Global Scans · Plastics · Weekly Summary

• [New] By 2050, there will likely be more plastic in the ocean than fish. SDCC
• [New] Plastic use is expected to keep growing, increasing from 464 megatons in 2020 to 884 megatons by 2050. Gizmodo
• [New] Over 20% of plastic packaging could be replaced by reusable systems, offering a significant economic opportunity. Market Data Forecast
• [New] If governments wait even five years to implement plastic-reduction policies, they will end up spending an extra $27 billion annually on plastic collection and disposal by 2040. Foreign Affairs Magazine
• [New] Annual greenhouse gas emissions from the global plastic system will grow from 2.7 gigatons to 4.2 gigatons between 2025 and 2040 - or the amount of carbon produced by one billion gas-powered cars annually. Foreign Affairs Magazine
• [New] Scientists are discovering that the world's plastic pollution problem could be worsening antimicrobial resistance. Chemistry World
• [New] US$ 1 trillion is needed annually to reduce plastic pollution by 90% by 2040. United Nations Environment Programme
• [New] The need for action is growing more urgent because plastic use is projected to triple by 2060. SciTechDaily
• [New] Projections of future plastic pollution at current levels - the 'high emissions' scenario - estimate that by 2060 there will be 2.8 times more oceanic plastic than today, with levels rising across all oceans. Environment
• [New] If the world can cut plastic pollution by 83% by 2040, its governments will save $19 billion annually on plastic waste collection and disposal. Foreign Affairs Magazine
• [New] By 2040, the annual cost to collect and dispose of plastic waste globally will hit $140 billion, and plastic production, disposal, and pollution could cost the world an estimated 9.8 million years of healthy human life. Foreign Affairs Magazine
• [New] If plastic production continues on its current trajectory, rising from 450 million metric tons in 2025 to 680 million in 2040, plastic pollution will increase from 130 to 280 million metric tons. Foreign Affairs Magazine
• By material, the plastic furniture segment is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 8.97% between 2026 and 2035. Custom Market Insights
• Sustainability requirements now extend from surfactants and UV filters to evidence-based green claims, while global plastic leakage continues to threaten the systems cosmetics depend on. GITNUX
• Circular Economy Action Plan: The EU's Circular Economy Action Plan 2.0 stipulates that all packaging plastic in the EU must be recyclable or reusable by 2030. Beston Group
• Global plastic production, which doubled to 460 million metric tons between 2000 and 2019, is projected to nearly triple by 2060. IHR

Last updated: 20 July 2026