Food packaging plays an essential role in feeding people throughout the world, but when it is not collected and recycled, it can be a source of waste1. And with global waste2 projected to increase by 73% by 20503 according to World Bank, recycling alone is not enough. The world needs to move away from the traditional linear economy, based on a “take-make-waste” model, towards a circular economy4.
1Marsh, J. (2021). Food Packaging Waste Statistics: Understanding the Rise of Food Packaging Waste. Source: Environment.com
2The World Bank defines global waste as the total amount of solid waste generated by human activities.
3World Bank. (2025). “What a Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050.” Retrieved from World Bank https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/urbandevelopment/brief/solid-waste-management
4Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2022). Circular Economy Introduction. Source: Ellenmacarthurfoundation.org, What is a circular economy? | Ellen MacArthur Foundation