GITNUXREPORT 2026

Single Use Plastic Statistics

Single-use plastic production and pollution are reaching globally unsustainable levels.

Sarah Mitchell

Sarah Mitchell

Senior Researcher specializing in consumer behavior and market trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Key Statistics

Statistic 1

Worldwide, 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are produced annually

Statistic 2

In the US, consumers use 100 billion single-use plastic bags yearly, averaging 365 per person

Statistic 3

Europe discards 12.5 million tonnes of single-use plastic packaging annually post-consumption

Statistic 4

Globally, 1 million single-use plastic bottles are bought every minute, totaling 500 billion yearly

Statistic 5

In the UK, 1.5 billion single-use coffee cups are used annually

Statistic 6

Americans use 500 million single-use plastic straws daily

Statistic 7

India consumes 1.2 million tonnes of single-use plastic bags yearly

Statistic 8

Globally, 2.7 billion single-use plastic razors are discarded annually

Statistic 9

In Australia, 10 billion single-use plastic bags were used pre-ban in 2018

Statistic 10

China consumed 25 billion single-use plastic tableware items in 2018 pre-regulation

Statistic 11

Globally, fast food chains serve 8 million tonnes of single-use plastic packaging yearly

Statistic 12

In Canada, 15 billion single-use plastic bags enter households annually

Statistic 13

Europe uses 16 billion single-use plastic water bottles yearly

Statistic 14

US supermarkets distribute 42 billion single-use plastic bags annually

Statistic 15

Globally, 91% of single-use plastic plates are used at parties and events, totaling 100 billion units

Statistic 16

In Japan, 37 billion single-use chopsticks are consumed yearly

Statistic 17

Africa consumes 50 million single-use plastic sachets daily for consumer goods

Statistic 18

Globally, e-commerce uses 800,000 tonnes of single-use plastic fillers annually

Statistic 19

In Brazil, 38 billion single-use plastic straws are used yearly

Statistic 20

UK consumers discard 7 billion single-use teabags annually

Statistic 21

Single-use plastic masks consumed globally during COVID peaked at 129 billion in 2020

Statistic 22

In France, 17 billion single-use plastic bags were used pre-ban in 2016

Statistic 23

Global airline passengers use 1 billion single-use plastic meal trays yearly

Statistic 24

India’s street food vendors use 1.8 billion single-use plastic plates daily

Statistic 25

In Germany, 2.8 billion single-use plastic bottles are consumed annually

Statistic 26

Worldwide, hospitals discard 20,000 tonnes of single-use plastic daily

Statistic 27

Single-use plastic cutlery consumption in US fast food is 57 billion pieces yearly

Statistic 28

Globally, 300 million single-use plastic lighters are used up annually

Statistic 29

Single-use plastics cause $13 billion in annual damage to marine ecosystems

Statistic 30

Humans ingest 5 grams of plastic weekly from single-use contaminated food, equivalent to credit card

Statistic 31

Microplastics from single-use found in 93% of bottled water samples globally

Statistic 32

Children under 5 consume 90 microplastic particles daily via single-use packaging

Statistic 33

Plasticizers like phthalates from single-use containers linked to 20% infertility rise

Statistic 34

Single-use plastic food packaging releases 1.2 mg styrene per liter into beverages

Statistic 35

Airborne microplastics from single-use waste inhaled at 272 particles per day in urban areas

Statistic 36

BPA from single-use cans disrupts hormones in 93% of Americans' urine

Statistic 37

Single-use plastic toys leach 10-100 micrograms lead daily

Statistic 38

Pregnant women exposed to single-use plastic chemicals have 15% higher miscarriage risk

Statistic 39

Lung patients have 4.8% plastic fibers in samples from single-use pollution

Statistic 40

Single-use gloves contribute to 50% antibiotic-resistant bacteria spread in hospitals

Statistic 41

Seafood contaminated with single-use microplastics consumed by 3 billion people yearly

