Eunomia conducted a milestone study on the market and policy landscape for post-consumer plastic from both residential and commercial sources in North America. The report assesses the current state of recycling for the material market as a contributor to a circular economy. It also identifies barriers to recycling and makes recommendations for how to overcome these and increase circularity.
North America consumes more plastic per capita than any other region in the world. Reducing waste and closing material loops, so that more waste is recycled into new materials, will not only cut carbon emissions and minimise environmental impacts along the value chain, but also create valuable economic opportunities.
The milestone study on plastic focuses on waste from the four largest applications by tonnage: packaging, construction and demolition, the automotive industry, and electronics, providing an overview of the value chain, current market, and market trends for plastic waste from these sectors. The study is designed to support key actors’ collaboration and knowledge-sharing and recommend ways that policymakers can improve the circularity of plastic.
Eunomia conducted this study (along with two others for paper and bioplastic waste) on behalf of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, which brings together a wide range of actors to seek ways of protecting the shared environment and supporting sustainable development across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. A separate set of reports assessing the Mexican policy landscape and markets for paper, plastic, and bioplastic waste will be published later in 2025.
