes of plastic waste leaked into aquatic environments, with 1.7 million tonnes flowing into oceans. There is now an estimated 30 million tonnes of plastic waste in seas and oceans, and a further 109 million tonnes has accumulated in rivers.

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