Environmental Impact of Plastics

Extracted Attributes

• Incineration Rate

  14%

• Global Recycling Rate

  Less than 10%

• Annual Production (2023)

  400 million metric tons

• Primary Usage (Packaging)

  40% of total production

• Microplastic Size Definition

  Less than 5 millimeters

• Primary Usage (Construction)

  20% of total production

• Greenhouse Gas Emissions (2019)

  3.4% of global total

• Cumulative Production (1950-2017)

  9.2 billion metric tons

• Projected Annual Production (2060)

  1.3 billion metric tons

Timeline

• Leo Baekeland invents Bakelite, the first fully synthetic plastic, in New York. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1907-01-01

• Beginning of the period for tracking global plastic production statistics. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1950-01-01

• The point by which more than half of all historical plastic production had occurred. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2004-01-01

• Cumulative global plastic production reaches an estimated 9.2 billion metric tons. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2017-12-31

• OECD estimates plastic products were responsible for 3.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. (Source: EPA)

  2019-12-31

• Preliminary figures indicate annual global plastic production exceeds 400 million metric tons. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2023-12-31

• Projected date for annual global plastic production to exceed 1.3 billion tons. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2060-01-01

Plastic

Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic materials composed primarily of polymers. Their defining characteristic, plasticity, allows them to be molded, extruded, or pressed into a diverse range of solid forms. This adaptability, combined with a wide range of other properties such as low weight, durability, flexibility, chemical resistance, low toxicity, and low-cost production, has led to their widespread use around the world. While most plastics are produced from natural gas and petroleum, a growing minority are produced from renewable resources like polylactic acid. Between 1950 and 2017, 9.2 billion metric tons of plastic are estimated to have been made, with more than half of this amount being produced since 2004. In 2023 alone, preliminary figures indicate that over 400 million metric tons of plastic were produced worldwide. If global trends in plastic demand continue, it is projected that annual global plastic production will exceed 1.3 billion tons by 2060. The primary uses for plastic include packaging, which makes up about 40% of its usage, and building and construction, which makes up about 20% of its usage. The success and dominance of plastics since the early 20th century has had major benefits for mankind, ranging from medical devices to light-weight construction materials. The sewage systems in many countries rely on the resiliency and adaptability of polyvinyl chloride. It is also true that plastics are the basis of widespread environmental concerns, due to their slow decomposition rate in natural ecosystems. Most plastic produced has not been reused. Some is unsuitable for reuse. Much is captured in landfills or as plastic pollution. Particular concern focuses on microplastics. Marine plastic pollution, for example, creates garbage patches. Of all the plastic discarded so far, some 14% has been incinerated and less than 10% has been recycled. In developed economies, about a third of plastic is used in packaging and roughly the same in buildings in applications such as piping, plumbing or vinyl siding. Other uses include automobiles (up to 20% plastic), furniture, and toys. In the developing world, the applications of plastic may differ; 42% of India's consumption is used in packaging. Worldwide, about 50 kg of plastic is produced annually per person, with production doubling every ten years. The world's first fully synthetic plastic was Bakelite, invented in New York in 1907, by Leo Baekeland, who coined the term "plastics". Dozens of different types of plastics are produced today, such as polyethylene, which is widely used in product packaging, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), used in construction and pipes because of its strength and durability. Many chemists have contributed to the materials science of plastics, including Nobel laureate Hermann Staudinger, who has been called "the father of polymer chemistry", and Herman Mark, known as "the father of polymer physics".

Web Search Results

• Plastics | In-depth topics | European Environment Agency (EEA)

  The durability of plastics means that discarded items remain in the environment for generations. Environmental impacts from discarded plastics include littering, leaching of toxic components, and the contamination of ecosystems and the food chain with microplastics — which can end up eventually in humans with unknown health effects. [...] ImageMarco Antonini, Well with Nature/EEA Plastics are everywhere — from food packaging to healthcare, construction materials, furniture and textiles. They are, unfortunately, also bad for the environment. They are not only polluting the seas and land, but also contributing to climate change and air emissions. Overview Key facts EU action [...] Besides polluting the environment, plastic production contributes to climate change: annual emissions related to plastic production in the EU amount to around 13.4 million tonnes of CO2, or about 20% of the chemicals industry’s emissions in the European Union. In Europe, plastic is used mostly (about 74%) for non-packaging purposes, like in construction, furniture, textiles and consumer electronics.

