The World's Annual Plastic Waste Crisis

Plastic waste is a pressing global issue. Humans currently produce more than 350 million metric tons of plastic waste per year, with estimates reaching as high as 460 million tons. Without changes to current policies, global plastic waste generation is projected to triple by 2060, to a staggering one billion metric tons. This waste is spread from the deepest oceans to the highest mountaintops, and even inside people's bodies.

The world produces 57 million tons of plastic pollution every year

The amount of plastic waste produced globally each year is staggering. Humans currently produce more than 350 million metric tons of plastic waste annually, and this figure is projected to triple by 2060 to one billion metric tons if current policies remain unchanged. The rapid growth in global plastic production began in the 1950s, and since then, annual production has increased nearly 230-fold. Even in just the last two decades, global plastic production has doubled.

The impact of plastic waste on the environment is significant. When plastic waste is not properly managed through recycling, incineration, or sealed landfills, it becomes an environmental pollutant. One to two million tons of plastic enter our oceans each year, affecting wildlife and ecosystems. The vast majority of plastic waste is either landfilled or incinerated, emitting harmful pollutants. Another quarter is mismanaged or littered, often ending up in rivers and oceans.

Improving the management of plastic waste, especially in poorer countries where most ocean plastics originate, is critical to tackling this global issue. Implementing new measures and policies, such as increased taxes on plastic use and a vastly improved global recycling system, could significantly reduce plastic waste generation. However, this remains a challenging goal, as currently, less than 10% of plastic waste is recycled annually.

Global plastic waste generation is projected to triple by 2060

Humans currently produce more than 350 million metric tons of plastic waste per year. This is a sharp increase from the 1950s, when the world produced just two million tonnes. If no changes are made to current policies, global plastic waste generation is projected to triple by 2060, reaching one billion metric tons. This figure could be reduced to less than 700 million metric tons if new measures and policies are introduced, such as increased taxes on plastic use and a vastly improved global recycling system. However, this remains an ambitious goal, as currently, less than 10% of plastic waste is recycled annually.

The majority of plastic waste is either landfilled or incinerated, releasing harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. A quarter of plastic waste is mismanaged, meaning it is not recycled, incinerated, or stored in sealed landfills. This mismanaged waste often ends up in illegal dumpsites or burned in open pits, and a significant amount leaks into the environment, including rivers and oceans. It is estimated that one to two million tonnes of plastic enter the oceans each year, affecting wildlife and ecosystems.

The recent rapid growth in global plastic production has seen annual production increase nearly 230-fold over the last 70 years, reaching 450-460 million tonnes in 2019. Even in just the last two decades, global plastic production has doubled. This has led to plastic pollution spreading from the deepest oceans to the highest mountaintops and even inside people's bodies. A recent study found that the world creates 57 million tons of plastic pollution every year, with more than two-thirds of it coming from the Global South.

To tackle the problem of plastic waste, it is critical to improve waste management practices, especially in poorer countries, where most of the ocean plastics originate. This includes ensuring that plastic waste is recycled, incinerated, or properly stored in sealed landfills to prevent it from becoming an environmental pollutant.

One to two million tons of plastic enter our oceans yearly

The world produces around 350 million tonnes of plastic waste each year. This is enough to fill New York City's Central Park as high as the Empire State Building.

One to two million tonnes of plastic enter our oceans yearly. This means that 0.5% of plastic waste ends up in the ocean. The majority of plastic waste is either landfilled or incinerated, emitting harmful pollutants. A quarter of plastic waste is mismanaged, meaning it is not recycled, incinerated, or stored in sealed landfills. Instead, it is disposed of at illegal dumpsites or burned in open pits, with a considerable amount leaking into the environment.

The problem of plastic waste in the ocean is particularly acute in poorer countries, where most of the ocean plastics come from. Improving the management of plastic waste across the world is critical to tackling this issue. Without changes to current policies, global plastic waste generation is projected to triple by 2060, to a staggering one billion metric tons. However, if new measures and policies are introduced, such as increased taxes on plastic use and a vastly improved global recycling system, this figure could drop to less than 700 million metric tons.

Less than 10% of plastic waste is recycled per year

The world produces around 350 million tonnes of plastic waste each year. This figure is projected to triple by 2060, reaching one billion metric tons. Despite this, less than 10% of plastic waste is recycled per year. The vast majority of plastic waste is either landfilled or incinerated, emitting harmful pollutants. A quarter of plastic waste is mismanaged, meaning it is not recycled, incinerated, or stored in sealed landfills. This waste is often disposed of at illegal dumpsites or burned in open pits, with a considerable amount leaking into rivers and oceans.

The annual production of plastics has increased nearly 230-fold over the last 70 years, from two million tonnes in 1950 to over 450 million tonnes today. This rapid growth in plastic production has had a significant environmental impact, with one to two million tonnes of plastic entering our oceans yearly and affecting wildlife and ecosystems.

To address the issue of plastic waste, new measures and policies are needed. Increased taxes on plastic use and a vastly improved global recycling system could help reduce the amount of plastic waste generated. However, this remains an ambitious goal, as the current recycling rate is already low.

It is critical to improve the management of plastic waste, especially in poorer countries, where most of the ocean plastics come from. By reducing plastic waste and improving recycling practices, we can help mitigate the environmental impact of plastic pollution.

More than two-thirds of plastic pollution comes from the Global South

The world produces around 350 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, with more than two-thirds of this coming from the Global South. This is enough plastic waste to fill New York City's Central Park as high as the Empire State Building.

The amount of plastic waste produced each year is staggering, and it is spread from the deepest oceans to the highest mountaintops and even inside people's bodies. The majority of this waste is either landfilled or incinerated, emitting harmful pollutants. A quarter of plastic waste is mismanaged, meaning it is not recycled, incinerated, or stored in sealed landfills. This mismanaged waste often ends up in illegal dumpsites or burned in open pits, and a considerable amount leaks into the environment, including rivers and oceans.

The rapid growth in global plastic production began in the 1950s, and since then, annual production has increased nearly 230-fold. In 1950, the world produced just two million tonnes of plastic, but by 2019, this had increased to 460 million tonnes. Even in the last two decades, global plastic production has doubled.

Without changes to current policies, the amount of plastic waste generated is projected to triple by 2060, reaching one billion metric tons. However, if new measures and policies are introduced, such as increased taxes on plastic use and improved global recycling systems, this figure could be reduced to less than 700 million metric tons.

Frequently asked questions