OECD: ‘We must work together to cut plastic production and pollution’

International co-operation and a global package of ‘stringent’ policies are needed to prevent the growth in plastic production and ‘nearly end’ environmental pollution, according to the OECD.
The OECD says its new report, Policy Scenarios for Eliminating Plastic Pollution by 2040, presents a viable path towards ending plastic leakage to the environment.

‘Since 2000, we have seen plastics production, use and waste more than double with significant amounts of plastic leaking into the environment each year,’ writes Jo Tyndall, director of the OECD Environment Directorate in the preface. ‘Business as usual is unsustainable while plastic flows and their environmental impacts continue to rapidly increase.’

Growing challenge

The figures presented are stark. Annual plastics production and use is projected to rise from 435 million tonnes in 2020 to 736 million tonnes in 2040. The share of recycled plastics would remain unchanged at 6% of total plastics use. While waste management is expected to improve, advances will not keep pace with the growth of plastic waste, resulting in 119 million tonnes of mismanaged waste in 2040 (up from 81 million tonnes in 2020).

The report argues that enhanced waste management and tighter regulations in advanced economies will not be enough. However, it says that stringent policies to curb production and demand (limiting total plastics use to 508 million tonnes in 2040), combined with policies to enhance recycling rates (quadrupling to 42%), can ensure that growth in plastics use is met through recycled plastics rather than through primary production.

‘This policy package can nearly eliminate mismanaged waste by 2040 and prevent 74 million tonnes of plastics from entering rivers and oceans,’ the authors calculate. They assess the cost to be 0.5% of global GDP, although non-OECD countries will face higher bills than OECD members ‘as the strongest policy efforts are needed in countries with less advanced waste management systems, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa (1.5% GDP loss)’.

Other conclusions:

• Implementation of an ambitious whole of lifecycle approach globally requires overcoming significant technical, economic and governance barriers.
• Ending plastic leakage warrants mobilising significant financial resources and strengthening international co-operation.
• Eliminating plastic leakage is critical, but other plastic pollution aspects require additional interventions.