Turning off the Tap: How to end plastic pollution and create a circular economy

The report argues that plastic pollution requires a systems-wide change rather than isolated clean-up efforts. It proposes starting with reducing problematic and unnecessary plastic, then redesigning products and packaging, and pairing these changes with a market transformation toward a circular plastics economy. This can be accelerated through three key shifts—reorient and diversify, reuse, and recycle—alongside actions to address the legacy of existing plastic pollution.

A major reduction in plastic use is possible by rethinking how products deliver their function, such as replacing diluted or liquid formats with dry, concentrated alternatives to avoid transporting water and to enable simpler, less plastic-intensive packaging. The report emphasizes building a “reuse society” by making refill and reuse models more economically attractive than single-use disposal. It also calls for reorienting and diversifying away from conventional plastics toward more sustainable alternatives, which would require shifts in production systems, consumer demand, regulation, and cost structures.

Finally, the report stresses that plastics should be designed to be recyclable in the markets where they are sold, and that waste management and recycling must become economically viable. It notes that currently only about 9% of plastics are mechanically recycled. Overall, it concludes that the solutions exist today, and that strong regulatory support can drive the transition while delivering economic benefits and reducing harms to human health, ecosystems, and the climate.