By 2050, there could be more plastic in the water than fish
What Will It Take To Keep Plastic Out Of The Oceans? A three-pronged overhaul of our global packaging and recycling systems could potentially raise our plastic recycling rate from 14% to 70%. Ben Schiller 03.03.17 Something like 9 million tons of plastic enter the world's oceans every year, and, at current rates, the problem is likely to get worse before it gets better. As developing countries expand, they tend to consume more packaged goods while failing to implement adequate collection systems. By 2050, there could be more plastic in the water than fish, according to one estimate. Forty years after the first recycling symbol appeared, only about 14% of plastic is currently recycled. But by redesigning packaging along circular economy principles, reusing more plastic bags, and by investing in recycling infrastructure, it should be possible to get that number nearer 70%, a new report estimates. "Businesses and governments are now, for the first time, recognising the need t