Statistic 42

Children ingest 2,000 microplastic particles yearly from single-use bottles

Statistic 43

Plastic monomers from single-use cause 240,000 cancer cases annually worldwide

Statistic 44

Urban dwellers inhale 100,000 microplastic particles yearly from single-use litter

Statistic 45

Single-use plastic bags release VOCs linked to 10% asthma increase in children

Statistic 46

83% of global tap water contains microplastics from single-use waste

Statistic 47

Endocrine disruptors from single-use plastics linked to 20% early puberty in girls

Statistic 48

Single-use packaging chemicals correlate with 15% obesity rise in populations

Statistic 49

Blood samples show 77% of people have forever chemicals from single-use plastics

Statistic 50

Single-use straws contribute to dental microplastic buildup at 1,200 particles per capita yearly

Statistic 51

Vietnam plans to phase out single-use plastics by 2030

Statistic 52

Over 140 countries have banned single-use plastic bags as of 2023

Statistic 53

EU Single-Use Plastics Directive bans 10 items since 2021, reducing 3 billion items yearly

Statistic 54

California banned single-use plastic bags in 2016, cutting usage by 85%

Statistic 55

Kenya's 2017 plastic bag ban imposes $38,000 fine or 4 years jail

Statistic 56

China banned single-use plastic straws nationwide in 2020

Statistic 57

India enforced single-use plastic ban on 19 items in 2022

Statistic 58

UK's 2022 plastic bag charge reduced usage by 95% to 1 billion bags

Statistic 59

Rwanda banned non-biodegradable plastic bags since 2008, first in Africa

Statistic 60

France banned single-use plastic plates and cups in 2020

Statistic 61

Australia's states banned single-use plastics by 2022, covering bags, straws, etc.

Statistic 62

Canada plans national single-use plastics ban by end of 2023

Statistic 63

Bangladesh banned plastic bags after 2002 floods, first country to do so

Statistic 64

Mexico City banned single-use plastics in 2021, first major city

Statistic 65

New Zealand banned single-use plastics from 2022-2025 phased

Statistic 66

UN Plastic Treaty negotiations aim for 60% reduction by 2040

Statistic 67

42 US states have some single-use plastic restrictions as of 2023

Statistic 68

Costa Rica banned single-use plastics in national parks since 2017

Statistic 69

Thailand banned single-use plastic bags in major stores from 2020

Statistic 70

Global deposit return schemes for single-use bottles recover 90% in Germany

Statistic 71

Oceans receive 14 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with 80% from single-use items

Statistic 72

Microplastics from single-use plastics contaminate 88% of ocean surface

Statistic 73

8-10 million metric tonnes of single-use plastics enter oceans yearly

Statistic 74

Beaches worldwide have on average 828 plastic pieces per square meter from single-use waste

Statistic 75

Single-use plastics make up 60% of marine debris floating in oceans

Statistic 76

Rivers transport 1-2 million tonnes of single-use plastics to oceans annually

Statistic 77

In the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, 94% of estimated 1.8 trillion pieces are single-use plastics

Statistic 78

Single-use plastic pollution covers 75% of Hawaiian beaches

Statistic 79

Global plastic production contributes to 3.4% of greenhouse gas emissions, largely from single-use

Statistic 80

Single-use plastics account for 85% of beach litter in the EU

Statistic 81

50 trillion microplastic particles from single-use laundry pollute waterways yearly

Statistic 82

In Indonesia, 1.29 million tonnes of single-use plastics pollute coastal areas annually

Statistic 83

Arctic sea ice contains 14,000 pieces of microplastics per cubic meter from single-use sources

Statistic 84

Single-use plastic bags take 20-1000 years to degrade, fragmenting into microplastics

Statistic 85

40% of single-use plastic pollution in oceans comes from 10 rivers in Asia and Africa

Statistic 86

Deep sea trenches have 4.1 tonnes of plastic per hectare, mostly single-use

Statistic 87

Single-use plastics contribute 33% of all plastic in Mediterranean Sea pollution

Statistic 88

Globally, 11 million tonnes of primary microplastics from cosmetics enter water yearly

