The Evolution Of Plastic Recycling: 1950 To Present

Plastic has been a part of our lives since the 1950s, and its production has sharply increased over the last 70 years. In 1950, the world produced just two million tonnes, and now, it produces over 450 million tonnes. However, the issue of plastic waste is becoming increasingly hard to ignore, with an estimated 150 million tonnes of plastic in the world's oceans. While we might think that a large proportion of the world's plastic waste is recycled, only about 9% is, and half of the world's plastic still goes straight to landfill. This paragraph will explore the topic of how much plastic has been recycled since 1950 and the challenges associated with plastic waste management.

How much plastic has been recycled

Since the 1950s, humans have produced 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic, according to research from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This is a massive increase from the two million tonnes of plastic produced in 1950.

However, recycling plastic is challenging and expensive, and the amount of plastic that is actually recycled is very low. According to a Greenpeace report, most plastic ends up in landfills, despite people's efforts to recycle. In fact, only 9% of all the plastic waste ever produced has been recycled, with another 12% being incinerated and 79% ending up in landfills or the natural environment. This means that the vast majority of plastic waste is not being properly managed, which can lead to environmental pollution and harm to marine wildlife.

The problem of plastic waste is a global issue, with higher rates of mismanaged waste in low-to-middle-income countries due to poorer waste management infrastructure. It is important for individuals to understand the impact of plastic consumption and to properly recycle plastic waste, but it is even more crucial for countries to improve waste management strategies and reduce plastic production to address the plastic pollution crisis.

While recycling can play a role in mitigating plastic waste, it is not a complete solution. Plastic can only be recycled up to three times before it must be discarded, and the recycling process often requires the addition of new plastic. Additionally, the variety of plastic types makes it difficult and costly to collect and sort for recycling. As a result, the majority of plastic waste ends up in landfills or bodies of water, contributing to the growing problem of plastic pollution.

How much has gone to landfill

Since the 1950s, the world has produced 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic. In 1950, the world produced just two million tons of plastic. By 2019, this figure had skyrocketed to 460 million tons. The production of plastic has increased nearly 230-fold over the last 70 years.

While it is difficult to ascertain how much plastic has gone to landfill since the 1950s, we can look at recent data to estimate annual landfill figures and extrapolate from there. In 2018, for example, landfills in the United States received 27 million tons of plastic, which was 18.5% of all municipal solid waste (MSW) landfilled. Considering that the US generated 35.7 million tons of plastic in 2018, we can assume that a large portion of plastic waste ends up in landfills.

According to the OECD, about half of all plastic waste ends up in landfills, with another fifth being mismanaged and ending up in uncontrolled dumpsites, open pits, or the environment. This means that approximately 70% of plastic waste is not recycled or incinerated. Given that the world produces around 350 million tons of plastic waste each year, we can estimate that a significant amount of plastic has gone to landfill since the 1950s.

The problem of plastic waste is particularly acute in low-to-middle-income countries, which tend to have poorer waste management infrastructure. As a result, most of the plastic flowing into the ocean today comes from middle-income countries, especially in Asia. To tackle the problem of plastic pollution, it is critical to improve waste management strategies and infrastructure in these countries.

How much has been incinerated

While it is unclear exactly how much plastic has been incinerated since 1950, we do know that plastic production has increased dramatically since then, from 2 million tonnes in 1950 to 450-460 million tonnes in 2019. This massive increase in production has inevitably led to a corresponding increase in waste, with around 350 million tonnes of plastic waste generated each year.

Incineration is a significant method of waste management, especially in Europe, and it is set to grow in the coming decades. However, it is essential to note that incineration leads to extremely high emissions, contributing significantly to the climate crisis. In 2015, the US emitted an estimated 5.9 million metric tons of CO2e from plastic incineration. When accounting for all plastic packaging waste, which makes up 40% of plastic demand, global emissions from incineration reached 16 million metric tons of CO2e in 2015.

The consequences of incineration are dire. In 2019, the incineration and production of plastic added over 850 million metric tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. If current trends continue, by 2030, emissions could reach 1.34 gigatons per year, and by 2050, plastic production and incineration could emit 2.8 gigatons of CO2 per year. These emissions will accumulate in the atmosphere, exacerbating the planet's climate crisis.

To put the amount of incinerated plastic into perspective, it is estimated that 79% of all plastic ever made still exists, either in landfills or the natural environment. This means that only a small portion has been incinerated or recycled. Improving waste management strategies, especially in low-to-middle-income countries, is critical to reducing plastic pollution and mitigating its environmental impact.

How much is in the ocean

Since the 1950s, the world has produced 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic. While we might assume that a large proportion of this is recycled, only 9% of the world's plastic waste is. Half of all plastic goes to landfill, and a further fifth is mismanaged, meaning it is not recycled, incinerated, or kept in sealed landfills. This plastic is at risk of leaking into the environment and the ocean.

It is estimated that 1 to 2 million tonnes of plastic enter the oceans each year. This means that 0.5% of plastic waste ends up in the ocean. However, previous estimates have been as high as 8 million tonnes. Most of the plastic in the ocean comes from middle-income countries, particularly in Asia. A 2017 study estimated that Asian countries contributed 86% of plastic emissions to the ocean.

The probability that mismanaged plastic waste will enter the ocean varies across the world. Factors such as location and length of rivers, terrain, winds, and precipitation all play a part in determining how likely waste is to be carried from rivers to the ocean.

Rich countries produce the most plastic waste per person, but it is the mismanagement of waste that is critical to tackling the problem of plastic in the ocean. Poorer countries, where most ocean plastics come from, tend to have poorer waste management infrastructure.

How much is in the environment

Since 1950, the world has produced over 450 million tons of plastic. In 1950, the world produced just two million tons. Even if we were to stop using plastic entirely, there is still the issue of the plastic that has already been produced. Plastic that is not properly recycled, incinerated, or kept in sealed landfills pollutes the environment.

Plastic pollution affects all land, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. It is a major driver of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, threatening wildlife such as fish, dolphins, seabirds, and seals. Plastic waste can entangle these animals or be mistaken for food. Plastic in seawater absorbs chemicals like PCBs and DDTs, which have been linked to endocrine disruption and even some cancers. As plastic breaks down into microplastics and nanoplastics, these particles can enter living organisms, including humans, through the consumption of food and drinks, including tap water, beer, and salt.

It is estimated that 20 million metric tons of plastic litter end up in the environment every year, with one to two million tons entering our oceans annually. This plastic waste primarily comes from land runoff, paint shed from shipping, discarded fishing gear, urban and stormwater runoff, littering, industrial activities, tyre abrasion, construction, and agriculture. The probability that mismanaged plastic waste enters the ocean varies across the world, with most plastic flowing into the ocean today coming from middle-income countries, particularly across Asia.

The impact of plastic pollution disproportionately affects islands, developing countries, Indigenous peoples, local communities, women, and children, who often bear the burden of plastic waste management due to a lack of capacity and facilities at the national level.

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