Global Scans · Plastics · Weekly Summary

• [New] By focusing on plastics through targeted, practical measures, the current pilot package lays the groundwork for a robust Circular Economy Act in 2026 and positions Europe as a global leader in circular economy plastic recycling by 2030. Polyestertime
• [New] Current cumulative plastic production has risen above 8 billion MT worldwide and is expected to progressively increase in the coming decades. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] By 2030, legacy plastic licences are expected to be completely phased out nationwide. IATS
• [New] The International Plastic Pellet Count will take place again in 2026, but pellet counts throughout the year also contribute to efforts to end plastic pellet pollution. PIRG
• [New] 2026 is a critical time for well-designed recycling policy to both help drive PCR plastic innovation and build robust end markets for recycled materials. Packaging Strategies
• [New] By material type, the recycled plastic segment will grow at a notable CAGR between 2025 and 2034. Yahoo Finance
• [New] Notpla, a company that makes seaweed-based packaging, has replaced more than 21 million items of single-use plastic across Europe, and is aiming to displace 1 billion units by 2030. Euronews
• [New] Asia Pacific (China, India, Southeast Asia) will remain the largest growth region for masterbatch manufacturing and consumption due to downstream plastic conversion capacity expansion. MASCOM GLOBAL - Manufacturer Of Masterbatch In Vietnam
• If the global plastic system were treated as a country, it would rank as the world's third-largest emitter by 2040. Engineering For Change
• Health impacts linked to plastic production and waste are expected to rise by 75% by 2040, while plastic-related greenhouse gas emissions would increase by 58%, largely from new polymer production. Engineering For Change
• By 2040, the volume of plastic entering the environment would be equivalent to nearly one garbage truck every second, driven by production growth that far outpaces waste management capacity. Engineering For Change
• The report, Breaking the Plastic Wave 2025: An Assessment of the Global System and Strategies for Transformative Change, finds that without swift, system-level intervention, plastic pollution will more than double over the next 15 years. Engineering For Change
• Plastic pollution is accumulating faster than previously understood, but there is a technically feasible path to reverse course by 2040. Engineering For Change
• Now for the good news: The largest source of plastic waste, packaging, can be virtually eliminated by 2040 through ambitious global action - primarily reuse and return strategies. Gizmodo
• Of all the upstream policy levers modelled, return - and refill-based reuse systems have the greatest effects on plastic packaging waste, accounting for 34% and 32%, respectively, of the annual reductions from the upstream levers by 2040. The Pew Charitable Trusts
• Across all sectors, System Transformation reduces annual primary plastic production by 14% by 2040 relative to 2025, which falls well short of recent calls for a 40% reduction. The Pew Charitable Trusts

Last updated: 05 January 2026