Statistic 89

Plastic pollution from single-use items doubles every 10 years since 1980

Statistic 90

70% of seabirds have ingested single-use plastic debris

Statistic 91

Coral reefs suffer 90% tissue damage from single-use plastic entanglement

Statistic 92

Single-use plastics release 1.8 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2050 if unchecked

Statistic 93

In 2019, global production of single-use plastics reached 460 million tonnes, equivalent to 60 kg per person worldwide if evenly distributed

Statistic 94

Single-use plastic packaging accounted for 44% of all plastic packaging produced globally in 2020, totaling around 141 million tonnes annually

Statistic 95

The plastic industry produced 367 million tonnes of plastic in 2019, with single-use plastics comprising over 40% primarily for packaging

Statistic 96

In 2021, Asia produced 51% of the world's single-use plastics, led by China at 32%

Statistic 97

Global single-use plastic production grew by 6% annually from 2015-2020, reaching 174 million tonnes for packaging alone

Statistic 98

In Europe, 16.8 million tonnes of single-use plastics were produced in 2019 for short-lived applications

Statistic 99

The US produced 35 million tonnes of plastics in 2018, with 75% being single-use items like bags and bottles

Statistic 100

Single-use plastic straws and stirrers represent 0.025% of total plastic waste but are highly visible in production stats at millions per day globally

Statistic 101

Fast fashion contributes 92 million tonnes of single-use plastic textiles annually worldwide

Statistic 102

In 2022, PET single-use bottles production hit 25 million tonnes globally

Statistic 103

India produces over 3.5 million tonnes of single-use plastic packaging yearly

Statistic 104

Brazil's single-use plastic production for food packaging was 1.2 million tonnes in 2020

Statistic 105

Single-use plastic cutlery production exceeds 50 billion units annually in the US alone

Statistic 106

Global production of single-use coffee cups reached 500 billion in 2023, mostly plastic-lined paper

Statistic 107

In 2018, 78 million tonnes of single-use plastics were used for agricultural mulch films

Statistic 108

China's single-use plastic bag production was 4 million tonnes in 2019 pre-ban

Statistic 109

EU single-use plastic production for fishing gear was 0.5 million tonnes in 2020

Statistic 110

Single-use plastic gloves production surged to 200 billion units during COVID-19 peak in 2020

Statistic 111

Japan's annual production of single-use bento box plastics is 1 million tonnes

Statistic 112

Global single-use plastic toy production totals 80 billion pieces yearly

Statistic 113

In 2021, 120 million tonnes of single-use plastics were produced for e-commerce packaging

Statistic 114

Africa's single-use plastic sachet production reached 50,000 tonnes monthly in 2022

Statistic 115

Single-use plastic cigarette filters production is 1.2 million tonnes annually

Statistic 116

US single-use plastic plate production was 15 billion units in 2022

Statistic 117

Global single-use plastic balloon production exceeds 4 billion yearly

Statistic 118

In 2020, 40 million tonnes of single-use plastics for medical waste were produced globally

Statistic 119

Single-use plastic confetti production is estimated at 100 tonnes per major festival worldwide

Statistic 120

Australia's single-use plastic production for events was 0.2 million tonnes in 2019

Statistic 121

Single-use plastic teabags contain 11.6 billion pieces of non-woven plastic fibers each

Statistic 122

Global production of single-use plastic wet wipes reached 50 billion units in 2022

Statistic 123

US landfills receive 80,000 tonnes of single-use plastics daily

Statistic 124

Globally, only 9% of all plastics including single-use are recycled, 12% incinerated, 79% landfilled or littered

Statistic 125

Europe generates 29.5 million tonnes of plastic waste yearly, 49% single-use

Statistic 126

In the US, 35 million tons of plastic waste generated in 2018, 13.1 million tons single-use packaging

Statistic 127

China landfilled 60 million tonnes of plastic waste in 2019, mostly single-use

Statistic 128

Global plastic waste generation reached 353 million tonnes in 2019, doubling since 2000

Statistic 129

India generates 3.4 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, 60% single-use

