Asia’s developing nations contribute most to global plastic waste

MANILA, Philippines — Developing economies in Asia are seen consuming and contributing most to global plastic waste in the decades to come.

In a report, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said global plastic waste would likely triple in the next 38 years or by 2060.

Global plastics consumption is expected to rise to 1.23 billion metric tons (MT) in 2060 from the 2019 level of 460 million MT if bold policies are not implemented.

“Growth will be fastest in developing and emerging countries in Africa and Asia, although OECD countries will still produce much more plastic waste per person,” the OECD said.

The OECD study did not list specific countries in Asia that would contribute most to plastic wastes.

But a previous study by the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank showed that 60 percent of plastic waste entering the oceans comes from five Asian countries namely China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Philippines is also the world’s third biggest plastic polluter.

Similarly, the OECD said plastic leakage to the environment is seen doubling while the build-up of plastics in lakes, rivers and oceans will more than triple. This as plastic waste will balloon to 1.014 billion MT by 2060.

The OECD said the rise in plastic consumption and waste would come despite an expected increase in the use of recycled plastic in manufacturing new goods and other technological advances.

“Without radical action to curb demand, increase product lifespans and improve waste management and recyclability, plastic pollution will rise in tandem with an almost threefold increase in plastics use driven by rising populations and incomes,” the OECD said.

“Almost two-thirds of plastic waste in 2060 will be from short-lived items such as packaging, low-cost products and textiles,” it said.

OECD secretary general Mathias Cormann maintained that governments need to take more stringent and globally coordinated action to address the worsening plastic problem.

The OECD said policies to reduce the environmental impacts of plastics and encourage a more circular use of them include taxes on plastics, including on plastic packaging, incentives to reuse and repair plastic items, and targets for recycled content in new plastic products.

Also included are extended producer responsibility schemes, improved waste management infrastructure, and increased litter collection rates.