Global plastic waste rises by more than 7% in three years

Earth action says that plastic waste has risen by 7.11% since 2021.

Plastic Overshoot Day marks when plastic waste exceeds the global capacity to manage it, say earth action.

In 2024, the consultancy and research organisation projects it to occur on 5 September, predicting that 220Mt of plastic waste will be created this year with nearly 70Mt ending up in nature.

The Plastic Overshoot Day report claims the date has pushed a little closer to December every year by a few days, including a slight improvement in global waste management.

To enable targeted solutions, earth action has established six country archetypes based on factors including local per capita plastic consumption, the import and export of waste, and the country's waste treatment capabilities. After considering these, the consultancy makes recommendations tailored to each country's unique circumstances.

Earth action claim that people living in Belgium are the top generators of plastic waste in 2024, with a yearly waste production of 147.7kg per person - 16 times higher than in Bangladesh where each inhabitant generates 8.6kg of plastic waste.