The World Generates Record Volumes of Single-Use Plastic Waste

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The latest report published by Minderoo Foundation says that the world generates record volumes of single-use plastic waste than ever. This is despite global efforts to reduce plastic pollution and carbon emissions. It must be noted that various governments across the globe have announced several policies, including bans and taxes, in order to reduce the volume of single-use plastic.

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As per report, the world produced 139 million metric tons of single-use plastic waste in 2021, significantly higher by more than 6 million metric tons when compared with the 2019 figures. During the two years, every single person on the planet generated 2.2 pounds of additional plastic waste. The plastic waste generation was mainly driven by rising demand for flexible packaging items such as films and sachets.

The report notes that recycling has not scaled up fast enough to deal with rising production of single-use plastics, thus resulting in more plastics being dumped in landfills, beaches, rivers and oceans. Only two companies in petrochemical industry, namely, Taiwanese Far Eastern New Century and Thailand-based Indorama Ventures, recycles and produces recycled polymers at scale.

The findings of the report demonstrates that the plastic pollution problem is getting much bigger, said Andrew Forrest, Founder, Minderoo Foundation.