The Dark Side Of Plastic: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Plastic is a major contributor to climate change, with the production and incineration of plastic adding more than 850 million metric tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere annually. Even recycling plastic produces emissions, as fossil fuels are combusted to run the machines that shred plastic waste and heat it up to make other products. By 2050, greenhouse gas emissions from plastic could reach over 56 gigatons, threatening the ability of the global community to meet carbon emissions targets.

Plastic production in the US is responsible for 232 million metric tons of greenhouse gases every year

In 2019, the production and incineration of plastic added more than 850 million metric tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere globally. This is equal to the emissions from 189 five-hundred-megawatt coal power plants. By 2050, greenhouse gas emissions from plastic could reach over 56 gigatons, or 10–13% of the entire remaining carbon budget. Nearly every piece of plastic begins as a fossil fuel, and greenhouse gases are emitted at each stage of the plastic lifecycle. Even recycling plastic produces greenhouse gas emissions, as fossil fuels are combusted to run the machines that shred plastic waste and heat it up to make other products.

Extraction and transport of fossil fuels to create plastic produces significant greenhouse gases

The plastic lifecycle, which begins with fossil fuel extraction and transport, emits greenhouse gases at every stage. Even recycling plastic produces greenhouse gas emissions, as fossil fuels are combusted to run the machines that shred plastic waste and heat it up to make other products.

According to a report by Beyond Plastics, plastics production in the U.S. is currently responsible for 232 million metric tons of greenhouse gases every year, the equivalent of 116.5 gigawatts of coal plants. The report argues that plastics will outpace coal plants in the U.S. by 2030 in terms of their contributions to climate change.

Even recycling plastic produces greenhouse gas emissions

Plastics production in the U.S. is currently responsible for 232 million metric tons of greenhouse gases every year, the equivalent of 116.5 gigawatts of coal plants. These numbers are likely to increase as production expands. Experts say that policymakers do not currently account for the impact plastics currently have on climate change.

By 2050, greenhouse gas emissions from plastic could reach over 56 gigatons

Plastic is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. In 2019, the production and incineration of plastic added more than 850 million metric tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. This is equal to the emissions from 189 five-hundred-megawatt coal power plants. In the United States alone in 2015, emissions from fossil fuel extraction and transport attributed to plastic production were at least 9.5–10.5 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents per year. Even recycling plastic produces greenhouse gas emissions, as fossil fuels are combusted to run the machines that shred plastic waste and heat it up to make other products.

A new report released by Beyond Plastics suggests that plastics will release more greenhouse gas emissions than coal plants in the U.S. by 2030. It argues that plastics production in the U.S. is currently responsible for 232 million metric tons of greenhouse gases every year, the equivalent of 116.5 gigawatts of coal plants. These numbers are likely to increase as production expands.

By 2050, the cumulation of these greenhouse gas emissions from plastic could reach over 56 gigatons—10–13 percent of the entire remaining carbon budget. Nearly every piece of plastic begins as a fossil fuel, and greenhouse gases are emitted at each stage of the plastic lifecycle: fossil fuel extraction and transport, plastic refining, and so on.

In 2019, the production and incineration of plastic added more than 850 million metric tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere

The production of plastic is responsible for a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions. In the United States alone, emissions from fossil fuel extraction and transport attributed to plastic production were at least 9.5–10.5 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents per year in 2015. These numbers are likely to increase as production expands. By 2030, plastics will release more greenhouse gas emissions than coal plants in the U.S.

The plastic lifecycle, from fossil fuel extraction to transport, refinement, and incineration, produces greenhouse gases at every stage. Nearly every piece of plastic begins as a fossil fuel, and greenhouse gases are emitted during the extraction and transport of these fossil fuels. This includes direct emissions, like methane leakage and flaring, as well as emissions from fuel combustion and energy consumption in the drilling process. Even recycling plastic produces greenhouse gas emissions, as fossil fuels are combusted to run the machines that shred and heat plastic waste.

By 2050, the cumulation of greenhouse gas emissions from plastic could reach over 56 gigatons, which is 10–13% of the entire remaining carbon budget. This threatens the ability of the global community to meet carbon emissions targets.

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