Transitioning to a circular economy and shifting away from the traditional “take-make-dispose” linear model will address these issues and facilitate sustainable growth. Mismanaged plastic waste refers to inadequately disposed of waste that has the potential to be formally disposed of or managed in a sustainable manner. Once released into the environment, plastic waste poses a serious threat to wildlife and natural ecosystems. Figure 1 shows that packaging leads to both plastic production and plastic waste generation. Instead of searching for ways to manage the growing amounts of waste, solutions should aim to generate less waste, something that a circular economy could achieve.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 27, 2021 03:23 UTC