The World's Annual Plastic Waste Crisis

Plastic waste is a pressing global issue, with the world producing an alarming 57 million tons of plastic pollution each year. This waste is spread everywhere, from the depths of the ocean to mountaintops and even human bodies. While the COVID-19 pandemic caused a decline in certain areas of plastic production, the overall impact was negligible, with the rise in COVID-related plastics offsetting any potential reduction. The plastic waste crisis is a public health hazard, with the open burning of plastic leading to neurodevelopmental, reproductive, and birth defects, as well as wider environmental pollution. Developing nations are becoming plastic pollution hotspots, with India, Nigeria, and Indonesia among the top contributors. The mismanagement of plastic waste, including a lack of recycling, incineration, or proper landfill disposal, is a significant factor in the pollution crisis. To address this crisis, global recycling systems need improvement, and the production of plastic must be reduced to encourage greater reuse of materials.

Global plastic waste generation

The increase in plastic waste is driven by the growth in emerging markets and the rise in populations and incomes, which is leading to a relentless increase in the amount of plastic being used and thrown away. Nearly two-thirds of plastic waste comes from plastics with lifetimes of under five years, with 40% coming from packaging, 12% from consumer goods, and 11% from clothing and textiles.

Rich countries tend to produce the most plastic waste per person, but what’s most important for plastic pollution is how much of this waste is mismanaged. Mismanagement means plastic waste is not recycled, incinerated, or kept in sealed landfills, and is instead 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. According to a 2017 study, Asian countries contributed 86% of plastic emissions to the ocean.

Only 9% of plastic waste is recycled globally (15% is collected for recycling but 40% of that is disposed of as residues). Another 19% is incinerated, 50% ends up in landfill, and 22% evades waste management systems and goes into uncontrolled dumpsites, is burned in open pits, or ends up in terrestrial or aquatic environments, especially in poorer countries.

Mismanaged plastic waste

Plastic waste that is not recycled, incinerated, or kept in sealed landfills is known as mismanaged plastic waste. It becomes an environmental pollutant and is at risk of leaking into the environment. Mismanaged waste is much higher in low-to-middle-income countries, which tend to have poorer waste management infrastructure. A 2017 study estimated that Asian countries contributed 86% of plastic emissions to the ocean.

The accumulation of mismanaged plastic waste in the environment is a growing global concern. Packaging-related plastics have a particularly short in-use phase and therefore dominate municipal plastic waste and, subsequently, mismanaged waste. In addition to urban litter, mismanaged waste also includes inadequately contained waste such as open dumps and is therefore transportable via runoff and wind. Some mismanaged waste may be collected by street sweepers and concerned citizen groups and be reintroduced as recycled waste.

The impact of mismanaged plastic waste on plastic transport variability is significant. A study in Ghana found a strong correlation between mismanaged plastic waste and macroplastic pollution. The influence of hydrometeorological factors on macroplastic transport depends on the relative impact of anthropogenic factors.

To reduce the growth in plastic waste, developing economies must invest significantly in waste management infrastructures as their GDP grows. International cooperation is also required to support lower-income countries in developing better waste management infrastructure to reduce their plastic leakage. An international approach to waste management should include making all available sources of financing, including development aid, accessible to low and middle-income countries to improve their waste management infrastructure.

Plastic waste by country

The world produces around 350 million tons of plastic waste each year, with only 9% of that being recycled. Half of the world's plastic goes straight to landfill, and another fifth is mismanaged, meaning it is not recycled, incinerated, or kept in sealed landfills. This mismanagement puts plastic at risk of leaking into the environment and oceans.

Richer countries tend to produce the most plastic waste per person, but they are also better at processing it or exporting it to other countries. Middle- and low-income countries have poorer waste management infrastructure, and so a higher percentage of their waste plastic is mismanaged and more likely to end up in the ocean.

A 2017 study estimated that Asian countries contributed 86% of plastic emissions to the ocean. The Philippines, an archipelago of over 7,000 islands, has a high percentage (35%) of its plastic waste ending up in the ocean. China generates 10 times more plastic waste than Malaysia, but due to Malaysia's poorer waste management, 9% of its plastic waste ends up in the ocean compared to 0.6% of China's. Over 75% of the accumulated plastic in the ocean comes from the mismanaged waste in Asian countries, including India, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Thailand. The only non-Asian country in the top 10 list of countries emitting plastic pollutants into the ocean is Brazil.

Some countries are taking action to curb plastic waste. China banned single-use, non-biodegradable bags and straws in 2020, and by 2016, its plastic waste production had fallen by nearly 28 million tons. Germany introduced a five-point plan in 2018 to reduce its plastic waste, which had already fallen from 14.48 million tons in 2010 to 6.68 million tons in 2016.

Plastic waste trade

The world generates around 350 million tonnes of plastic waste per year. The global plastic waste trade involves the international movement of waste between countries for treatment, disposal, or recycling. While the majority (98%) of plastic waste is handled domestically, a small percentage (2%) is traded internationally. This trade has significant implications for the environment, human rights, and organised crime.

Waste trade, also known as 'waste colonialism', reflects a power imbalance between economically developed countries in the Global North and less affluent nations in the Global South, which serve as waste recipients. Since 1988, over 250 million tonnes of plastic waste have been exported worldwide, with developing countries in Asia Pacific often bearing the brunt of this trade. High-income, high-consuming countries export their waste, perpetuating the status quo and driving the production and consumption of new plastics.

A study by the University of Leeds found that more than two-thirds of the annual 57 million tons of plastic pollution come from countries in the Global South, with India, Nigeria, and Indonesia as top contributors. These countries struggle to manage the volume of waste effectively, leading to environmental pollution and health risks for their communities.

To address this issue, organisations like Break Free From Plastic advocate for stringent controls and revisions to international treaties such as the Basel Convention. They aim to restrict the trade in scrap plastic and ensure environmentally and socially responsible waste management. The European Union's Waste Shipment Regulation (WSR), which governs plastic waste trade within the EU and with non-EU countries, is also undergoing review to align with environmental commitments and protect vulnerable economies.

The plastic waste trade has far-reaching consequences, and efforts to curb it include improving recycling systems, reducing plastic production, and implementing binding plastic reduction targets and export bans.

Plastic waste management

The Basel Convention, an international agreement, provides guidance for better management of plastic waste. It is the first international agreement to directly address plastic pollution. The convention's plastic waste amendments offer technical guidelines on environmentally sound management practices, such as recycling and reprocessing, incineration with energy recovery, and modification reuse.

The Alliance to End Plastic Waste has developed a comprehensive report, the Plastic Waste Management Framework, in collaboration with Roland Berger. This report offers insights into policies and strategies that countries can adopt to enhance their waste management systems and reduce plastic waste leakage into the environment. It emphasizes the need for a multi-faceted approach, including regulatory policies and infrastructural improvements, to improve recycling rates and increase plastic circularity.

A meta-analysis of 192 countries identified six distinct plastic waste management and recycling maturity categories. The study outlines potential pathways for countries to progress towards higher levels of maturity in their waste management practices. It is important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and countries must employ strategies that fit their unique national circumstances and available resources.

To effectively manage plastic waste, a combination of international cooperation, policy interventions, and local initiatives is necessary. By improving waste management infrastructure, promoting recycling technologies, and raising awareness about the importance of proper plastic waste disposal, we can work towards reducing the environmental and health impacts of plastic pollution.

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