• Impacts of Plastic Pollution

  ## Human Health Impacts According to the United Nations Environment Programme, microplastics have also been found in human livers, kidneys, and placentas. Additionally, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (pdf)(291 KB) finds that carcinogenic chemicals found in plastic products can leach into tap water, which may cause developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune disorders. Some animal studies have raised similar concerns about endocrine-disrupting effects. [...] Plastic pollution poses a threat to the marine environment. It puts marine species at higher risk of ingesting plastic, suffocating, or becoming entangled in plastic pollution. Research indicates that more than 1,500 species in marine and terrestrial environments are known to ingest plastics. [...] The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development estimated that in 2019, plastic products were responsible for 3.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions throughout their life cycles, with 90% of these emissions coming from the production and conversion of fossil fuels into new plastic products. OECD also reports that, unless human behavior changes, greenhouse gas emissions associated with the life cycle of plastic products are expected to double by 2060. The World Economic Forum projects

• How Plastic Affects Forests & Wildlife

  This can be detrimental to the environment because the surfaces of tiny fragments of plastic may carry bacteria, viruses, and protists that act as vectors for diseases. Microplastics can further interact with soil fauna, affecting their health and functions. Based on their research, UN Environment stated, “Earthworms, for example, make their burrows differently when microplastics are present in the soil, affecting the earthworm’s fitness and the soil condition.” This can further damage the rest [...] This can be detrimental to the environment because the surfaces of tiny fragments of plastic may carry bacteria, viruses, and protists that act as vectors for diseases. Microplastics can further interact with soil fauna, affecting their health and functions. Based on their research, UN Environment stated, “Earthworms, for example, make their burrows differently when microplastics are present in the soil, affecting the earthworm’s fitness and the soil condition.” This can further damage the rest [...] Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic that pollute the environment. A microplastic is defined as a plastic particle that is less than five millimeters. According to UN Environment, researchers in Germany warned that the impact of microplastics in soils, sediments and freshwater could have long-term negative effects on such ecosystems.

• Plastic Pollution

  Plastic pollution is a global problem. Every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas. Plastic pollution can alter habitats and natural processes, reducing ecosystems’ ability to adapt to climate change, directly affecting millions of people’s livelihoods, food production capabilities and social well-being. [...] UNEP’s body of work demonstrates that the problem of plastic pollution doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The environmental, social, economic and health risks of plastics need to be assessed alongside other environmental stressors, like climate change, ecosystem degradation and resource use. Gameplan: It’s time to Beat Plastic Pollution Eight ways to overcome the waste pollution crisis Colombia, Jamaica and Panamá unite to combat urban plastic pollution [...] Launched at UNEA-7: New task force to coordinate UN action on critical energy transition minerals Wastewater: Pollution or solution? Industries and experts call for ‘transparency of product information’ to tackle pollution Global Plastics Hub: From data to solution Follow environmental action at UNEA-7 Every day, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world's oceans, rivers, and lakes.

• The world's plastic pollution crisis, explained

  Plastic pollution is most visible in developing Asian and African nations, where garbage collection systems are often inefficient or nonexistent. But the developed world, especially in countries with low recycling rates, also has trouble properly collecting discarded plastics. (With Millions of Tons of Plastic in Oceans, More Scientists Studying Impact) Plastic trash has become so ubiquitous it has prompted efforts to write a global treaty negotiated by the United Nations. [...] # The world’s plastic pollution crisis, explained Much of the planet is swimming in discarded plastic, which is harming animal and possibly human health. Can plastic pollution be cleaned up? ByLaura Parker May 28, 2025 Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues, thanks to the overwhelming rise in production of disposable plastic products. [...] The conveniences plastics offer, however, led to a throw-away culture that reveals the material’s dark side: today, single-use plastics account for 40 percent of the plastic produced every year. Many of these products, such as plastic bags and food wrappers, have a lifespan of mere minutes to hours, yet they may persist in the environment for hundreds of years. (Four innovative ideas helping to fix the plastic problem)