August M
Plastic pollution from packaging could fall by 97% by 2040 if reuse and return systems are widely adopted, according to research reported by The Guardian.
Researchers are sounding the alarm over soaring plastic production, warning that the material’s chemical load and climate footprint are already harming people and ecosystems.
Only later in the report do they outline the extent to which these trends could be reversed — but only if governments overhaul packaging systems at speed.
The findings, detailed by The Guardian, paint a picture of a global plastics economy accelerating far faster than efforts to manage its waste.
Potential for reversal
Deposit-return schemes, refill models and bans on certain polymers — combined with shifting to materials like glass, metal and cardboard — could cut packaging pollution by up to 97% by 2040.
Winnie Lau of the Pew Foundation told The Guardian that “we have the ability to transform this,” emphasising that reuse and return systems alone could remove two-thirds of future waste.
Tom Dillon of Pew added that “hope remains,” urging decision-makers to redesign the global plastics system within a generation.
The newspaper reports that these interventions could also reduce plastic pollution by 83%, slash greenhouse gas emissions by 38% and lessen health impacts by 54%, saving governments around $19bn a year by 2040.
According to the outlet, the single-use packaging industry is driving this escalation. Bags, films, bottles and tubs made up one-third of global plastic waste in 2025 and were responsible for 66m tonnes of pollution entering the environment each year.
Worsening waste trajectory
In its summary of the research, The Guardian says plastic output — now dominated by the packaging sector — is expected to climb from 450m tonnes this year to 680m tonnes in 2040. This growth is set to outpace global waste-management systems that are already overwhelmed.
How individuals can make a difference
While government action and industry reform are essential to tackling the plastic and climate crises, experts consistently stress that individual choices still play a meaningful role. Many of the steps are simple, widely understood and require little more than consistency.
Recycling properly remains an important tool. Although recycling alone cannot solve the pollution problem, sorting waste correctly ensures that more materials are recovered rather than ending up in landfills or waterways.
Local guidelines vary, but rinsing containers and avoiding contamination in recycling bins significantly improves recovery rates.
Sources: The Guardian