Statistic 130

Only 1% of single-use plastic bags are recycled worldwide

Statistic 131

Brazil produces 11.3 million tonnes of plastic waste yearly, with single-use at 40%

Statistic 132

UK households discard 1.2 million tonnes of single-use plastic packaging annually

Statistic 133

Globally, 2.01 billion tonnes of solid waste generated yearly, 12% plastics mostly single-use

Statistic 134

Japan's plastic waste totals 8.35 million tonnes yearly, 50% single-use incinerated

Statistic 135

Africa generates 19.7 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, mismanaged single-use at 80%

Statistic 136

Single-use plastic recycling rate in EU is 42%, but only 10% for bags and films

Statistic 137

US single-use plastic waste incineration emits 5.9 million tonnes CO2 equivalent yearly

Statistic 138

Globally, 91 million tonnes of plastic mismanaged yearly, 40% single-use entering environment

Statistic 139

Landfills worldwide hold 690 million tonnes of plastic waste, growing 13% yearly

Statistic 140

In Australia, 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste yearly, 60% single-use landfilled

Statistic 141

Canada generates 3.3 million tonnes plastic waste annually, single-use packaging 46%

Statistic 142

Single-use plastics comprise 70% of ocean-bound waste from landfills

Statistic 143

France landfilled 40% of its 4.5 million tonnes plastic waste in 2020

Statistic 144

Global informal waste picking recovers 15% of single-use plastics

Sources
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Imagine your annual share of the plastic crisis weighs 60 kilograms, yet our world produced a staggering 460 million tonnes of single-use plastics in 2019 alone, flooding our lives and planet with everything from 500 billion disposable cups to trillions of bags that linger for centuries.

Key Takeaways

  • In 2019, global production of single-use plastics reached 460 million tonnes, equivalent to 60 kg per person worldwide if evenly distributed
  • Single-use plastic packaging accounted for 44% of all plastic packaging produced globally in 2020, totaling around 141 million tonnes annually
  • The plastic industry produced 367 million tonnes of plastic in 2019, with single-use plastics comprising over 40% primarily for packaging
  • Worldwide, 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are produced annually
  • In the US, consumers use 100 billion single-use plastic bags yearly, averaging 365 per person
  • Europe discards 12.5 million tonnes of single-use plastic packaging annually post-consumption
  • Oceans receive 14 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with 80% from single-use items
  • Microplastics from single-use plastics contaminate 88% of ocean surface
  • 8-10 million metric tonnes of single-use plastics enter oceans yearly
  • US landfills receive 80,000 tonnes of single-use plastics daily
  • Globally, only 9% of all plastics including single-use are recycled, 12% incinerated, 79% landfilled or littered
  • Europe generates 29.5 million tonnes of plastic waste yearly, 49% single-use
  • Single-use plastics cause $13 billion in annual damage to marine ecosystems
  • Humans ingest 5 grams of plastic weekly from single-use contaminated food, equivalent to credit card
  • Microplastics from single-use found in 93% of bottled water samples globally

Single-use plastic production and pollution are reaching globally unsustainable levels.

