Imagine a single material now so ubiquitous that we've created over 9.5 billion tonnes of it since 1950, with current annual production soaring past 400 million metric tons and still climbing.
Key Takeaways
- Global plastic production reached 400 million metric tons in 2022, up from 390 million in 2021
- Annual global production of plastics exceeded 367 million tonnes in 2019 according to industry reports
- In 2020, worldwide plastic resin production totaled 367.8 million metric tons despite pandemic disruptions
- China leads global plastic production with 32% share in 2022 at 131 million tons
- United States plastic production totaled 37.9 million metric tons in 2022
- Europe (EU27+UK+NO) produced 55.5 million tonnes of plastics in 2022
- Polyethylene (PE) accounted for 29% of global plastic production at 116 million tons in 2022
- Polypropylene (PP) production reached 79 million metric tons worldwide in 2022
- Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) global output was 47 million tonnes in 2021
- Global plastic production in 1950 was just 2 million metric tons
- By 1970, worldwide plastics output had grown to 35 million tonnes annually
- In 1980, global production reached 70 million metric tons
- Global plastics production expected to reach 600 million tonnes by 2030
- Projections show plastic production doubling to 800 million tons by 2040
- By 2050, annual global output could hit 1.1 billion tonnes per OECD forecasts
Global plastic production continues to rise significantly year after year.
Future Projections
1Global plastics production expected to reach 600 million tonnes by 2030
Verified2Projections show plastic production doubling to 800 million tons by 2040
Verified3By 2050, annual global output could hit 1.1 billion tonnes per OECD forecasts
Verified4China's production capacity to grow 20% to 160 million tons by 2025
Directional5Global PE production projected at 150 million tons by 2030, CAGR 4%
Single source6Plastics demand to increase 3.6% annually to 2030 driven by packaging
Verified7EU plastic production forecast stable at 55 million tons through 2030
Verified8Middle East capacity to reach 35 million tons by 2025 from new crackers
Verified9India's output projected to 25 million tons by 2025 at 7% CAGR
Directional10Global recycled plastics production to triple to 30 million tons by 2030
Single source11Petrochemical feedstocks for plastics to consume 20% of oil by 2050
Verified12US plastics production forecast to grow to 45 million tons by 2030
Verified13Asia-Pacific plastic production to hit 300 million tons by 2030
Verified14Bio-based plastics output projected from 2.1 to 5.8 million tons by 2024
Directional15Global PVC production to reach 60 million tonnes by 2030
Single source16Cumulative plastic production 2016-2040 expected at 1.2 billion tons
Verified17Polypropylene global capacity to expand to 100 million tons by 2025
VerifiedFuture Projections Interpretation
We're engineering our own geological era out of convenience, as these relentless projections map a future where we'll be buried in our own ingenuity unless we seriously disrupt this plastic trajectory.
Global Production
1Global plastic production reached 400 million metric tons in 2022, up from 390 million in 2021
Verified2Annual global production of plastics exceeded 367 million tonnes in 2019 according to industry reports
Verified3In 2020, worldwide plastic resin production totaled 367.8 million metric tons despite pandemic disruptions
Verified4Global primary plastic production was approximately 460 million tonnes in 2019, including all polymers
Directional5The world produced over 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic cumulatively from 1950 to 2015
Single source6In 2023 estimates, global plastic production hit 410 million metric tons driven by packaging demand
Verified7Total global plastics production capacity stood at 555 million tons per year as of 2021
Verified8Plastics production worldwide accounted for 4-8% of global oil consumption in 2022
Verified9In 2018, global production of plastic resins reached 359 million tonnes
Directional10Cumulative plastic production from 1950-2020 estimated at 9.5 billion tonnes globally
Single source11Global output of virgin plastics was 348 million tons in 2017 per industry data
Verified12In 2021, plastics manufacturing contributed $1.2 trillion to global GDP indirectly
Verified13Worldwide plastic production grew at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2010-2020
Verified14Global plastic production in 2000 was 150 million tonnes
Directional15In 2024 projections, global plastics output to reach 420 million tons amid economic recovery
Single source16Plastics represent 12% of global petrochemical output by volume in 2022
Verified17Total global plastic production facilities number over 10,000 as of 2023
Verified18In 2015, world plastic production was 381 million tonnes including fibers
Verified19Global virgin plastic production per capita reached 60 kg in high-income countries in 2020
Directional20Plastics production emitted 1.8 billion tonnes CO2 equivalent in 2019 globally
Single sourceGlobal Production Interpretation
We’ve become so efficient at burying our future in plastic that the annual tonnage now reads like a macabre scoreboard we keep trying to top.
