Mexico Turns Plastic Recovery Into a Circular Economy Push

Mexico is stepping up efforts to tackle plastic waste by moving beyond collection and recycling toward a broader circular economy approach. SEMARNAT recovered and recycled more than 644 kg of single-use plastics during the second phase of its Goal for the Environment campaign—exceeding its target by more than 144 kg.

Supported by ECOCE and Rennueva, the initiative collected mainly PET alongside LDPE and HDPE, with recovered materials processed into raw materials for new production cycles rather than sent for final disposal. The campaign also encouraged employees and their families to improve waste separation and reduce consumption of single-use plastics, illustrating how circular practices can extend beyond workplaces into households.

However, the relatively small scale of the initiative underscores the size of Mexico’s wider challenge. The country generates around 5.7 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, yet less than 3% is recycled, according to Sistema B Mexico. Between 38% and 58% of plastic waste is estimated to be improperly managed, increasing the risk of leakage into ecosystems.

The pressure for change is also moving upstream. As Mexico participates in negotiations for the UN Global Plastics Treaty, businesses could face stronger expectations around extended producer responsibility and the full lifecycle of packaging.

Meanwhile, consumer demand appears to be ahead of market supply: 76.7% of Mexican consumers say they would pay more for sustainable packaging, while only 19.4% currently make purchasing decisions based on that factor.

The message for businesses is becoming clearer: tackling plastic pollution will require more than better recycling. Redesigning products, packaging and business models around reuse, recovery and reduced material consumption could become central to Mexico’s transition toward circular production and consumption.