Consumption;,

  • Worldwide, 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are produced annually
  • In the US, consumers use 100 billion single-use plastic bags yearly, averaging 365 per person
  • Europe discards 12.5 million tonnes of single-use plastic packaging annually post-consumption
  • Globally, 1 million single-use plastic bottles are bought every minute, totaling 500 billion yearly
  • In the UK, 1.5 billion single-use coffee cups are used annually
  • Americans use 500 million single-use plastic straws daily
  • India consumes 1.2 million tonnes of single-use plastic bags yearly
  • Globally, 2.7 billion single-use plastic razors are discarded annually
  • In Australia, 10 billion single-use plastic bags were used pre-ban in 2018
  • China consumed 25 billion single-use plastic tableware items in 2018 pre-regulation
  • Globally, fast food chains serve 8 million tonnes of single-use plastic packaging yearly
  • In Canada, 15 billion single-use plastic bags enter households annually
  • Europe uses 16 billion single-use plastic water bottles yearly
  • US supermarkets distribute 42 billion single-use plastic bags annually
  • Globally, 91% of single-use plastic plates are used at parties and events, totaling 100 billion units
  • In Japan, 37 billion single-use chopsticks are consumed yearly
  • Africa consumes 50 million single-use plastic sachets daily for consumer goods
  • Globally, e-commerce uses 800,000 tonnes of single-use plastic fillers annually
  • In Brazil, 38 billion single-use plastic straws are used yearly
  • UK consumers discard 7 billion single-use teabags annually
  • Single-use plastic masks consumed globally during COVID peaked at 129 billion in 2020
  • In France, 17 billion single-use plastic bags were used pre-ban in 2016
  • Global airline passengers use 1 billion single-use plastic meal trays yearly
  • India’s street food vendors use 1.8 billion single-use plastic plates daily
  • In Germany, 2.8 billion single-use plastic bottles are consumed annually
  • Worldwide, hospitals discard 20,000 tonnes of single-use plastic daily
  • Single-use plastic cutlery consumption in US fast food is 57 billion pieces yearly
  • Globally, 300 million single-use plastic lighters are used up annually

Consumption;, Interpretation

The statistics paint a chilling portrait of our convenience-driven age: humanity is conducting a reckless, planet-wide chemistry experiment where the lab is our home and the disposable, indestructible results are piling up everywhere.

Health;,

  • Single-use plastics cause $13 billion in annual damage to marine ecosystems
  • Humans ingest 5 grams of plastic weekly from single-use contaminated food, equivalent to credit card
  • Microplastics from single-use found in 93% of bottled water samples globally
  • Children under 5 consume 90 microplastic particles daily via single-use packaging
  • Plasticizers like phthalates from single-use containers linked to 20% infertility rise
  • Single-use plastic food packaging releases 1.2 mg styrene per liter into beverages
  • Airborne microplastics from single-use waste inhaled at 272 particles per day in urban areas
  • BPA from single-use cans disrupts hormones in 93% of Americans' urine
  • Single-use plastic toys leach 10-100 micrograms lead daily
  • Pregnant women exposed to single-use plastic chemicals have 15% higher miscarriage risk
  • Lung patients have 4.8% plastic fibers in samples from single-use pollution
  • Single-use gloves contribute to 50% antibiotic-resistant bacteria spread in hospitals
  • Seafood contaminated with single-use microplastics consumed by 3 billion people yearly
  • Children ingest 2,000 microplastic particles yearly from single-use bottles
  • Plastic monomers from single-use cause 240,000 cancer cases annually worldwide
  • Urban dwellers inhale 100,000 microplastic particles yearly from single-use litter
  • Single-use plastic bags release VOCs linked to 10% asthma increase in children
  • 83% of global tap water contains microplastics from single-use waste
  • Endocrine disruptors from single-use plastics linked to 20% early puberty in girls
  • Single-use packaging chemicals correlate with 15% obesity rise in populations
  • Blood samples show 77% of people have forever chemicals from single-use plastics
  • Single-use straws contribute to dental microplastic buildup at 1,200 particles per capita yearly

Health;, Interpretation

We are marinating in our own convenience, as the statistics suggest that from our water bottles to our bloodstreams, single-use plastic has become an uninvited, and alarmingly toxic, guest at every meal and breath of modern life.

Policy

  • Vietnam plans to phase out single-use plastics by 2030

Policy Interpretation

Vietnam is taking on single-use plastics by 2030, proving that saying goodbye to bad habits is a decade-long commitment, not just a trash talk.

