Plastic pollution could be reduced by 80% by 2040, UN says

Massive shifts in policy, markets and production are needed to meet the target, while delay could add millions more tonnes of waste.

Plastic pollution clogs up oceans and beaches across the world which can be devastating for wildlife (Owen Humphreys/PA) (PA Wire)

Plastic pollution could be reduced by 80% by 2040 if countries and companies make deep policy and market shifts, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has said.

To do this, there needs to be more reusing, recycling and more reorienting and diversifying of plastic products, the authors said.

This would include governments promoting refillable bottles, bulk dispensers, deposit-return-schemes and packaging take-back schemes – which could reduce 30% of plastic waste.