Oxford scientists launch ambitious roadmap for a circular carbon plastics economy

The study includes a future scenario centred on four targets:Reducing future plastics demand by one half, substituting and eliminating over-use of plastic materials and products. Integrating plastic manufacturing and recycling with renewable power and minimising all other negative environmental impacts, including of additives. The authors emphasise the need for concerted action across all four target areas to ensure the global plastics systems curbs its climate impacts and meets UN Sustainable Development Goals. The UN international plastics treaty provides the world with a key opportunity – it is a very exciting chance to fundamentally change the way we make, use and manage end of life for future plastics. Our current global plastics system is completely unsustainable, and we need to be implementing these series of very bold measures at scale, and fast.