Circular Industry Solutions for a Global Plastics Treaty

The report analyzes 59 case studies of circular industry solutions to inform the Global Plastics Treaty, emphasizing that while diverse solutions exist, scaling them requires bold policy interventions, harmonized global standards, and unlocked private financing.

• A significant majority of circular plastic solutions are currently in the scale-up phase, with over 55% of the analyzed cases falling into this category, while only 25% are considered 'grown-up'.
• Policy is identified as the most critical enabler for scaling solutions, with interviewees mentioning it twice as often as any other factor. Solution providers seek bold, consistent policies to create viable markets and de-risk investments.
• There is a high demand for global harmonization of definitions and standards to ensure clarity in regulation. Key terms requiring definition include "plastics", "alternative plastics", and "substitutes of plastics".
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is viewed as both a success factor for existing solutions and a necessary mechanism for future scaling. Experts argue EPR should cover the full value chain, including reuse and reduction, rather than being limited to recycling.
• Bans on problematic plastics and packaging are considered highly effective for forcing brands to adopt alternatives and creating rapid market change.
• The report emphasizes that no single 'R' strategy (reduce, reuse, recycle) is a 'silver bullet'; instead, a combination of strategies tailored to local geographical and logistical contexts is required.
• Non-policy barriers to scaling include a lack of trust from customers regarding the performance of new materials, a lack of general awareness, and a deficiency in cross-value chain collaboration.

APA

World Economic Forum (2024). Circular Industry Solutions for a Global Plastics Treaty. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Circular_Industry_Solutions_2024.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Circular Industry Solutions for a Global Plastics Treaty. 2024. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Circular_Industry_Solutions_2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Circular Industry Solutions for a Global Plastics Treaty |date=May 2024 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Circular_Industry_Solutions_2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2024circular, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Circular Industry Solutions for a Global Plastics Treaty}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2024}, month = may, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Circular_Industry_Solutions_2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }