Plastic has become indispensable, but this convenience has unleashed a global crisis. The world now produces roughly 462 million tonnes of plastic each year, yet about 90% of it eventually leaks into landfills, waterways or natural habitats. Every year some 9–14 million tonnes flow into our oceans, and plastic debris is now found from the deepest sea trenches to the remotest mountains. This pollution harms wildlife and ecosystems; in fact over 800 marine species are threatened by plastic. Plastic waste doesn’t just spoil scenery, it breaks down into microplastics that enter food chains, contaminating soil, water and our bodies over time.
The stakes include our climate and our health. A recent UN analysis warns that by 2050, lifecycle emissions from plastics (in manufacturing, transport and disposal) could consume about 15% of the world’s remaining carbon budget. In other words, plastics are a carbon bomb in the making if we do nothing.
Meanwhile, scientists are finding microplastics and toxic additives everywhere in rivers, groundwater and even drinking water. These chemicals (from common plastic additives like BPA, flame retardants and PFAS) accumulate in our bodies and can disrupt hormones or even contribute to cancer. In short, plastic pollution threatens climate stability, biodiversity, food security and public health simultaneously.
This crisis is real in India as well. Our economy and population growth have brought a surge in plastic use – we now generate over 10 million tonnes of plastic waste a year. The Indian government has rightly moved to curb single-use plastics and strengthen recycling laws. For example, the latest Plastic Waste Management Rules impose stringent quality standards on biodegradable plastics and expand extended producer responsibility obligations, requiring brands to finance collection and recycling of their packaging. These steps build on the 2022 ban on many low-value disposables. Yet the problem persists: India is projected to be the second-largest emitter of microplastics into waterways (after China) by 2024.
The good news is that solutions are within reach but they require concerted policy, technology and partnership. Globally, 175 countries have agreed to negotiate the first-ever plastics treaty under the UN. The initial talks fell short of a final deal in late 2024, but negotiations will resume in 2025 with renewed determination. This ambition is needed: one EU report warned that if “business as usual” continues, global plastic production will triple by 2060. Already today about half of all plastic waste is landfilled and less than 20% is recycled – clear signals that stronger rules are needed. We should raise standards on design and recycling, ban truly unnecessary plastics, and set national targets for reuse and recycled content (as India has begun to do through EPR mechanisms).
Business and technology can and must play a major role. Companies around the world are innovating fast. In India, startups have developed next-generation chemical recycling technologies that can take hard-to-recycle waste (used grocery bags, food-soiled packaging, etc.) and convert it back into virgin-quality polymers, chemicals and fuels. Such breakthroughs mean that discarded plastics can truly become a circular resource rather than trash.
Industry is also investing in mechanical recycling and redesign. For example, global brand owners (from beverage companies to retailers) are increasingly setting circular packaging goals, though a recent survey notes many face cost and infrastructure hurdles. These hurdles underscore the need for public-private partnership: governments can provide subsidies, R&D support and waste collection infrastructure, while businesses can scale up recycling plants, invest in biodegradable alternatives and adopt reusable packaging.
A broader shift to a circular economy for plastics can deliver enormous benefits. Analysts estimate that by 2040, circular strategies could cut plastic inflows to oceans by over 80%, halve virgin plastic production, save some USD 70 billion in costs and create hundreds of thousands of jobs globally. These are the kind of economic and environmental co-benefits that appeal to business and society alike. Mechanisms like deposit-return systems, tradeable recycling credits and joint clean-up initiatives (involving companies, NGOs and citizens) have already shown promise in India and elsewhere.
Now is the time for bold leadership and collaboration. I have seen how public policy, private investment and innovation can transform entire industries. The fight against plastic pollution deserves that same ambition. By setting clear policies, scaling up recycling and alternative technologies, and aligning efforts across government, industry and communities, we can bend the curve on plastic waste. Ending this scourge will not be easy, but it is an achievable goal – and an urgent one, for the sake of our environment, our health and our shared future. Together, with determination and creativity, we can turn the tide on plastic.
