For several years, many brands have talked a good game about curbing single-use plastic and offering consumers more refillable or reusable options.
However, new research from the Minderoo Foundation, an Australian philanthropic organization, shows that the production of single-use plastic from virgin material rose between 2019 and 2021 globally by 6 million metric tons annually, while producers have done little to curtail pollution issues, and recycling remains negligible.
Minderoo Foundation’s “Plastic Waste Makers Index” points out that while growth in plastic production is slower, with 3.9% annual growth in 2005-2020 versus 2.7% in 2021-2027, that is still an additional 60 million metric tons by 2027, of which the foundation expects 17 million metric tons to be used as single-use plastic.
