Status of Plastic Waste Management and Its Life Cycle Impacts: Challenges and Opportunities

Plastic, which makes up 10%–13% of daily municipal solid waste at a global level, is a major component of solid waste (Kibria et al., 2023). The growing population, rapid urbanisation, and ongoing industrial development are key drivers behind the escalating plastic waste crisis, leading to serious, human-made environmental challenges that threaten ecosystems and human well-being. By 2060, global plastic consumption is projected to exceed 1,200 million tonnes (Mt), nearly four times today’s level. This relentless surge in demand, combined with the inability of recycling and waste management systems to keep up, has placed the world on a trajectory where plastics manufacturing could account for 20% of global oil and gas consumption by 2050 (Anderson and Fletcher, 2022). This trend poses a serious threat to the depletion of the world’s finite fossil resources. A significant portion of end-of-life plastics is expected to leak into the natural environment, contributing to severe environmental degradation and posing serious risks to human health (OECD, 2022).