The published study collects Data corresponding to the year 2022 which serve to deepen the knowledge of the production, use, application and elimination chain of plastics.
To do this, it is contributed a breakdown detailed by types of polymers and application sectors And, in addition, it evaluates the trade of plastic products throughout the supply chain, from the raw material to plastic waste.
A material for everything
What is a universal finding is that plastic It has become an integral part of our livesthe material of fossil origin for everything covers practically all the orders of our lives.
The world demand for plastics has quadrupled in recent decades And it is projected that it will double by 2050, which will have serious consequences for the environment and human health. The Annual World Plastics production increased from 2 million tons (MT) by 1950 to 400 mt in 2022 with an annual growth rate of 8.4%.
The study addresses global environmental concerns Related to plastics, it requires an exhaustive analysis of the entire supply chain. The study, led by Khaouula Houssini, Jinhui Li and Quanyin Tan, presents a Detailed an analysis of the flow of plastics materials linked to global trade during 2022.
Geographical concentration
Thus, worldwide, 436.66 million tons were marketed of plastics in 2022, of which only the final products represented 111 mt.
«Our findings suggest that Plastics are subject to a geographical concentrationwith raw materials concentrated in countries rich in oil resources and processing in countries with great manufacturing capacity, ”they explain.
In addition, they add that a significant change in waste management is observed, reporting that the incineration It is consolidating as a prominent waste removal method (34%), The discharge is decreasing substantially (40%), while The global recycling rate remained stagnant (9%).
Only 9% is recycled
The work shows numerous figures and data that show that the management of this residue He has a long way to go globally. The total waste generated in 2022 amounted to 267.68 mt, of which 74.75 MT were classified and collected for mechanical recycling and 6.66 mt were marketed.
In addition, of the total plastic waste collected and classified, 37.96 mt of plastics were recycled (which represents 9% of primary production), 30.66 MT deviated to incineration facilities and the remaining 6.25 mt were deposited in landfills. In total, 29.60 mt of plastics were badly managed, 103.10 MT were deposited in landfills and 89.99 MT were incinerated.
Situation in Spain
In the same year of the study, 2022, in Spain, according to European Plastics «the improvement in The collection favored that the amount of recycled plastic waste had increased until reaching more than 1 million tons ».
With a total recycling rate of 38%, Spain was then in second place in Europe. By sectors, it is worth highlighting 50% recycling rate for plastic packaging waste (4th European position), 49% for plastic waste in the agriculture sector (2nd place), and 40% for plastic waste in construction (1st place).
High levels in landfill
However, the High levels of landfillwith a rate well above the European average (39% compared to 25%), indicate that produce recycled plastic remains a pending subject for Spain in 2022.
In 2023, 7.1 million tons of recycled plastics were consumed in Europe, only 13.4% of the total, far from the target by 2025 of 10 million tons, highlighting the urgent need for measures to increase this figure, Only Spain has recycling capacity to supply with more than 20% of this objective which would mean 50% of the demand for national plastics.
According to Ethel Eljarrat, director of the Institute of Environmental Diagnosis and Water Studies (Idaea-CSIC), in statements collected by the Media Center of Spain, «LThe published data show that we continue with the same trends as in previous years. With regard to production, it continues to grow, exceeding 400 million tons per year, with 98 % of the plastic generated from fossil fuels and only 2 % from biological sources».
Eljarrat reports that The most plastic sector consumes remains that of containerswith 41 % of the total, and the industry of chemical additives associated with plastic continues to produce and marketing worrying substances for human health. With regard to the waste generated, we continue with very low recycling rates, below 10%.
The director concludes that «the measures to stop the problem of plastic pollution are not having the desired effect. We have not been able to reduce the consumption of plastic material».
No market for biodegradables
In his analysis, he admits that «The most biodegradable alternative materials are not finding their space in the marketperhaps by economic and technological barriers for large -scale use ».
«We have not been able to eliminate the presence of toxic additives In plastics and the ability to recycle plastic material is insufficient today, ”says Ethel Eljarrat.
Among the conclusions, it notes that «the need to urgently achieve international agreements to put is evident to put Brake for plastic pollution. These agreements should, above all, mark a cap on world production of virgin plastic. In addition, promote aid for bioplastic implementation, legislate or prohibit the use of toxic additives and help improve both mechanical and chemical recycling systems ».
Understand global flow
Among the conclusions of the study, entitled The complexities of the World supply chain of plastic revealed in an analysis of the flow of materials linked to tradeit puts it imposes as a task the «Understanding and quantifying the movement and global accumulation of plastics is vital To guide political decisions, implement effective management strategies and monitor progress towards environmental sustainability objectives ».
For the authors «the knowledge acquired from our findings provide Valuable data and evidence to inform the academic world and political leaders On global plastic flows, which allows countries and interested parties to collaborate effectively to address this pressing global environmental challenge ».
They defend the importance of their work highlighting that “accounting for global plastic flows and reserves is not only a scientific need, but also A practical tool for political leaders to design evidence -based policies and regulations that promote progress towards a cleaner and healthier planet for current and future generations ».
