Archive · 3 Dec 2025
Global Plastic Pollution to Worsen by 2040
A new report says that plastic pollution is going to get much worse by 2040.
Right now, we produce a lot of plastic, and it's causing problems for the environment and our health.
The report says that if we keep going like this, we'll have even more plastic pollution in the future.
This could make people sick and harm the planet.
The report also suggests ways to reduce plastic pollution, like making better products and recycling more.
But some people think that recycling might not be the best solution because it's hard to do on a large scale.
The report is a big warning that we need to do something about plastic pollution soon.
Global plastic pollution is projected to reach 280 million metric tons per year by 2040, a significant increase from the current 100 million metric tons.
Plastic-related greenhouse gas emissions are expected to surge by 58%, making plastic production a major contributor to climate change.
The report highlights the health impacts of plastic production and disposal, estimating 5.6 million years of healthy life lost in 2025 and 9.8 million in 2040.
Countries could reduce plastic production and use by mandating better product design, investing in reuse infrastructure, and eliminating subsidies for plastic production.
Microplastics, a significant part of plastic pollution, are harder to control and require targeted actions to reduce their shedding.
- Who
- The Pew Charitable Trusts with ICF International
- What
- A report on global plastic pollution and its effects on human health and the environment
- When
- Published on December 3, 2025
- Where
- Global
- Why
- To assess the current state and future projections of plastic pollution and its impacts
- Current plastic pollution
- 100 million metric tons per year
- Projected plastic pollution by 2040
- 280 million metric tons per year
- Increase in plastic production by 2040
- 52%
- Increase in plastic-related greenhouse gas emissions by 2040
- 58%
- Estimated global health impacts in 2025
- 5.6 million years of healthy life lost
- Estimated global health impacts in 2040
- 9.8 million years of healthy life lost
- Number of chemicals in plastics
- 16,000
- Chemicals possibly harmful to human health
- More than one fourth