Earth reaches inaugural Global Plastic Overshoot Day

The world has hit Global Plastic Overshoot Day five months before the end of the year in what is the first time the landmark date has been announced internationally.

Friday marks the date when the amount of plastic produced worldwide surpasses all combined international efforts to manage it effectively.

It comes days before Earth Overshoot Day, which occurs when humanity’s demand on nature exceeds the planet’s biocapacity and is set to fall on August 2 this year.

The first international day focusing on plastic aims to raise awareness of its growing impact on the environment.

Plastic production has increased 20 times more rapidly than recycling capacity over the last decade, according to Switzerland-based research consultancy Earth Action.

Its researchers found that prior to July 28, plastic waste has been well-managed this year, meaning it is collected and then either recycled, incinerated or deposited in a sanitary landfill.

But, with global production of short-life plastic expected to reach 159 million tonnes in 2023, the international capacity for managing plastics without leakage will no longer meet demand for the rest of the year, they found.

This suggests 43% of all plastic waste is projected to be mismanaged at the end of its life – equivalent to more than 68.5 million tonnes of short-life plastics polluting the environment this year alone.

This includes 420,000 tonnes of chemical additives released into waterways.

The report also highlights that the plastic waste crisis disproportionately impacts the countries in the Global South.

Bangladesh, Ecuador, India and South Africa are among those that Earth Action defines as “waste sponges”, which means they have a low consumption of plastic yet a high level of plastic pollution through imports.

Researchers said the “waste sponge” countries collectively account for 66.86 days out of the total 157 days of plastic overshoot projected to occur in 2023.

Earth Action is now urging all governments, corporations and individuals to take decisive actions that align the amount of waste introduced to the market with existing waste management capacities.

Julien Boucher, founder and chief executive of Earth Action, said: “Today should be a pivotal moment in the global plastic waste crisis. We all have a crucial role to play in this crisis.

“Now what is required is extensive and ambitious interventions from global governments and corporations, who can lead the change towards sustainable production practices.

“Without this, the Plastic Overshoot Day date will only be brought forward every year. If we can measure and report our carbon footprints, why can’t we do the same for plastic?”

John Duncan, global initiative lead at the World Wide Fund for Nature, said: “We cannot simply keep producing plastic, much of it unnecessary, without addressing the significant costs that the plastic pollution crisis imposes on the planet.

“For too long, the inequalities inherent in the current plastics system have kept the plastic pollution problem out of sight and out of mind for many, with the social, economic and ecological burden being borne by lower-income countries and poorer communities.

“While improving global waste management capabilities will help, we need to focus our efforts on upstream reduction and design of the system, which is where the biggest opportunities lie.”

Professor Terry Collins, Teresa Heinz professor and director of the Institute for Green Science at Carnegie Mellon University, said: “We are currently living unrealistic, toxic, over-plasticised lives.

“When mismanaged and released to the environment, the persistent materials and harmful chemicals from plastics can injure the health of humans and all living things all the way to lethality.

“We are damaging not just living generations, but future generations as well.”