PARIS: The OECD has released a policy report for governments to reduce the environmental impact of plastic pollution by 2040.

In 2022, 21 million tonnes of plastic ended up in landfill, was burned or dumped on land or sea.

A comprehensive ‘Global Ambition’ proposed policy would eliminate 115 million tonnes of plastic pollution by 2040 - more than 95 percent of the current total; reduce mismanaged waste from 119 million to four million tonnes; and “virtually eliminate” plastic leakage at 1.2 million tonnes.

However stocks of plastics in rivers and oceans would still rise from 152 million tonnes in 2020 to 226 million tonnes in 2040.

An international agreement for anything less would allow plastics to be dumped beyond that date, it says.

The report provides a roadmap for governments and policy makers to tackle the full lifecycle of plastics by curbing plastics production and demand; increasing the circularity of plastics; closing leakage pathways; and bolstering recycling rates.

The OECD says less-advanced economies would require US$1 trillion over a 20-year period to improve waste management as they transition to a pollution-free environment.