What's Next for Plastic?

We've all heard it: "There's more plastic in our oceans than fish." Yet, we still produce over 460 million metric tons of plastic every year.

The truth is that cutting plastic from our lives isn't straightforward. Despite only arriving in the 1950s, plastic has become fundamental to modern life and imagining our world without it now seems impossible.

It’s Time to #BeatPlasticPollution

This 5th June marks World Environment Day, the UN's flagship environmental event since 1973. This year's theme tackles the plastic paradox: we can't imagine life without it, yet we can't continue like this either.

Since the 1950s, we've produced 9.2 billion tonnes of plastic, and 7 billion tonnes of that is now waste. Every year, another 8 million tonnes escape into our oceans. And thanks to chemical additives, these "disposable" items will outlive us by 400+ years.

Yet, when you run complete lifecycle assessments, plastic often outperforms the "eco-friendly" alternatives. A reusable cotton tote has the same carbon footprint as 149 plastic bags. Glass bottles might be infinitely recyclable, but their weight means more lorries, more fuel, more emissions.

The real challenge isn't plastic itself. It's our complete failure to manage it responsibly once we're done with it.

The Regulatory Revolution

A Global Treaty to End Plastic Pollution

In 2022, UN Member States agreed to create a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution.

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) is working on this, covering plastic's entire lifecycle—from production and design through to disposal.

After the December 2024 session in Busan, negotiators will reconvene in Geneva from August 5 to 14, 2025, to continue work towards the first legally binding action on plastic pollution at a global scale.

Producers Face Game-Changing Regulations

The EU's Packaging Revolution (PPWR)

These new rules, landed in February 2025, are transforming the way businesses think about packaging.

What’s the overarching goal?

• All packaging must be recyclable by 2030
• Mandatory recycled content: 30% by 2030, jumping to 65% by 2040
• Weight and volume restrictions to eliminate unnecessary packaging

What's banned or restricted?

• Pre-packed fruit and veg under 1.5kg
• Individual condiment sachets in hospitality venues
• Packaging containing PFAS above the set thresholds

What's becoming standard practice?

• Reuse and refill systems
• Takeaways must let customers bring their containers

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

EPR is based on the "polluter pays" principle, which makes brands, producers, and importers financially responsible for their plastic packaging throughout its entire lifecycle, from production to disposal.

How does it work?

• Mandatory targets: Companies must meet specific collection, recycling, and recycled content targets.
• Financial penalties: If you miss your targets, you pay fines that fund waste management infrastructure.
• Design incentives: The more recyclable your packaging, the lower your fees, driving innovation at the source.
• Producer responsibility organisations: Companies either build their collection systems or pay certified organisations to meet targets for them.

Case Study: How Amcor is Engineering Better Plastics

In our recent podcast, Amcor shared how they're reimagining plastic packaging through three key innovations:

• Material reduction: Amcor’s PowerPost technology repositions vacuum panels from bottle sides to base, enabling significant light-weighting in hot-filled beverages. The impact is a 30% reduction in energy use and emissions, as well as compatibility with up to 100% recycled plastic content.
• Refill systems: Amcor's refillable bottles in Latin America have demonstrated commercial viability, with a lifespan of up to 25 uses across various categories, including water and soft drinks.
• Cleaner packaging: Amcor's HDPE blister packs eliminate both PVC and aluminium from pharmaceutical packaging. This innovation delivers up to 60% emission reductions whilst maintaining product protection standards.

Listen to the whole conversation here.

Nature's Innovations: The Unexpected Future of Plastic

🌊 'Plastic' Brewed from Seaweed

Meet Uluu: they're literally brewing alternatives to plastic. Their process feeds seaweed to microbes in fermenters, which then produce PHAs (nature's own polymers). Think beer brewing, but instead, you get packaging that biodegrades completely, even in the ocean. And, while fossil-fuel plastics emit 2.5 tonnes of CO2 per tonne produced, seaweed absorbs carbon as it grows.

🍄 The Fungus That’s Eating Plastic

Dutch researchers at NIOZ have discovered a marine fungus (Parengyodontium album) that breaks down polyethylene, the ocean's most abundant plastic pollutant. This fungus joins an exclusive club (only four marine fungi species can degrade plastic), living in thin biofilms on ocean plastic and quietly munching away at our waste problem. Working with the The Ocean Cleanup Foundation and institutes across Europe, the team is exploring how to scale nature's recycling system.