The Dark Truth: Plastic Production's Alarming Increase

Plastic production has increased dramatically since the 1950s, with annual production increasing nearly 230-fold to 460 million tonnes in 2019. In the last two decades, global plastic production has doubled, and it is expected to continue rising. Single-use plastic production rose by 6 million tonnes per year from 2019 to 2021, and around 137 million tonnes of single-use plastics were produced from fossil fuels in 2021. The oil industry plans to increase plastic production by 40% over the next decade, and annual production of fossil fuel-based plastics is set to top 1.2 billion tonnes by 2060.

Plastic production has increased nearly 230-fold over the last 70 years

Despite tougher worldwide regulations, single-use plastic production rose globally by 6 million tonnes per year from 2019 to 2021. This was driven by an oversupply of fracked gas, with more than 30 plastic plants in the pipeline across the US.

The manufacturing process for single-use plastics is a major source of climate-warming greenhouse gas. The use of recycled feedstocks remains marginal, and while growth has slowed recently, the production of single-use plastic from virgin fossil fuel sources is still far from its peak.

Annual production of fossil fuel-based plastics is set to top 1.2 billion tonnes by 2060, with waste expected to exceed 1 billion tonnes. This increase will be driven by economic and population growth, with the largest increases expected in emerging economies in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

Single-use plastic production rose by 6 million tonnes per year from 2019 to 2021

The rise in single-use plastic production is particularly concerning as these plastics have emerged as one of the world's most pressing environmental threats. Vast amounts of waste are buried in landfills or dumped untreated in rivers and oceans, and the manufacturing process is a major source of climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions. Despite pledges to reduce single-use plastic waste, the use of recycled feedstocks remains "at best a marginal activity", according to Australia's Minderoo Foundation.

The oil industry's plans to increase plastic production by 40% over the next decade will only exacerbate the problem. This increase is fuelled by an oversupply of fracked gas, leading to the construction of more plastics plants across the world. For example, ExxonMobil and a Saudi Arabian partner plan to build the world's biggest plastics plant.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) projects that annual production of fossil fuel-based plastics will top 1.2 billion tonnes by 2060, with waste exceeding 1 billion tonnes. This increase will be driven by economic and population growth, particularly in emerging economies in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. While globally coordinated policies to cut demand and improve efficiencies could boost recycling rates, plastic production is still expected to nearly double in less than 40 years.

Plastic waste is projected to triple by 2060

The production of plastic is also set to nearly triple by 2060, reaching 1.2 billion tonnes. This is despite the fact that global plastic production has already doubled in the last two decades, and increased nearly 230-fold in the 70 years since the 1950s. The oil industry plans to increase plastic production by 40% over the next decade, with more than 30 plastic plants in the pipeline.

The manufacturing process for single-use plastics is a major source of climate-warming greenhouse gas. Single-use plastics have emerged as one of the world's most pressing environmental threats, with vast amounts of waste buried in landfills or dumped untreated in rivers and oceans. Despite tougher worldwide regulations, single-use plastic production rose globally by 6 million tonnes per year from 2019 to 2021, and it is expected to rise by another 17 million tonnes by 2027.

However, globally coordinated policies could hugely boost the share of future plastic waste that is recycled, from 12 to 40%.

The oil industry plans to increase plastic production by 40% over the next decade

Plastic production has increased nearly 230-fold over the last 70 years, reaching 460 million tonnes in 2019. In the last two decades, global plastic production has doubled. The world produces around 350 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, with an estimated 1 to 2 million tonnes of plastic entering the oceans annually.

Despite efforts to reduce plastic usage, the oil industry plans to increase plastic production by 40% over the next decade. This is fuelled by an oversupply of fracked gas, with more than 30 plastic plants in the pipeline across the US. These plants will turn fossil fuels into plastic, adding to the problem of plastic waste and spewing air and water pollution into neighbourhoods.

The oil industry wants to profit from the glut of cheap fuel it has created, so it is attempting to generate a market for more plastics. This is despite the fact that we already produce more plastic every year than the combined weight of humanity on Earth.

To combat this, individuals can reduce the plastic products they bring into their homes and reach out to local officials to ask about ordinances to reduce or eliminate the use of some plastics in their community. People can also push for biodegradable and renewable alternatives to plastics and encourage their federal elected officials to implement better regulations on the oil and gas industry.

Plastic production is expected to rise by 17 million tonnes by 2027

The increase in plastic production is largely driven by economic and population growth, with the largest increases expected in emerging economies in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. This is despite tougher worldwide regulations on single-use plastics, which have emerged as one of the world's most pressing environmental threats. Single-use plastics are often made from "virgin" fossil fuel sources, and the manufacturing process is a major source of climate-warming greenhouse gas.

The oil industry plans to increase plastic production by 40% over the next decade, with more than 30 plastic plants in the pipeline. These plants will turn fossil fuels into plastic, contributing to the already swelling problem of plastic waste. It is estimated that the world produces around 350 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, with between 1 and 2 million tonnes ending up in the oceans.

To combat this issue, globally coordinated policies are needed to boost the share of future plastic waste that is recycled. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), even with aggressive action to cut demand and improve efficiencies, plastic production would almost double in less than 40 years. However, with globally coordinated policies, the share of recycled plastic waste could be increased from 12 to 40 percent.

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