Informal waste-pickers form the backbone of plastic recovery in many regions. Estimates indicate that informal workers account for a substantial share — in some analyses approaching 60 percent — of the plastic collected for recycling globally. They recover materials that…
Beyond Recovery: Why Plastic Pollution Requires System-Wide Solutions
Plastic pollution is no longer a future risk. According to the 2025 Breaking the Plastic Wave assessment by The Pew Charitable Trusts and partners, approximately 130 million metric tons of plastic enter the environment each year. Without ambitious intervention, that…