Historical Trends
1Global plastic production in 1950 was just 2 million metric tons
Verified2By 1970, worldwide plastics output had grown to 35 million tonnes annually
Verified3In 1980, global production reached 70 million metric tons
Verified4Plastics production hit 100 million tons globally in 1988
Directional5Annual output surpassed 200 million tonnes worldwide by 2002
Single source6In 1990, global plastic production totaled 110 million metric tons
Verified7Production grew from 1.5 million tons in 1950 to 150 million in 2000, CAGR 8.4%
Verified8By 2010, world plastics output was 280 million tonnes
Verified9In 1960, global production was 6.8 million metric tons
Directional10Plastics production doubled every 11 years from 1964 to 2014 globally
Single source11In 2005, annual global output reached 220 million tonnes
Verified12Cumulative production 1950-2015: 6.3 billion tons of virgin plastics
Verified13Europe produced 45 million tons in 2000 historically
Verified14US plastics output was 20 million tons in 1970
Directional15Global production rate accelerated to 311 million tons by 2014
Single source16In 1995, world plastic production was 135 million metric tons
Verified17Asia's share rose from 10% in 1980 to 50% by 2020 in production
Verified18Global PET production grew from 1 million tons in 1970 to 20 million in 2010
Verified19Polyethylene production tripled from 30 million tons in 1990 to 90 million in 2015
DirectionalHistorical Trends Interpretation
Humanity spent the twentieth century perfecting the art of creating a material so permanent that by 2015 we’d made enough to bury every man, woman, and child under a metric ton of it, only to realize we had no earthly idea how to put it back.
Production by Type
1Polyethylene (PE) accounted for 29% of global plastic production at 116 million tons in 2022
Verified2Polypropylene (PP) production reached 79 million metric tons worldwide in 2022
Verified3Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) global output was 47 million tonnes in 2021
Verified4Polystyrene (PS) production totaled 20 million tons globally in 2022
Directional5PET resin production hit 28 million tonnes in 2022 primarily for bottles
Single source6High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) output was 52 million tons in 2021
Verified7Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) produced 31 million tonnes globally in 2022
Verified8Polycarbonate (PC) global production reached 7.5 million tons in 2023
Verified9Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) output at 8.2 million tonnes in 2022
Directional10Polyurethane (PU) production totaled 25 million tons worldwide in 2021
Single source11Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) manufactured 5.8 million tonnes in 2022
Verified12Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) for textiles produced 15 million tons in 2020
Verified13Polyamide (PA or Nylon) global output 8.9 million tonnes in 2022
Verified14Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) production at 3.7 million tons in 2021
Directional15Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) reached 2.1 million tonnes globally in 2022
Single source16Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR) for plastics-related uses 4.5 million tons in 2023
VerifiedProduction by Type Interpretation
It is a grim and monumental irony that we have cataloged our devotion to these synthetic materials with the same meticulous, ton-by-ton accounting we should be applying to their inevitable, and mountainous, afterlife.
Regional Production
1China leads global plastic production with 32% share in 2022 at 131 million tons
Verified2United States plastic production totaled 37.9 million metric tons in 2022
Verified3Europe (EU27+UK+NO) produced 55.5 million tonnes of plastics in 2022
Verified4Middle East plastic production capacity reached 25 million tons in 2021
Directional5Asia-Pacific excluding China produced 110 million tonnes of plastics in 2020
Single source6India's plastic production was 19.8 million tons in FY2022, growing 10% YoY
Verified7Germany manufactured 14.5 million tonnes of plastics in 2022 as Europe's top producer
Verified8Saudi Arabia's plastic output hit 12 million tons in 2023 from petrochemical expansions
Verified9Japan's plastics production stood at 13.2 million metric tons in 2022
Directional10South Korea produced 9.8 million tonnes of plastics in 2021
Single source11Brazil's plastic production reached 7.8 million tons in 2022
Verified12Russia manufactured 6.2 million tonnes of polymers in 2022 despite sanctions
Verified13Mexico's plastics output was 5.4 million tons in 2021
Verified14Iran's plastic production capacity at 8.5 million tons annually in 2023
Directional15Turkey produced 8.1 million tonnes of plastics in 2022
Single source16Thailand's plastic resin production totaled 4.2 million tons in 2022
Verified17Vietnam manufactured 3.9 million tonnes in 2023 with rapid growth
Verified18Africa's total plastic production estimated at 5 million tons in 2020
Verified19Australia's plastics production was 1.5 million tons in 2021
DirectionalRegional Production Interpretation
The world has become a factory floor for synthetic eternity, with China leading the assembly line, the West and Asia maintaining vast production shifts, and every other region, from the desert kingdoms to emerging economies, busily molding their own mountain of forever-material.
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