The Dark Truth: Plastic's Final Destination

Plastic pollution is a pressing issue, with a staggering 72-79% of all plastic produced ending up in landfills or the environment. Only 9% of plastic has ever been recycled, and the remaining 10-19% has been incinerated. This means that the vast majority of plastic waste is accumulating in landfills, with some sloughing off into the natural environment as litter. This is a significant problem, as plastic pollution can have detrimental effects on the environment and wildlife.

79% of plastic waste ends up in landfills or the natural environment as litter

Of the 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic that has been produced, 6.3 billion metric tons has become plastic waste. Of that, only nine per cent has been recycled. The vast majority—79 per cent—is accumulating in landfills or sloughing off in the natural environment as litter. This means that at some point, much of it ends up in the oceans, the final sink.

According to a 2022 report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 72 per cent of plastic ends up in landfills or the environment. Some of it reaches the sea; estimates suggest that between eight million and 11 million tons of plastic waste enter the ocean each year. According to the National Academy of Sciences, that’s the equivalent of dumping a garbage truck of plastic into the ocean every minute.

In 2021, about 85 per cent of the 40 million tons of plastic waste generated in the United States went to landfills, and ten per cent was incinerated. Only five to six per cent—or about two million tons—was recycled, according to a report conducted by the environmental groups Beyond Plastics and The Last Beach Cleanup.

Mass production of plastics, which began just six decades ago, has accelerated so rapidly that it has created 8.3 billion metric tons—most of it in disposable products that end up as trash.

9% of plastic has been recycled

Only 9% of the plastic ever produced has been recycled. The vast majority of plastic, 79%, is accumulating in landfills or sloughing off in the natural environment as litter. This means that at some point, much of it ends up in the oceans.

The rate of plastic recycling has decreased since 2018, when it was at 8.7%. In 2021, only 5-6% of plastic waste was recycled in the United States. According to a 2022 report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 72% of the plastic we make ends up in landfills or the environment.

Plastic production has grown dramatically in recent years. Half of all plastics in existence have been produced in just the last two decades. Mass production of plastics, which began just six decades ago, has accelerated so rapidly that it has created 8.3 billion metric tons—most of it in disposable products that end up as trash.

19% of plastic has been incinerated

According to a 2022 report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 19% of plastic has been incinerated. This is a significant amount, especially when compared to the mere 9% of plastic that has been recycled. The vast majority of plastic, 79%, is accumulating in landfills or sloughing off in the natural environment as litter. This means that at some point, much of it ends up in the oceans.

The rate of incineration and recycling of plastic varies across the world. For example, in the United States, about 85% of plastic waste went to landfills in 2021, with only 5-6% being recycled and 10% being incinerated. This is a decrease from 2018, when the plastic recycling rate in the US was at 8.7%.

The mass production of plastics, which began just six decades ago, has accelerated rapidly, creating 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic, most of it in disposable products that end up as trash. Of this, 6.3 billion metric tons has become plastic waste. This waste often ends up in the natural environment, with estimates suggesting that between 8 million and 11 million tons of plastic waste enter the ocean each year.

85% of plastic waste in the US went to landfills in 2021

Of the 40 million tons of plastic waste generated in the United States in 2021, only five to six percent was recycled. This means that 85% of plastic waste in the US went to landfills in 2021. The rate of plastic recycling has decreased since 2018, when it was at 8.7%.

The vast majority of plastic waste, 79%, ends up in landfills or in the natural environment as litter. This means that at some point, much of it ends up in the oceans. Only nine percent of plastic has ever been recycled, and 19% has been incinerated.

The mass production of plastics has accelerated so rapidly that it has created 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic, most of it in disposable products that end up as trash. Plastic production has grown dramatically in recent years; half of all plastics in existence have been produced in just the last two decades.

5-6% of plastic waste in the US was recycled in 2021

According to a report by environmental groups Beyond Plastics and The Last Beach Cleanup, only 5-6% of plastic waste in the US was recycled in 2021. This equates to around two million tons of the 40 million tons of plastic waste generated in the country that year. The rate of plastic recycling in the US has decreased since 2018, when it was at 8.7%.

The vast majority of plastic waste ends up in landfills or the natural environment. According to a 2022 report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 72% of all plastic produced ends up in landfills or the environment, with only 9% ever being recycled. This is supported by a 2018 statistic from Great Britain's Royal Statistical Society, which found that only around 9% of all plastic ever made has likely been recycled.

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