
The amount of plastic waste that ends up in the ocean each year is a pressing environmental concern. While the exact figure is uncertain, it is estimated that between 1 million and 11 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean annually, in addition to the 200 million metric tons already circulating in marine environments. This is the equivalent of dumping one New York City garbage truck full of plastic into the ocean every minute of every day. With plastic production and consumption predicted to double over the next 10 years, the impact on ocean ecosystems is likely to be significant.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Amount of trash thrown into the ocean each year | 11 million metric tons |
Amount of plastic waste produced each year | 500 million tons |
Amount of plastic waste per person per year in the US | 105kg |
Amount of trash removed by The Ocean Cleanup NGO in 2023 | 25,000 pounds |
What You'll Learn
- The world produces 350 million tonnes of plastic waste annually
- million tonnes of plastic waste ends up in the ocean each year
- million tonnes of plastic waste is leaked into the environment
- million tonnes of plastic waste ends up in rivers or coastlines
- Plastic production and consumption are predicted to double over the next 10 years
The world produces 350 million tonnes of plastic waste annually
The world produces around 350 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with 82 million tonnes of this not being stored in secure landfills, recycled or incinerated. Of this 82 million tonnes, 19 million tonnes are leaked to the environment, with 13 million tonnes ending up in terrestrial environments, and 6 million tonnes in rivers or coastlines.
Estimates of how much plastic waste enters the ocean each year vary. Early studies produced larger figures, estimating that ocean plastics could be around 8 million tonnes per year. More recent research, with improved methods, estimates that this figure is somewhere between 1 million and 1.7 million tonnes. However, the most comprehensive estimate to date predicts that 11 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean each year, on top of the estimated 200 million metric tons that currently circulate in marine environments. This is like dumping one New York City garbage truck full of plastic into the ocean every minute of every day for an entire year.
The fate of plastics once they enter the ocean has been a puzzle for researchers. At least one million tonnes of plastic enters the ocean each year, but the amount of plastic floating on the surface offshore is orders of magnitude less. Some estimates are in the range of tens to hundreds of thousands of tonnes.
Plastic production and consumption are predicted to double over the next 10 years.
The Ocean's Daily Plastic Dumping Disaster
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8 million tonnes of plastic waste ends up in the ocean each year
The amount of trash that ends up in the ocean each year is uncertain. Early studies estimated that 8 million tonnes of plastic waste entered the ocean annually, but more recent research has revised this figure to between 1 million and 1.7 million tonnes. However, the fate of plastics once they enter the ocean remains a puzzle for researchers. While there may be as little as tens to hundreds of thousands of tonnes of plastic floating on the surface offshore, the amount of plastic that has flowed into the oceans over many years is likely to be in the tens of millions of tonnes. The world produces around 350 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, and nearly a quarter of this is mismanaged or littered. This means that 82 million tonnes of plastic waste is not stored in secure landfills, recycled or incinerated, with 19 million tonnes leaked to the environment, 13 million tonnes to terrestrial environments, and 6 million tonnes to rivers or coastlines. In total, 11 million metric tons of plastics enter the ocean each year on top of the estimated 200 million metric tons that currently circulate in marine environments.
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19 million tonnes of plastic waste is leaked into the environment
The world produces around 350 million tonnes of plastic waste each year. Of this, 19 million tonnes are leaked into the environment. This is a huge amount of plastic waste, and it is having a devastating impact on our planet.
The majority of this plastic waste ends up in our oceans, with an estimated 8 million to 11 million metric tons of plastic entering the ocean every year. This is like dumping one New York City garbage truck full of plastic into the ocean every minute of every day for an entire year.
The fate of plastics once they enter the ocean has been something of a puzzle for researchers. At least 1 million tonnes of plastic enters the ocean each year, but the amount of plastic floating on the surface offshore is much less. Some estimates are in the range of tens to hundreds of thousands of tonnes.
A large amount of plastic waste also ends up in rivers and coastlines. This waste can come from errant plastic bags or plastic straws winding their way into gutters or large amounts of mismanaged plastic waste streaming from rapidly growing economies. Plastic production and consumption are predicted to double over the next 10 years, which will only increase the amount of plastic waste entering our oceans and other environments.
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6 million tonnes of plastic waste ends up in rivers or coastlines
It is estimated that 6 million tonnes of plastic waste ends up in rivers or coastlines each year. This is part of a wider 82 million tonnes of plastic waste that is not stored in secure landfills, recycled or incinerated. Of this, 19 million tonnes are leaked to the environment, with 13 million tonnes ending up in terrestrial environments.
The amount of plastic waste that enters the ocean each year is still uncertain. Early studies estimated that this figure could be around 8 million tonnes per year, while more recent research suggests that the figure is somewhere between 1 million and 1.7 million tonnes. However, other sources claim that 11 million metric tons of plastics enter the ocean each year, in addition to the 200 million metric tons that currently circulate in marine environments.
The fate of plastics once they enter the ocean has puzzled researchers. While at least 1 million tonnes of plastic enters the ocean each year, the amount of plastic floating on the surface offshore is significantly less. Some estimates suggest that this figure is in the range of tens to hundreds of thousands of tonnes.
The world produces around 350 million tonnes of plastic waste each year. Nearly one-quarter of the world's plastic waste is mismanaged or littered.
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Plastic production and consumption are predicted to double over the next 10 years
It is estimated that 11 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean each year, on top of the 200 million metric tons that already circulate in marine environments. This is the equivalent of dumping one New York City garbage truck full of plastic into the ocean every minute of every day for an entire year.
The fate of plastics once they enter the ocean has been a puzzle for researchers. While at least one million tons of plastic enters the ocean each year, the amount of plastic floating on the surface offshore is significantly less. Some estimates are in the range of tens to hundreds of thousands of tons.
The world produces around 350 million tons of plastic waste annually, with nearly one-quarter of this waste being mismanaged or littered. This means that around 82 million tons of plastic waste are not stored in secure landfills, recycled, or incinerated. Of this, 19 million tons are leaked into the environment, with 13 million tons ending up in terrestrial environments and 6 million tons in rivers or coastlines.
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Frequently asked questions
It is estimated that between 1 million and 11 million metric tons of trash are thrown into the ocean each year.
Around 0.5% of the world's plastic waste ends up in the ocean. This equates to around 350 million tonnes of plastic waste each year.
It is estimated that 19 million tonnes of plastic waste is leaked into the environment each year, with 6 million tonnes ending up in rivers or coastlines.
There are an estimated 200 million metric tons of plastic currently circulating in marine environments.