The Dark Side Of Plastic: Co2 Emissions In Production

Plastic is one of the most greenhouse-gas-intensive industries in the manufacturing sector, and it's the fastest growing. The manufacture of plastic is energy-intensive and emissions-intensive, producing significant emissions through the cracking of alkanes into olefins, the polymerisation and plasticisation of olefins into plastic resins, and other chemical refining processes. In 2015, 24 ethylene facilities in the US produced 17.5 million metric tons of CO2e, emitting as much CO2 as 3.8 million passenger vehicles. If the production, disposal, and incineration of plastic continue on their present growth trajectory, by 2050, plastic production and incineration could emit 2.8 gigatons of CO2 per year, releasing as many emissions as 615 five-hundred-megawatt coal plants.

Plastic refining is one of the most greenhouse-gas-intensive industries in the manufacturing sector

The plastic and petrochemical industries' plans to expand plastic production threaten to exacerbate plastic's climate impacts and could make limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C impossible. If the production, disposal, and incineration of plastic continue on their present growth trajectory, by 2030, these global emissions could reach 1.34 gigatons per year—equivalent to more than 295 five-hundred-megawatt coal plants. By 2050, plastic production and incineration could emit 2.8 gigatons of CO2 per year, releasing as many emissions as 615 five-hundred-megawatt coal plants.

The life-cycle emissions of plastics – which includes the production of the material and its disposal – were estimated at 1.8 billion tonnes by the OECD. Most of these emissions come from the production stage, and are in the form of carbon dioxide. Since the world emits around 54.6 billion tonnes of CO2eq, plastics were responsible for around 3.3% of global emissions.

Plastics have surprisingly carbon-intense life cycles. The overwhelming majority of plastic resins come from petroleum, which requires extraction and distillation. Then the resins are formed into products and transported to market. All of these processes emit greenhouse gases, either directly or via the energy required to accomplish them. And the carbon footprint of plastics continues even after we've disposed of them. Dumping, incinerating, recycling and composting (for certain plastics) all release carbon dioxide.

The manufacture of plastic is energy-intensive and emissions-intensive

In 2015, 24 ethylene facilities in the US produced 17.5 million metric tons of CO2e, emitting as much CO2 as 3.8 million passenger vehicles. Globally in 2015, emissions from cracking to produce ethylene were 184.3–213.0 million metric tons of CO2e, as much as 45 million passenger vehicles driven for one year. The OECD estimates that the life-cycle emissions of plastics – which includes the production of the material and its disposal – was 1.8 billion tonnes. Most of these emissions come from the production stage, and are in the form of carbon dioxide.

If the production, disposal, and incineration of plastic continue on their present growth trajectory, by 2030, global emissions could reach 1.34 gigatons per year—equivalent to more than 295 five-hundred-megawatt coal plants. By 2050, plastic production and incineration could emit 2.8 gigatons of CO2 per year, releasing as many emissions as 615 five-hundred-megawatt coal plants. Critically, these annual emissions will accumulate in the atmosphere over time. To avoid overshooting the 1.5°C target, aggregate global greenhouse emissions must stay within a remaining (and quickly declining) carbon budget of 420–570 gigatons of carbon.

The production of plastic resins from petroleum requires extraction and distillation

The plastic and petrochemical industries' plans to expand plastic production threaten to exacerbate plastic's climate impacts and could make limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C impossible. If the production, disposal, and incineration of plastic continue on their present growth trajectory, by 2030, global emissions could reach 1.34 gigatons per year, equivalent to more than 295 five-hundred-megawatt coal plants. By 2050, plastic production and incineration could emit 2.8 gigatons of CO2 per year, releasing as many emissions as 615 five-hundred-megawatt coal plants.

The life-cycle emissions of plastics, which include the production of the material and its disposal, are estimated by the OECD to be 1.8 billion tonnes. Most of these emissions come from the production stage and are in the form of carbon dioxide. Since the world emits around 54.6 billion tonnes of CO2eq, plastics were responsible for around 3.3% of global emissions.

All the processes involved in the production of plastic resins from petroleum emit greenhouse gases, either directly or via the energy required to accomplish them. The carbon footprint of plastics continues even after they have been disposed of, as dumping, incinerating, recycling and composting (for certain plastics) all release carbon dioxide.

Dumping, incinerating, recycling and composting plastic all release carbon dioxide

The manufacture of plastic is energy-intensive and emissions-intensive, producing significant emissions through the cracking of alkanes into olefins, the polymerisation and plasticisation of olefins into plastic resins, and other chemical refining processes. In 2015, 24 ethylene facilities in the US produced 17.5 million metric tons of CO2e, emitting as much CO2 as 3.8 million passenger vehicles. Globally in 2015, emissions from cracking to produce ethylene were 184.3–213.0 million metric tons of CO2e, as much as 45 million passenger vehicles driven for one year.

The life-cycle emissions of plastics – which includes the production of the material and its disposal – were estimated at 1.8 billion tonnes by the OECD. Most of these emissions come from the production stage, and are in the form of carbon dioxide. Since the world emits around 54.6 billion tonnes of CO2eq, plastics were responsible for around 3.3% of global emissions.

If the production, disposal, and incineration of plastic continue on their present growth trajectory, by 2030, these global emissions could reach 1.34 gigatons per year—equivalent to more than 295 five-hundred-megawatt coal plants. By 2050, plastic production and incineration could emit 2.8 gigatons of CO2 per year, releasing as many emissions as 615 five-hundred-megawatt coal plants.

The global demand for plastics is projected to increase by 22% over the next five years

In 2015, 24 ethylene facilities in the US produced 17.5 million metric tons of CO2e, emitting as much CO2 as 3.8 million passenger vehicles. Globally, emissions from cracking to produce ethylene were 184.3-213 million metric tons of CO2e, as much as 45 million passenger vehicles driven for one year.

The life-cycle emissions of plastics, which include the production of the material and its disposal, are estimated at 1.8 billion tonnes. Most of these emissions come from the production stage and are in the form of carbon dioxide. Since the world emits around 54.6 billion tonnes of CO2eq, plastics were responsible for around 3.3% of global emissions.

If the production, disposal, and incineration of plastic continue on their present growth trajectory, by 2030, these global emissions could reach 1.34 gigatons per year, equivalent to more than 295 five-hundred-megawatt coal plants. By 2050, plastic production and incineration could emit 2.8 gigatons of CO2 per year, releasing as many emissions as 615 five-hundred-megawatt coal plants.

The plastic and petrochemical industries' plans to expand plastic production threaten to make limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C impossible.

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