tonnes of plastic waste
Generated worldwide in 2019, more than double the 2000 amount.
OECD Global Plastics Outlook, 2022The plastic crisis
Plastic waste is growing faster than the systems built to manage it.
Plastic is useful in many settings. The problem is the scale of short-lived use, weak collection systems and pollution that escapes into land and water. Action is needed across the full lifecycle.
The scale of the problem
Three figures that explain the urgency.
These are global estimates from published OECD and UNEP assessments. The year and scope matter: they describe the worldwide problem, not Biorosh's own operations.
ultimately recycled
Share of global plastic waste recycled in 2019 after losses during the recycling process.
OECD Global Plastics Outlook, 2022tonnes enter aquatic ecosystems
Estimated plastic waste leaking into lakes, rivers and seas each year.
UNEP plastic pollution and marine litter, 2026Without stronger action, the volume of waste could grow dramatically.
The OECD projects global plastic waste to almost triple by 2060 under its baseline scenario. This is a projection, not an observed outcome.
Why the problem persists
No single treatment can solve it.
Use less
Reduce unnecessary and problematic plastics and redesign products for longer use.
Capture more
Improve collection, sorting and recycling so fewer materials escape into the environment.
Manage residues safely
Assess controlled routes for material that remains unsuitable for reuse or mechanical recycling.
UNEP's systems approach emphasizes reducing unnecessary use, expanding reuse and recycling, and dealing safely with residual waste. Its 2023 analysis found that deep policy and market changes using existing technologies could cut plastic pollution by 80% by 2040.
From global problem to local action
Build the systems that each place needs.
Biorosh aims to contribute through waste collection partnerships, sorting, consultation and responsible recovery of suitable residual plastics. The proposed Zambia pilot is a starting point for learning and local implementation, not a claim that one facility can resolve the global crisis.
Sources
Read the evidence.
- OECD, Global Plastics Outlook (2022) — 2019 waste and recycling figures.
- OECD, Global Plastics Outlook: Policy Scenarios to 2060 (2022) — baseline projection.
- UNEP, Plastic pollution and marine litter (2026) — annual aquatic leakage estimate.
- UNEP, Turning off the Tap (2023) — systems response and potential reduction.