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Total Plastic Production

Plastic was invented in the late 19th century, and has come a long way since being made from natural materials like rubber.
After the first fully synthetic plastic was made by Leo Baekeland in 1907, plastic research and production multiplied and it soon entered all kinds of industries in its diverse kinds and shapes; production took off around 1950.

  • Over the last ten years we have produced more plastic than during the whole of the last century.

    https://plasticoceans.org/the-facts/

  • As of 2015, we have created more than 9.1 billion tons of plastic to date.

    • More than one ton of plastic for every person alive today.

      1 ton = 2,000 lbs

    • More than 6.3 billion tons have become waste.

      Read more in: (Plastic waste created link)

    • Less than 9% of plastic waste has been recycled

      Less than 1 billion tons.
      Read more in Plastic today - plastic recycling link)

    • Nearly 6 billion tons has been sent to land fills, incineration, or pollutes the environment.

      More on this in Plastic today plastic waste handling link)

○ Figures calculated for 2017.