Towards Circular Plastics

​

In the lead up to the expected conclusion of the UN Plastic Treaty negotiations, and creation of a global agreement on reducing plastic pollution, the role of this report is to help inform stakeholders of the potential volume of secondary plastic material which both mechanical and chemical recycling could collaboratively process with the right policies and facilitation, reducing the potential for waste as a result.
 
Estimates in this report show that 30% of today’s plastic waste could be reduced in 15 years with the best case scenarios of reductions, reuse, alternative options and potential EPR programs. This means, however, that 70% of plastic which could become waste will still exist, and this is where the importance of both mechanical and chemical recycling are critical in reducing waste inventories. This knowledge on the macro-volumes of plastic which can be absorbed via circular economies can help guide strategic decisions about where investment can be efficiently allocated.
 
This includes consideration, and needs for collaboration on collection and sorting with the informal and private sectors, as many opportunities for jobs and entrepreneurship will be created along the way with increased use of secondary material for each recycling option. The  objective is to optimize the reduction of plastic waste  mismanagement and leakage into the environment by creating economic value, while enabling circular systems for the increase in recycled content and sustainable plastic use.​​​

​