Plastic waste will triple by 2060, according to OECD

“In line with the goals of the United Nations Environment Assembly, if we want a plastic-free world, we will have to take much more stringent measures The OECD secretary general, Mathias Cormann, explained it during the presentation of the report last June. Environment.

He warns that if “bold new” policies are not implemented, global plastic consumption will rise from 460 million tonnes in 2019 to 1,231 tonnes in 2060, representing a faster increase than most raw materials. The highest growth will be recorded in developing and emerging countries in Africa and AsiaAlthough OECD members will generate much more plastic waste per capita (averaging 238 kilograms per year) in 2060 than non-OECD countries (77 kilograms).

Globally, expected Plastic spills into the environment will double to 44 million tons per year and plastic accumulation in lakes, rivers and oceans will triple, jumping from 353 million tonnes in 2019 to 1,014 in 2060. Those originating from substances less than 5 millimeters in diameter – such as industrial plastic granules, textiles and tire wear – have also become a matter of serious concern,” says the analysis.

According to OECD projections, although the use of recycled plastic in the manufacture of new products will increase and there will be technological developments and economic changes, there will be an increase in plastic consumption and waste. reduce the amount of plastic needed to create one euro of wealth by 16%.

Ratio Plastic waste to be successfully recycled will increase to 17% by 2060, almost double the amount recycled in 2019, according to the calculations of the international organization. Incineration and landfill will continue to represent approximately 20% and 50% of plastic waste, respectively. The percentage of plastic that is not subject to waste management systems and ends up in uncontrolled landfills, burned in open pits or leaked onto land or aquatic environments will decrease from 22% to 15%.

The report also states that reducing greenhouse gas emissions can reduce plastic pollution, given the interaction between plastic’s life cycle, fossil fuels, and climate change. According to the OECD, some public policies aimed at reducing the environmental impact of plastics and encouraging more circular use of plastics, – tax on plastic products, including packaging, and encourage reuse and repair from such items. Waste management infrastructure should also be improved and collection rates should be increased.

plastic recycling

“Making plastic from scratch is more expensive than recycling because once you have it you don’t have to extract oil,” they explain to this paper from company Optima tu Residuo, which specializes in plastic recycling. additional, the amount of recyclable plastic is endlessso it’s okay to go through one or more transactions, they add.

In this race for recyclable plastic, some major bottlers have already adapted. Earlier this year, Bezoya announced that it will use recycled plastic equivalent to 280 million 1.5-liter water bottles by 2021, and others like Pepsico will invest up to $14 million to build bottling facilities from 100% recycled plastic.

In addition to investments, environmental education is also an important factor. “In addition to reducing consumption, It is important that children learn to separate into several buckets and are educated in schools so that plastics do not enter rivers or seas.”, they point out at Optimize Your Waste.

Environmental organization Greenpeace believes the solution is not recycling but reuse of packaging. “There are significant inefficiencies in the waste management systemyes Putting the containers in the corresponding containers is not a guarantee of recycling. Also, it is not possible to 100% recycle plastic, and many packages cannot be recycled, such as those smaller than 10 centimeters or containing PVC. Nor were all materials recovered from the brick containers recovered,” they explain on their website.

Meanwhile, WWF urged UN to evolve A global agreement to end plastic pollution in nature by 2030. “Plastic pollution will quadruple by 2050, and many areas will be exposed to significant ecological risks if action is not taken, which will undermine current efforts to conserve and enhance biodiversity,” the NGO warns.