- In 2024, the world generated 418 million tonnes of packaging waste
- 134 million tonnes of packaging materials disposed of through landfilling, incineration, or environmental leaking
The theme emerging in the packaging industry is the urgent, growing disparity between the volume of packaging waste generated and the current global capacity to manage it sustainably. This situation requires a profound and fast transition towards a circular economy model for packaging, driven by regulatory pressures, technological innovation, shifting consumer demands, and evolving economic landscapes.
This report aims to provide an understanding of the wide-ranging impact of waste generation and recycling on the packaging industry. This includes a thorough evaluation of policy effectiveness, a focus on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, the role of ongoing technological advancements in both recycling processes and disposal methods, the impact of consumer behaviour, the availability and adequacy of existing infrastructure, the economic viability of recycling initiatives, and the influence of packaging design on its end-of-life management.
Key Questions
- How is urbanization driving waste rates?
- What technological advancements are being made to optimise packaging for recycling?
- How are countries attempting to manage packaging to reduce waste, without reducing volume of packaging?
- Where are the most prominent areas in the supply chain to observe change in recycling rates?
This report is essential to...
- Packaging raw material suppliers
- Packaging converters and manufacturers
- Retailers and brand owners
About the author
Juan Rodriguez has over 20 years of experience in corporate finance and analysis in the forest and paper industry, working for leading companies Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark and Neenah (now Mativ). Juan is an industrial engineer who has leveraged his technical background to optimise processes while working in finance, market analysis, and forecasting; producing recommendations that move businesses forward, focusing on value creation.
Executive summary
Introduction and methodology
- Introduction and objective
- Report Scope, market segmentation and assumptions
- Packaging Materials
- Waste recycling methods
- Waste disposal methods
- Geographic markets
- Methodology
- Glossary and definitions
Key drivers and trends in the waste and recycling industry
- Introduction
- Global scale and trends
- Waste generation
- Recycling and disposal
- Primary drivers of increased waste generation
- Economic expansion and shifting consumption
- The e-commerce effect
- Dominance of single-use models
- Material selection dynamics (shift towards plastics)
- Demographic factors: population and urbanization
- Inadequacies in waste prevention policies and implementation
- Regulations on packaging waste and recycling
Key technological developments
- Introduction
- Packaging materials
- Board, molded pulp, and paper
- Flexible plastics
- Rigid plastics
- Glass
- Metals
- Recycling methods
- Repulped
- Mechanically recycled
- Chemically recycled
- Compostable
- Disposal methods
- Incineration
- Landfill
- Mismanaged waste (environmental leakage)
Impact of waste and recycling on the packaging supply chain
- Introduction
- Raw material suppliers
- Packaging converters/manufacturers
- Brand owners/consumer packaged goods (cpg) companies
- Retailers (including e-commerce)
- Consumers
- Waste management & recycling industry
The future packaging landscape
- Reduction of packaging waste at source
- Material redesign for enhanced recyclability
- Increased use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) Content
- Development of alternative packaging materials
- Regulatory compliance and extended producer responsibility (EPR)
- Supply chain transformation
- Focus on mono-material packaging
- Consumer demand for sustainable packaging
- Investment in recycling infrastructure
- Standardization of recyclable materials and labeling
- Technological advancements in recycling processes
- Economic shifts and material valuation
- Enhanced traceability and transparency
- Collaboration and partnerships
- Life cycle assessment (LCA) Integration
Impact of waste and recycling on packaging by region
- Europe
- United Kingdom (UK)
- Germany
- France
- Spain
- Italy
- Rest of Europe
- North America
- United States (US)
- Canada
- Mexico
- Asia Pacific
- China
- India
- Japan
- Rest of Asia Pacific
- South & Central America
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Rest of South & Central America
- Middle East & Africa
List of Figures
Global packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
Global packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
Global packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
Global material waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of total tonnes)
The linear economy
Impact of packaging on the supply chain
Europe packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
Europe packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
Europe packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
Europe packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
For each country:
Packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
Packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
Packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
Packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
List of countries:
UK
Germany
France
Spain
Italy
Rest of Europe
North America packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
North America packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
North America packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
North America packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
For each country:
Packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
Packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
Packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
Packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
List of countries:
US
Canada
Mexico
Asia Pacific packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
Asia Pacific packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
Asia Pacific packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
Asia Pacific packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
For each country:
Packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
Packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
Packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
Packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
List of countries:
China
India
Japan
Rest of Asia Pacific
South and Central America packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
South and Central America packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
South and Central America packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
South and Central America packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
For each country:
Packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
Packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
Packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
Packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
List of countries:
Argentina
Brazil
Rest of South and Central America
Middle East and Africa packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
Middle Eat and Africa packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
Middle East and Africa packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
Middle East and Africa packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
List of Tables
Global: key packaging waste and recycling statistics
Impact trends on the packaging industry from waste and recycling
Global packaging waste per capita, by region and country (Kg/Ton)
Global Recycling and disposal volumes (thousand tonnes)
Global Recycling and disposal rates (percent of waste generated)
Plastics Recycling and disposal rates (percent of waste generated)
Fiber based materials (board, paper, moulded pulp) recycling and disposal rates (percent of waste generated)
Glass recycling and disposal rates (percent of waste generated)
Metal recycling and disposal rates (percent of waste generated)
Global packaging waste, recycling and disposal per capita, (kg/person)
Global disposal volume by country and region, 2024 by disposal method (volume in ‘000 tonnes and percent of total disposal volume)
Impact trends on the packaging industry from waste and recycling
For each region/country:
Key packaging waste and recycling statistics
List of regions/countries:
Europe
UK
Germany
France
Spain
Italy
Rest of Europe
North America
US
Canada
Mexico
Asia Pacific
China
India
Japan
Rest of Asia Pacific
South and Central America
Argentina
Brazil
Rest of South and Central America
Middle East and Africa