Policy;,

  • Over 140 countries have banned single-use plastic bags as of 2023
  • EU Single-Use Plastics Directive bans 10 items since 2021, reducing 3 billion items yearly
  • California banned single-use plastic bags in 2016, cutting usage by 85%
  • Kenya's 2017 plastic bag ban imposes $38,000 fine or 4 years jail
  • China banned single-use plastic straws nationwide in 2020
  • India enforced single-use plastic ban on 19 items in 2022
  • UK's 2022 plastic bag charge reduced usage by 95% to 1 billion bags
  • Rwanda banned non-biodegradable plastic bags since 2008, first in Africa
  • France banned single-use plastic plates and cups in 2020
  • Australia's states banned single-use plastics by 2022, covering bags, straws, etc.
  • Canada plans national single-use plastics ban by end of 2023
  • Bangladesh banned plastic bags after 2002 floods, first country to do so
  • Mexico City banned single-use plastics in 2021, first major city
  • New Zealand banned single-use plastics from 2022-2025 phased
  • UN Plastic Treaty negotiations aim for 60% reduction by 2040
  • 42 US states have some single-use plastic restrictions as of 2023
  • Costa Rica banned single-use plastics in national parks since 2017
  • Thailand banned single-use plastic bags in major stores from 2020
  • Global deposit return schemes for single-use bottles recover 90% in Germany

Policy;, Interpretation

From Kenya's jail time to California's staggering 85% drop, the world is finally putting plastic in its place, proving that when we treat bans like a serious threat instead of a polite suggestion, the planet actually listens.

Pollution;,

  • Oceans receive 14 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with 80% from single-use items
  • Microplastics from single-use plastics contaminate 88% of ocean surface
  • 8-10 million metric tonnes of single-use plastics enter oceans yearly
  • Beaches worldwide have on average 828 plastic pieces per square meter from single-use waste
  • Single-use plastics make up 60% of marine debris floating in oceans
  • Rivers transport 1-2 million tonnes of single-use plastics to oceans annually
  • In the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, 94% of estimated 1.8 trillion pieces are single-use plastics
  • Single-use plastic pollution covers 75% of Hawaiian beaches
  • Global plastic production contributes to 3.4% of greenhouse gas emissions, largely from single-use
  • Single-use plastics account for 85% of beach litter in the EU
  • 50 trillion microplastic particles from single-use laundry pollute waterways yearly
  • In Indonesia, 1.29 million tonnes of single-use plastics pollute coastal areas annually
  • Arctic sea ice contains 14,000 pieces of microplastics per cubic meter from single-use sources
  • Single-use plastic bags take 20-1000 years to degrade, fragmenting into microplastics
  • 40% of single-use plastic pollution in oceans comes from 10 rivers in Asia and Africa
  • Deep sea trenches have 4.1 tonnes of plastic per hectare, mostly single-use
  • Single-use plastics contribute 33% of all plastic in Mediterranean Sea pollution
  • Globally, 11 million tonnes of primary microplastics from cosmetics enter water yearly
  • Plastic pollution from single-use items doubles every 10 years since 1980
  • 70% of seabirds have ingested single-use plastic debris
  • Coral reefs suffer 90% tissue damage from single-use plastic entanglement
  • Single-use plastics release 1.8 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2050 if unchecked

Pollution;, Interpretation

Our oceans have become a tragic, swirling archive of our convenience, meticulously cataloguing every single-use plastic straw, bag, and bottle in a language of suffocation that speaks through choked seabirds, poisoned reefs, and a climate-warming legacy etched into the very water.

