REUSE Foundation, a London-based organization, has released a report challenging the widely accepted belief that recycling can solve the global plastics crisis. The report, titled “Where Now for Plastic Packaging?”, highlights the ineffectiveness of plastic recycling and calls for a shift towards reusable solutions.
According to the report, global plastic production is expected to triple by 2060, but only 9% of plastic is currently being recycled. This number is projected to rise to just 17% by 2060, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This means that despite decades of promoting recycling, plastic production and pollution continue to rise.
The report also reveals that so-called “recyclable” plastic is often downcycled, burned, or shipped abroad, contributing to waste and emissions. This contradicts the idea that recycling is a circular solution for plastic waste. Furthermore, the share of reusable packaging for leading brands has actually decreased from 1.6% in 2019 to 1.3% in 2023, highlighting the lack of progress in implementing reusable solutions.
“The plastics crisis isn’t being solved—it’s being greenwashed,” said Roger Sharp, a Trustee of REUSE Foundation. “Recycling has been used as a cover while plastic production continues to rise. We need a systems shift to reuse, a conclusion increasingly reached by campaigners, NGOs, governments, and corporations alike.”
The report also references research from the World Economic Forum, which suggests that shifting just 10% of plastic packaging to reusable formats could reduce ocean-bound plastic waste by up to 50%. This highlights the potential gains of adopting reuse solutions and the urgent need for a shift away from recycling as the primary solution for plastic waste.
The full report can be accessed on the REUSE Foundation website at www.reusefoundation.org. For media enquiries or interviews, please contact John Marchant at john@reusefoundation.org. The REUSE Foundation can also be found on Instagram @reuse_foundation and LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/reuse-foundation/.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.