Business‑as‑usual plastic production and waste mismanagement will nearly double mismanaged plastic from ~121 Mt today to ~240 Mt by 2050—threatening ecosystems, human health, and climate stability.
Experts recommend capping plastic production, mandating 40 % recycled content, deploying reuse systems, and investing in waste infrastructure to reduce pollution by over 90 % by 2050
Negotiations in Geneva (INC‑5.2, August 2025) aim to finalize a binding plastics treaty—covering production limits, toxic additives, export rules, and lifecycle management to enforce cleanup
UN roadmap shows reuse, recycling, and redesign can cut pollution 80% by 2040, save trillions, create jobs, lower emissions, and halt plastic’s climate and health impacts.