India is wrapped in plastic

Globally, only 9 percent of plastic waste is recycled, 50 percent ends up in landfills, 19 percent is incinerated for energy, and the remaining 22 percent is littered, burnt, or ends up polluting the environment. In India, where plastic consumption is surging, the challenge is particularly acute due to weak waste management infrastructure. While the plastic recycling rate is relatively high — about 40 percent — it is largely “downcycled” into lower-value items, many of which eventually enter the waste stream again. For these reasons, India has become the world’s top producer of unmanaged plastic waste. So, how do we actually beat plastic pollution?