Plastic by the numbers

Global plastics use has more than tripled since 1990

The world used about 130 million tonnes of plastic in 1990 and about 460 million tonnes in 2019.

On current policies, plastics use nearly triples by 2060

OECD's baseline projects global plastics use rising from about 460 million tonnes in 2019 to about 1,231 million tonnes in 2060.

Industry figures: world plastics production keeps climbing

Plastics Europe's figures put world plastics production at 370.6 million tonnes in 2018 and 430.9 million tonnes in 2024.

Nine in ten tonnes of new plastic still come from fossil fuels

In 2024, 89.8% of world plastics production was fossil-based; 9.5% was post-consumer mechanically recycled and 0.6% bio-based or bio-attributed.

• Fossil-based89.8%
• Mechanically recycled (post-consumer)9.5%
• Bio-based and bio-attributed0.6%
• Chemically recycled (post-consumer)0.1%

Packaging is the single biggest use of plastic

Of about 460 million tonnes of plastic used worldwide in 2019, about 143 million tonnes went into packaging, roughly twice the next sector, building and construction (about 77).

• Packaging142.6
• Building and construction76.9
• Other66.3
• Transport (excluding tyres)54.4
• Consumer and institutional products46.7
• Textiles: clothing28.8
• Electrical and electronics17.3
• Textiles: other15.1
• Transport: tyres7.7
• Industrial machinery2.7
• Road marking0.7
• Marine coatings0.5
• Personal care products0

Polyethylene and polypropylene dominate plastics use

In 2019 the world used about 73 million tonnes of polypropylene and about 110 million tonnes of polyethylene (HDPE 55.5 plus LDPE 54.3), against about 2.3 million tonnes of bioplastics.

• Other81
• Polypropylene (PP)72.8
• Fibres60.4
• High-density polyethylene (HDPE)55.5
• Low-density polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE)54.3
• PVC51.4
• PET24.9
• Polystyrene (PS)21.1
• Polyurethane (PUR)18
• ABS, ASA, SAN8.9
• Elastomers (tyres)7.7
• Bioplastics2.3
• Road marking coatings0.7
• Marine coatings0.5

China and the United States use the most plastic

In 2019 China used about 94 million tonnes of plastic and the United States about 84 million tonnes; all of Africa outside North Africa used about 18 million tonnes.

• China94
• United States84.3
• EU countries in OECD63.7
• Other Asia37.6
• India29.3
• Latin America22.9
• Non-EU OECD Europe21.4
• Middle East and North Africa21.2
• Other non-OECD Eurasia21
• OECD Asia18.2
• Other Africa17.9
• Other OECD America13.1
• Canada7.5
• Australia and New Zealand4.4
• EU countries outside OECD3.3

Most plastic waste ever made is still with us

Of the roughly 6,300 million tonnes of plastic waste generated by 2015, around 9% had been recycled, 12% incinerated and 79% sat in landfills or the natural environment.

• Landfilled or in the environment79%
• Incinerated12%
• Recycled9%

Less than a tenth of plastic waste gets recycled

Of about 353 million tonnes of plastic waste in 2019, about 33 million tonnes were recycled, while about 174 million tonnes were landfilled and about 79 million tonnes mismanaged.

• Landfilled173.9
• Mismanaged (dumped, open-burned, leaked)79.3
• Incinerated67.3
• Recycled32.8

US plastic recycling has stalled at about 3 million tons

US recycling of plastics in municipal waste grew from 20 thousand tons in 1980 to 3,120 thousand in 2015, then 3,090 thousand in 2018, against 35,680 thousand tons generated that year.

Where plastic leaks into the environment

China leaked about 4.3 million tonnes of macroplastic into the environment in 2019, Other Africa about 3.3 and Other Asia about 2.9; the United States about 0.56.

• China4.3
• Other Africa3.3
• Other Asia2.9
• India1.9
• Latin America1.8
• Middle East and North Africa1.4
• Other non-OECD Eurasia1.4
• United States0.6
• Other OECD America0.6
• EU countries in OECD0.5
• Non-EU OECD Europe0.3
• Canada0.1
• OECD Asia0.1
• EU countries outside OECD0.1
• Australia and New Zealand0

Plastic built up in the oceans, by where it came from

By 2019, leakage from Other Asia had built up about 5.8 million tonnes of plastic in the oceans, China about 3.9, EU countries about 3.6 and the United States about 3.4.

• Other Asia5.8
• China3.9
• EU countries in OECD3.6
• United States3.4
• Other Africa3
• Latin America2.7
• Middle East and North Africa1.8
• OECD Asia1.6
• Non-EU OECD Europe1.4
• India1.2
• Other OECD America1.1
• Canada0.4
• Other non-OECD Eurasia0.4
• EU countries outside OECD0.1
• Australia and New Zealand0

Most of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is big debris

Of at least 79 thousand tonnes floating in the patch, about 42 thousand tonnes are megaplastics such as nets and 6.4 thousand tonnes are microplastics.

• Megaplastics (over 50 cm)42
• Macroplastics (5-50 cm)20
• Mesoplastics (0.5-5 cm)10
• Microplastics (0.05-0.5 cm)6.4

Fishing nets make up nearly half the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

At least 46% of the mass of floating plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is fishing nets.

46%Share of patch mass that is fishing nets

Five companies account for a quarter of branded plastic litter

In brand audits across 84 countries, Coca-Cola accounted for 11% of branded plastic items found, PepsiCo 5%, Nestlé 3%, Danone 3% and Altria 2%: 24% together.

• The Coca-Cola Company11
• PepsiCo5
• Nestlé3
• Danone3
• Altria2

Plastic's climate footprint is rising

Greenhouse gas emissions across the plastics lifecycle rose from about 1,665 million tonnes CO2-equivalent in 2015 to about 1,789 in 2019.