Production;,

  • In 2019, global production of single-use plastics reached 460 million tonnes, equivalent to 60 kg per person worldwide if evenly distributed
  • Single-use plastic packaging accounted for 44% of all plastic packaging produced globally in 2020, totaling around 141 million tonnes annually
  • The plastic industry produced 367 million tonnes of plastic in 2019, with single-use plastics comprising over 40% primarily for packaging
  • In 2021, Asia produced 51% of the world's single-use plastics, led by China at 32%
  • Global single-use plastic production grew by 6% annually from 2015-2020, reaching 174 million tonnes for packaging alone
  • In Europe, 16.8 million tonnes of single-use plastics were produced in 2019 for short-lived applications
  • The US produced 35 million tonnes of plastics in 2018, with 75% being single-use items like bags and bottles
  • Single-use plastic straws and stirrers represent 0.025% of total plastic waste but are highly visible in production stats at millions per day globally
  • Fast fashion contributes 92 million tonnes of single-use plastic textiles annually worldwide
  • In 2022, PET single-use bottles production hit 25 million tonnes globally
  • India produces over 3.5 million tonnes of single-use plastic packaging yearly
  • Brazil's single-use plastic production for food packaging was 1.2 million tonnes in 2020
  • Single-use plastic cutlery production exceeds 50 billion units annually in the US alone
  • Global production of single-use coffee cups reached 500 billion in 2023, mostly plastic-lined paper
  • In 2018, 78 million tonnes of single-use plastics were used for agricultural mulch films
  • China's single-use plastic bag production was 4 million tonnes in 2019 pre-ban
  • EU single-use plastic production for fishing gear was 0.5 million tonnes in 2020
  • Single-use plastic gloves production surged to 200 billion units during COVID-19 peak in 2020
  • Japan's annual production of single-use bento box plastics is 1 million tonnes
  • Global single-use plastic toy production totals 80 billion pieces yearly
  • In 2021, 120 million tonnes of single-use plastics were produced for e-commerce packaging
  • Africa's single-use plastic sachet production reached 50,000 tonnes monthly in 2022
  • Single-use plastic cigarette filters production is 1.2 million tonnes annually
  • US single-use plastic plate production was 15 billion units in 2022
  • Global single-use plastic balloon production exceeds 4 billion yearly
  • In 2020, 40 million tonnes of single-use plastics for medical waste were produced globally
  • Single-use plastic confetti production is estimated at 100 tonnes per major festival worldwide
  • Australia's single-use plastic production for events was 0.2 million tonnes in 2019
  • Single-use plastic teabags contain 11.6 billion pieces of non-woven plastic fibers each
  • Global production of single-use plastic wet wipes reached 50 billion units in 2022

Production;, Interpretation

We are meticulously building a disposable planet, brick by single-use brick, with enough coffee cups, straws, and plastic sachets to entomb every person alive in a monument of convenient permanence.

Waste;,

  • US landfills receive 80,000 tonnes of single-use plastics daily
  • Globally, only 9% of all plastics including single-use are recycled, 12% incinerated, 79% landfilled or littered
  • Europe generates 29.5 million tonnes of plastic waste yearly, 49% single-use
  • In the US, 35 million tons of plastic waste generated in 2018, 13.1 million tons single-use packaging
  • China landfilled 60 million tonnes of plastic waste in 2019, mostly single-use
  • Global plastic waste generation reached 353 million tonnes in 2019, doubling since 2000
  • India generates 3.4 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, 60% single-use
  • Only 1% of single-use plastic bags are recycled worldwide
  • Brazil produces 11.3 million tonnes of plastic waste yearly, with single-use at 40%
  • UK households discard 1.2 million tonnes of single-use plastic packaging annually
  • Globally, 2.01 billion tonnes of solid waste generated yearly, 12% plastics mostly single-use
  • Japan's plastic waste totals 8.35 million tonnes yearly, 50% single-use incinerated
  • Africa generates 19.7 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, mismanaged single-use at 80%
  • Single-use plastic recycling rate in EU is 42%, but only 10% for bags and films
  • US single-use plastic waste incineration emits 5.9 million tonnes CO2 equivalent yearly
  • Globally, 91 million tonnes of plastic mismanaged yearly, 40% single-use entering environment
  • Landfills worldwide hold 690 million tonnes of plastic waste, growing 13% yearly
  • In Australia, 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste yearly, 60% single-use landfilled
  • Canada generates 3.3 million tonnes plastic waste annually, single-use packaging 46%
  • Single-use plastics comprise 70% of ocean-bound waste from landfills
  • France landfilled 40% of its 4.5 million tonnes plastic waste in 2020
  • Global informal waste picking recovers 15% of single-use plastics

Waste;, Interpretation

These statistics reveal a planet engaged in a bizarre, one-sided love affair with single-use plastic, where we happily create mountains of it daily only to abandon almost all of it forever, proving our commitment is as durable as the product itself.

Sources & References

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