From waste to worth: reuse is the global revolution

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Picture a quiet morning in a small town in the 1980s: the soft clink-clank of glass bottles echoing down the street as they are delivered, and fresh milk waiting on doorsteps. By the next day, those empty bottles would be collected, cleaned, and redistributed, ready to be used again.

Now, our daily rhythm is different: single-use plastics pile up in bins, on streets, and in oceans, with devastating effects on people and the planet.[1] Not only is making plastic a carbon-intensive process that generates at least 1.8 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions yearly, [2] but microplastics have been found in every ecosystem and corner on earth, and have been linked to multiple diseases, such as cancer and respiratory disorders.[3]

Yet, a proven, tested alternative to single-use plastic already exists – reuse economies, where products and materials are kept in use and waste is minimised. But, scaling reuse systems requires robust systems with well-functioning supply chains, efficient packaging collection, and reliable washing and redistribution systems.

This is why the Break Free From Plastic movement was formed. This thriving collective of 3,500 organisations based in more than 150 countries brings together civil society organisations to drive change, implement solutions, and reduce single-use plastics. Supported by the Plastic Solutions Fund (PSF), a global funding collaborative committed to ending plastic pollution, it runs successful global initiatives. These include everything from initiating the UN process for a Global Plastics Treaty, to securing packaging and waste regulations, and collaborating with corporations to identify opportunities for replacing single-use plastic packaging with sustainable alternatives.

Beyond recycling: addressing the root of the problem
With over half of global plastic production made up of single-use items, most of which are designed to be non-recyclable,[4] better waste management solutions alone cannot solve this. Indeed, only about 10% of plastic is ever recycled,[5] and, according to Nicky Davies, the executive director of PSF, even under ideal conditions and a perfectly functioning recycling system, this number could only ever get as high as 30%. “Capping and reducing plastic production and replacing single-use plastic packaging with reusable alternatives are essential,” she says. “Recycling alone cannot keep pace with the scale of production.”

And the scale of plastic production is enormous – more than 450 million metric tonnes (992 billion pounds) of plastic each year globally.[6] It’s becoming increasingly clear that the only way to combat this is to reduce plastic production and demand.

That’s why PSF works with civil society organisations, businesses, and governments to encourage limits on plastic manufacturing, promote practical alternatives for everyday use, and help develop alternatives. It also pilots local solutions, researches best practices, incentivises scalable reuse systems, and seeks to build awareness of the business potential of reuse systems globally, in order to ‘turn off the plastics tap’ – a strategy aimed at halting plastic production at its source.

“In many countries, reuse has long been part of the solution,” says Nicky. “We need to learn what we can from these practices and build them into a broader system that includes both fast-moving consumer goods companies and local approaches – like in India, for example, where food has been provided in reusable containers for decades.”

And, as fresh milk delivery in towns around the world once showed us, efficient reuse systems are tried and tested, and are known to work. Not only is their reimplementation and scaling possible, with the help of PSF and its grantees, it’s within reach.

Reuse as a global business opportunity
As most single-use plastics are produced by large multinational companies, their participation is crucial. Encouragingly, there are signs that large multinationals are beginning to engage, with big name brands promising to phase out some plastic products, and to rethink product design so that its more environmentally friendly [7]. “One of the exciting developments we are seeing is global brands like Unilever and Nestlé starting to get behind reuse,” says Nicky.

What’s clear is that reuse is not just about finding local solutions to the problem – global solutions need to be deployed in tandem to help facilitate the move to robust refill and reuse systems around the world. “Just imagine how many businesses need to be established, how much infrastructure and logistics must be put in place, and how many jobs would need to be created,” says Tiza Mafira, the co-founder of PlasticDiet Indonesia. “We’re talking about major investments and enormous potential returns.”

The potential of reuse is already being realised in places like Indonesia, where Tiza lives. Coordinated efforts have introduced reuse and refill systems in six cities, and launched zero-waste schools. Meanwhile, in the US, similar momentum is building: California and New Jersey state governments are advancing legislation to incentivise reuse, and entrepreneurs are piloting scalable refill systems. With solutions clearly identified, the focus is now on helping businesses take advantage of this economic opportunity. “And it makes sense, it’s smart business,” says Nicky. “Early figures suggest that the reuse economy could be worth hundreds of billions of dollars – in Europe and California alone.”   

Ultimately, PSF’s grantees agree that the world is not only ready to tackle plastic pollution, but it is already acting, and the next phase is about implementation and accountability. While local reuse systems create jobs and boost community economies, the tracking technology and infrastructure that is needed to build them out at local, city, and national levels are lacking. 

Therefore, to truly make these systems impactful, aligning global standards with local implementation is the best way to support sustainable reuse systems, and build investor and consumer confidence. “For reuse to become a meaningful part of trade and markets, we need clear standards,” says Tiza, who also provides law and public policy expertise to the Global Alliance to Advance Reuse (PR3), which has developed standards for the whole lifecycle of reusable products. Such standards, she explains, are already common in the manufacturing industry – and are the reason why all plastic drinking bottles or aluminum soda cans look the same. So, establishing standards for reuse is the logical next step. That’s why PR3 works with 80 organisations globally representing industry, governments, and civil society to create standards for a reliable, efficient, and economically viable reuse system.

Watch this video to see what PSF and its grantees are doing to support reuse systems, instead of single-use, around world:

Towards a brighter future
The shift in how people are talking about the plastics problem is reflected on the global stage. Because of the global movement to end single-use plastics, the UN has begun a process for a Global Plastics Treaty. The negotiations have not always been easy, but at the most recent session in Geneva, 140 countries, alongside companies and civil society, discussed caps on production to help enable the world to turn off the plastic tap once and for all.

“The conversation isn’t whether or not we need the solutions, or indeed whether or not these solutions will happen, but how they will happen,” says Nicky. “And the next ten years will be about making it happen.”

Oak Foundation supports the Plastics Solution Fund and its sub-grantees Break Free from Plastics, PlasticDiet Indonesia, and PR3 through our Global Climate Initiatives Programme, which supports solutions that reduce plastic waste and pollution by promoting safer, cleaner, and healthier alternatives.

References:

[1] Geneva Environment Network. (2025, August 11). Plastics and human health | Plastics and the Environment Series. Geneva Environment Network. Retrieved September 2, 2025, from https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/resources/updates/plastics-and-health/
[2] Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development. (2022, August 18). Inadequate disposal of plastic waste is the main driver of global plastic leakage, but microplastics, littering and losses from marine activities are also key concerns. OECD (archived content). Retrieved September 2, 2025, from https://web-archive.oecd.org/temp/2022-08-18/622468-increased-plastic-leakage-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions.htm
[3] Winiarska, E., Jutel, M., & Zemelka Wiacek, M. (2024). The potential impact of nano‑ and microplastics on human health: Understanding human health risks. Environmental Research, 251(Pt 2), 118535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.118535
[4] World Economic Forum. (2024, January 8). Accelerating reuse models to achieve a world free of plastic waste. Updated June 3, 2025. World Economic Forum. Retrieved [29 August, 2025], from https://www.weforum.org/impact/accelerating-reuse-models-world-free-of-plastic-waste/
[5] Hannah Ritchie, Veronika Samborska, and Max Roser (2023) – “Plastic Pollution” Published online at OurWorldinData.org. Retrieved from: ‘https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution’ [Online Resource]
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[7] Unilever, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and more back ‘ambitious’ plastics treaty | Article | Packaging Europe