Nearly 72 million tonnes of plastic waste will leak into the environment this year

Yesterday (6 September, 2026), marked global Plastic Overshoot Day, the point at which humanity’s plastic waste exceeds the world’s capacity to manage it properly meaning almost 72 million tonnes will leak into the environment this year.

New analysis from research organisation Earth Action finds that for the remaining 116 days of 2026, plastic waste will be left uncollected or dumped, and from there leaks into soil, rivers and the ocean.

Global plastic waste from packaging, textiles and household products has climbed from 202 million tonnes in 2021 to almost 227 million or 27.4 kg of plastic waste per person. By the end of September, over 85% (85.7%) of the world’s population will be living in areas that have exceeded their capacity to manage it. 

The UK specifically is set to mismanage over 317,000 tonnes of plastic waste and export over 516,000 tonnes in 2026. Over 46,000 tonnes of microplastics and 1,368 tonnes of chemical additives will find their way into the UK’s waterways. 

The later in the year the Plastic Overshoot Day falls, the smaller the share of waste that ends up in the environment. This year’s is two days later, yet while the share of waste mismanaged has reduced by 2.7 percentage points over the past five years, the weight of pollution is more than ever, rising 3.6 percent over the same period. 

Earth Action highlights that recycling alone cannot close that gap. The report identifies four measures for countries to reduce plastic pollution including cutting plastic at source, strengthening waste management, building circular systems and holding polluters accountable.

Twelve countries are responsible for close to 60% of the world’s mismanaged plastic waste, the top five being China, India, Russia, Brazil and Mexico. 

The impacts of plastic on human health are increasingly well documented. Microplastics have been found in human blood, lungs and placental tissue and peer reviewed research has found the health related economic cost of plastics at more than $1.5 trillion a year. Separate research has linked one chemical used in plastics to an estimated 350,000 premature cardiovascular deaths annually.

Plastic Overshoot Day arrives with the Global Plastics Treaty still unresolved after four years of negotiation. Heads of delegation meet in Bangkok at the end of September, but formal talks will not resume until INC-5.4 in March 2027.

A US diplomatic memo reported by the Washington Post in August revealed the Trump administration is set to strongly reinstate its opposition to limits on plastic production and additives and seeking a national security exemption from the treaty's obligations. Observers say oil producing states are steering the text towards a weaker agreement.

Sarah Perreard, co-founder of Earth Action, said: ‘Consider this date a warning shot. Despite improvements in handling plastic waste, we are still losing, the world is making it faster than any countries recycling system can cope with. Recycling rates flatter some, but the millions of tonnes leaking into the environment each year tells the truth. The impact of the exponential growth of waste on the environment, and human health, cannot be ignored.

‘This is fixable, but only if we stop the plastic at source instead of chasing it downstream. Limits on production, accountability for polluters, more circular systems incorporating reuse or alternative materials, are all key elements of the change that is needed. Now government and industry must come together, alongside scientists, to solve a crisis that will only get worse if business as usual continues.’

Dr Roz Savage, Liberal Democrat MP for South Cotswolds, said: ‘I have spent months alone at sea, and there is nowhere out there now that our rubbish hasn't reached. But this is no longer only an ocean story. The same plastic is in the food we eat, the air we breathe and our own bodies, and the world is producing it faster than anyone can deal with it. Plastic Overshoot Day is yet another stark reminder of the urgency of this issue. 

‘Britain should be leading on this rather than waiting for others to move. For too long we have waited for effective government action as the evidence on the impact of plastic pollution has mounted; protecting our environment and protecting our health are the same task, the time for change is now.’

Jane Muncke, managing director and chief scientific officer, Food Packaging Forum, also commented, saying: 'Plastic Overshoot Day highlights the waste problem, but the more urgent overload is inside us. Plastics are not inert and people are exposed to hazardous chemicals and microplastics released, contributing to increasing chronic diseases. Recycling cannot protect us from that exposure because it can amplify toxicity of plastics, only applying the precautionary principle can. Safety needs to become a design criterion for plastics rather than an afterthought.’

The report’s packaging related figures draw on data from the Packaging Data Hub, a global platform co-led by Systemiq and Earth Action that provides harmonised, expert validated data on what happens to packaging at end of life. By aligning definitions, consolidating leading datasets and strengthening them with local research, it creates a comparable foundation for reporting, regulation and packaging decisions.

For more information, please visit: https://plasticovershoot.earth/report-2026/