9 billion tons of plastic accumulated since 1950, only 9% of plastic is recycled, 150 million tonnes of plastic waste in the oceans, 100% of the Mediterranean Sea polluted by plastics... Once perceived as a symbol of modernity, plastics have been the subject of a rapid and profound global challenge in recent years, particularly because of ocean pollution. Discover : - [Foreword by Harvey V. Fineberg](http://bit.ly/2HamFrn), President of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Former President of the US National Academy of Medicine and Member of the Veolia Institute Foresight Committee - ​[Introduction](https://www.institut.veolia.org/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/document/2019/03/03%20Introduction%2C%20Harvey%20V.%20Fineberg%2C%20Harvey%20V.%20Fineberg.pdf) by David Ojcius, Professor, University of the Pacific, and Nicolas Renard, Director of Foresight, Veolia Institute \--- *Review coordinated by Fanny Arnaud. \---* [ ![Reinventing Plastics](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/default/public/image/2019/03/Reinventing%20Plastics%20-%20Veolia%20Institute%202019%20COUV.jpg.webp?itok=PJourHMg) ](http://bit.ly/2H7RRaI) [Read the review](http://bit.ly/2H7RRaI) [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2019/03/shutterstock_229804894_0.jpg.webp?itok=4vCQlRqp) ](/en/history-plastics-capitol-tarpeian-rock "The history of plastics: from the Capitol to the Tarpeian Rock") Context [The history of plastics: from the Capitol to the Tarpeian Rock](/en/history-plastics-capitol-tarpeian-rock "The history of plastics: from the Capitol to the Tarpeian Rock") Philippe Chalmin Paris-Dauphine University [Read](/en/history-plastics-capitol-tarpeian-rock "Read") [ ![Photothèque VEOLIA - Alexis Duclos](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2019/03/arcenciel_0040_0.jpg.webp?itok=igMAsR-W) ](/en/plastics-recycling-worldwide-current-overview-and-desirable-changes "Plastics recycling worldwide: current overview and desirable changes") Context [Plastics recycling worldwide: current overview and desirable changes](/en/plastics-recycling-worldwide-current-overview-and-desirable-changes "Plastics recycling worldwide: current overview and desirable changes") Woldemar d’Ambrières Veolia [Read](/en/plastics-recycling-worldwide-current-overview-and-desirable-changes "Read") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2019/03/Plastic-strategy_SMARP_1.jpg.webp?h=854533c7&itok=ORvKdNX7) ](/en/why-new-plastics-economy-must-be-circular-economy "Why the “New Plastics Economy” must be a circular economy") Context [Why the “New Plastics Economy” must be a circular economy](/en/why-new-plastics-economy-must-be-circular-economy "Why the “New Plastics Economy” must be a circular economy") --- Daniel Calleja European Commission [Read](/en/why-new-plastics-economy-must-be-circular-economy "Read") [ ![Kabadiwalla Connect](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2019/02/Kabadiwalla%20Connect.jpg.webp?itok=KQ4In5uA) ](/en/informal-waste-sector-solution-recycling-problem-developing-countries "The informal waste sector: a solution to the recycling problem in developing countries") Context [The informal waste sector: a solution to the recycling problem in developing countries](/en/informal-waste-sector-solution-recycling-problem-developing-countries "The informal waste sector: a solution to the recycling problem in developing countries") --- Siddharth Hande Kabadiwalla Connect [Read](/en/informal-waste-sector-solution-recycling-problem-developing-countries "Read") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2019/03/Le%20plastique%20selon%20une%20perspective%20plan%C3%A9taire.jpg.webp?itok=Ndxf96di) ](/en/plastics-whole-planet-perspective "Plastics from a whole planet perspective") Context [Plastics from a whole planet perspective](/en/plastics-whole-planet-perspective "Plastics from a whole planet perspective") --- Erin Simon WWF [Read](/en/plastics-whole-planet-perspective "Read") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2019/03/Acc%C3%A9l%C3%A9rer%20la%20transition%20vers%20l%E2%80%99%C3%A9conomie%20circulaire%20du%20plastique.jpg.webp?itok=h7NQJW4_) ](/en/accelerating-transition-circular-economy-plastics "Accelerating transition to a circular economy in plastics") Challenges [Accelerating transition to a circular economy in plastics](/en/accelerating-transition-circular-economy-plastics "Accelerating transition to a circular economy in plastics") --- Nicolas Grégoire and Igor Chauvelot Danone [Read](/en/accelerating-transition-circular-economy-plastics "Read") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2019/03/Le%20polypropyl%C3%A8ne%20en%20boucle%20courte%2C%20une%20opportunit%C3%A9%20pour%20le%20secteur%20automobile.jpg.webp?itok=lo9hsorw) ](/en/closed-loop-polypropylene-opportunity-automotive-sector "Closed-loop polypropylene, an opportunity for the automotive sector") Challenges [Closed-loop polypropylene, an opportunity for the automotive sector](/en/closed-loop-polypropylene-opportunity-automotive-sector "Closed-loop polypropylene, an opportunity for the automotive sector") --- Toni Gallone, Renault Environment and Agathe Zeni-Guido, INSA Lyon [Read](/en/closed-loop-polypropylene-opportunity-automotive-sector "Read") [ ![Le défi des plastiques dans les océans](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2019/02/GettyImages-748355967_2.jpg.webp?itok=ctBp0tDf) ](/en/microplastics-our-oceans-and-marine-health "Microplastics in our oceans and marine health") Challenges [Microplastics in our oceans and marine health](/en/microplastics-our-oceans-and-marine-health "Microplastics in our oceans and marine health") --- Subhankar Chatterjee and Shivika Sharma Central University of Himachal Pradesh [Read](/en/microplastics-our-oceans-and-marine-health "Read") [ ![Photo N.Pansiot/Tara Expeditions](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2019/03/TaraMediterraneeMarseille2-Credit-N.Pansiot-TaraExpeditions.JPG.webp?h=75edb4cc&itok=YJEPDZYS) ](/en/microplastics-oceans-solutions-lie-land "Microplastics in the oceans: the solutions lie on land") Challenges [Microplastics in the oceans: the solutions lie on land](/en/microplastics-oceans-solutions-lie-land "Microplastics in the oceans: the solutions lie on land") --- André Abreu, Tara Expeditions Foundation and Maria Luiza Pedrotti, CNRS [Read](/en/microplastics-oceans-solutions-lie-land "Read") [ ![The challenges of measuring plastic pollution](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2019/02/The%20challenges%20of%20measuring%20plastic%20pollution.jpg.webp?itok=k2x1uMR7) ](/en/challenges-measuring-plastic-pollution "The challenges of measuring plastic pollution") Challenges [The challenges of measuring plastic pollution](/en/challenges-measuring-plastic-pollution "The challenges of measuring plastic pollution") --- Guillaume Billard and Julien Boucher Environmental Action (EA) [Read](/en/challenges-measuring-plastic-pollution "Read") [ ![© warloka79 / Adobe Stock](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2019/02/AdobeStock_135588791.jpeg.webp?itok=Tt2jR003) ](/en/towards-new-plastics-economy "Towards a “New Plastics Economy”") Perspectives [Towards a “New Plastics Economy”](/en/towards-new-plastics-economy "Towards a “New Plastics Economy”") --- Sander Defruyt Ellen MacArthur Foundation [Read](/en/towards-new-plastics-economy "Read") [ ![Veolia Polymer](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2019/02/Veolia%20Polymers_7.jpg.webp?itok=Wo69adBV) ](/en/turning-netherlands-plastic-circular-hotspot "Turning the Netherlands into a plastic “Circular Hotspot”") Perspectives [Turning the Netherlands into a plastic “Circular Hotspot”](/en/turning-netherlands-plastic-circular-hotspot "Turning the Netherlands into a plastic “Circular Hotspot”") --- Hildagarde McCarville Veolia Netherlands [Read](/en/turning-netherlands-plastic-circular-hotspot "Read") [ ![Boy on high leakage beach](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2019/02/Boy%20on%20high%20leakage%20beach.JPG.webp?itok=iTWVkmUW) ](/en/project-stop-city-partnerships-prevent-ocean-plastics-indonesia "Project STOP: city partnerships to prevent ocean plastics in Indonesia") Perspectives [Project STOP: city partnerships to prevent ocean plastics in Indonesia](/en/project-stop-city-partnerships-prevent-ocean-plastics-indonesia "Project STOP: city partnerships to prevent ocean plastics in Indonesia") --- Martin R. Stuchtey, Ben Dixon, Joi Danielson, Jason Hale (SYSTEMIQ), Dorothea Wiplinger (Borealis), and Phan Bai (Veolia) [Read](/en/project-stop-city-partnerships-prevent-ocean-plastics-indonesia "Read") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2019/02/T478_YOYO_paris_180926_2657%20%281%29_0.jpg.webp?h=0dc88ad8&itok=TUNH_AeI) ](/en/yoyo-recycling-all-plastic-impossible-weve-already-started "Yoyo: recycling all plastic. Impossible? We’ve already started!") Perspectives [Yoyo: recycling all plastic. Impossible? We’ve already started!](/en/yoyo-recycling-all-plastic-impossible-weve-already-started "Yoyo: recycling all plastic. Impossible? We’ve already started!") --- The Yoyo team [Read](/en/yoyo-recycling-all-plastic-impossible-weve-already-started "Read") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2019/02/Haiti%201.jpeg.webp?itok=Wb77txXU) ](/en/plastic-bank-launching-social-plastic-revolution "Plastic Bank: launching Social Plastic® revolution") Perspectives [Plastic Bank: launching Social Plastic® revolution](/en/plastic-bank-launching-social-plastic-revolution "Plastic Bank: launching Social Plastic® revolution") --- David Katz Plastic Bank [Read](/en/plastic-bank-launching-social-plastic-revolution "Read") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2019/03/Carola%20Guyot%20Phung%20-%20Ecole%20Polytechnique_0.jpg.webp?itok=RrmgBfnN) ](/en/implications-circular-economy-and-digital-transition-skills-and-green-jobs-plastics-industry "Implications of the circular economy and digital transition on skills and green jobs in the plastics industry") Perspectives [Implications of the circular economy and digital transition on skills and green jobs in the plastics industry](/en/implications-circular-economy-and-digital-transition-skills-and-green-jobs-plastics-industry "Implications of the circular economy and digital transition on skills and green jobs in the plastics industry") --- Carola Guyot Phung i3-CRG laboratory, Ecole Polytechnique [Read](/en/implications-circular-economy-and-digital-transition-skills-and-green-jobs-plastics-industry "Read")