The Impact of Recycling and Waste on the Packaging Industry to 2030

Table of Contents Key Facts and Figures

In 2024, the world generated 418 million tonnes of packaging waste
134 million tonnes of packaging materials disposed of through landfilling, incineration, or environmental leaking

The theme emerging in the packaging industry is the urgent, growing disparity between the volume of packaging waste generated and the current global capacity to manage it sustainably. This situation requires a profound and fast transition towards a circular economy model for packaging, driven by regulatory pressures, technological innovation, shifting consumer demands, and evolving economic landscapes.

This report aims to provide an understanding of the wide-ranging impact of waste generation and recycling on the packaging industry. This includes a thorough evaluation of policy effectiveness, a focus on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, the role of ongoing technological advancements in both recycling processes and disposal methods, the impact of consumer behaviour, the availability and adequacy of existing infrastructure, the economic viability of recycling initiatives, and the influence of packaging design on its end-of-life management.

Key Questions

How is urbanization driving waste rates?
What technological advancements are being made to optimise packaging for recycling?
How are countries attempting to manage packaging to reduce waste, without reducing volume of packaging?
Where are the most prominent areas in the supply chain to observe change in recycling rates?

This report is essential to...

Packaging raw material suppliers
Packaging converters and manufacturers
Retailers and brand owners

About the author

Juan Rodriguez has over 20 years of experience in corporate finance and analysis in the forest and paper industry, working for leading companies Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark and Neenah (now Mativ). Juan is an industrial engineer who has leveraged his technical background to optimise processes while working in finance, market analysis, and forecasting; producing recommendations that move businesses forward, focusing on value creation.

Name The Impact of Recycling and Waste on the Packaging Industry to 2030

Date 30/06/2025

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"The world is producing more packaging waste than its current systems can handle sustainably, leading to escalating environmental and economic burdens"

Juan Rodriguez

Executive summary
Introduction and methodology
Introduction and objective
Report Scope, market segmentation and assumptions
Packaging Materials
Waste recycling methods
Waste disposal methods
Geographic markets
Methodology
Glossary and definitions
Key drivers and trends in the waste and recycling industry
Introduction
Global scale and trends
Waste generation
Recycling and disposal
Primary drivers of increased waste generation
Economic expansion and shifting consumption
The e-commerce effect
Dominance of single-use models
Material selection dynamics (shift towards plastics)
Demographic factors: population and urbanization
Inadequacies in waste prevention policies and implementation
Regulations on packaging waste and recycling
Key technological developments
Introduction
Packaging materials
Board, molded pulp, and paper
Flexible plastics
Rigid plastics
Glass
Metals
Recycling methods
Repulped
Mechanically recycled
Chemically recycled
Compostable
Disposal methods
Incineration
Landfill
Mismanaged waste (environmental leakage)
Impact of waste and recycling on the packaging supply chain
Introduction
Raw material suppliers
Packaging converters/manufacturers
Brand owners/consumer packaged goods (cpg) companies
Retailers (including e-commerce)
Consumers
Waste management & recycling industry
The future packaging landscape
Reduction of packaging waste at source
Material redesign for enhanced recyclability
Increased use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) Content
Development of alternative packaging materials
Regulatory compliance and extended producer responsibility (EPR)
Supply chain transformation
Focus on mono-material packaging
Consumer demand for sustainable packaging
Investment in recycling infrastructure
Standardization of recyclable materials and labeling
Technological advancements in recycling processes
Economic shifts and material valuation
Enhanced traceability and transparency
Collaboration and partnerships
Life cycle assessment (LCA) Integration
Impact of waste and recycling on packaging by region
Europe
United Kingdom (UK)
Germany
France
Spain
Italy
Rest of Europe
North America
United States (US)
Canada
Mexico
Asia Pacific
China
India
Japan
Rest of Asia Pacific
South & Central America
Argentina
Brazil
Rest of South & Central America
Middle East & Africa

List of Figures
Global packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
Global packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
Global packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
Global material waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of total tonnes)
The linear economy
Impact of packaging on the supply chain
Europe packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
Europe packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
Europe packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
Europe packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
For each country:
Packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
Packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
Packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
Packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
List of countries:
UK
Germany
France
Spain
Italy
Rest of Europe
North America packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
North America packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
North America packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
North America packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
For each country:
Packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
Packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
Packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
Packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
List of countries:
US
Canada
Mexico
Asia Pacific packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
Asia Pacific packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
Asia Pacific packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
Asia Pacific packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
For each country:
Packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
Packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
Packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
Packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
List of countries:
China
India
Japan
Rest of Asia Pacific
South and Central America packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
South and Central America packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
South and Central America packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
South and Central America packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
For each country:
Packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
Packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
Packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
Packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)
List of countries:
Argentina
Brazil
Rest of South and Central America
Middle East and Africa packaging waste recycling and disposal, 2024 (% of total tonnage)
Middle Eat and Africa packaging waste recycling and disposal by material type, 2024 (‘000 tonnes)
Middle East and Africa packaging waste disposal by disposal type, 2024 (% of tonnes)
Middle East and Africa packaging waste disposal by material and disposal type, 2024 (% of material tonnes)

List of Tables
Global: key packaging waste and recycling statistics
Impact trends on the packaging industry from waste and recycling
Global packaging waste per capita, by region and country (Kg/Ton)
Global Recycling and disposal volumes (thousand tonnes)
Global Recycling and disposal rates (percent of waste generated)
Plastics Recycling and disposal rates (percent of waste generated)
Fiber based materials (board, paper, moulded pulp) recycling and disposal rates (percent of waste generated)
Glass recycling and disposal rates (percent of waste generated)
Metal recycling and disposal rates (percent of waste generated)
Global packaging waste, recycling and disposal per capita, (kg/person)
Global disposal volume by country and region, 2024 by disposal method (volume in ‘000 tonnes and percent of total disposal volume)
Impact trends on the packaging industry from waste and recycling
For each region/country:
Key packaging waste and recycling statistics
List of regions/countries:
Europe
UK
Germany
France
Spain
Italy
Rest of Europe
North America
US
Canada
Mexico
Asia Pacific
China
India
Japan
Rest of Asia Pacific
South and Central America
Argentina
Brazil
Rest of South and Central America
Middle East and Africa

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"The world is producing more packaging waste than its current systems can handle sustainably, leading to escalating environmental and economic burdens"

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