OUR PLASTIC ADDICTIONAS GLOBAL PLASTIC PRODUCTION RISES,

RECYCLING LAGS

Vital Signs

TEXT HEREGlobal production of plastic

has continued to rise for more than 50 years. 229 million tons of plastics were produced in 2013,

representing a 3.9% increase over 2012's output.

PlasticsEurope, Plastics–The Facts 2014: An Analysis of European Plastics Production, Demand and Waste Data (Brussels: 2014)

TEXT HEREToday the global plastic industry

generates revenue of about$600 billion annually.

First Research, Plastic Resin & Synthetic Fiber Manufacturing Industry Profile (Austin, TX: 2014).

TEXT HERE4% of the world's petroleum is

used to make plastic, and another 4% is used to power

plastic manufacturing processes.

The European House–Ambrosetti, The Excellence of the Plastics Supply Chain in Relaunching Manufacturing inItaly and Europe (Milan: 2013)U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP), Valuing Plastics: The Business Case for Measuring, Managing and DisclosingPlastic Use in the Consumer Goods Industry (Nairobi: 2014)

Production of plastics isshifting towards Asia.

The region produced 45.6%of global plastics in 2013,

with China alone producing nearly a quarter

of the world's plastic.

TEXT HEREPackaging is responsible

for the majority of plastic use, representing

40% of the demand in Europe and 42% in the United States.

PlasticsEurope, Plastics–The Facts 2014: An Analysis of European Plastics Production, Demand and Waste Data (Brussels: 2014)

American Chemistry Council, Economics and Statistics Department, Plastic Resins in the United States (Washington, DC: 2013).

TEXT HERE

While it is true that plastics help to:

reduce food waste by keeping products fresher longer, allow for the manufacture of healthcare equipment,

reduce packaging mass compared with other materials,improve transportation efficiency,

and have large potential for renewable energy technologies...

U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP), Valuing Plastics: The Business Case for Measuring, Managing and DisclosingPlastic Use in the Consumer Goods Industry (Nairobi: 2014).

TEXT HERE... they also have heavy environmental impacts.

TEXT HEREBetween 22-43% of plasticworldwide is disposed of in landfills.

U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP), Valuing Plastics: The Business Case for Measuring, Managing and Disclosing Plastic Use in theConsumer Goods Industry (Nairobi: 2014).

TEXT HERERecovering plastic from the waste stream

for recycling or for combustion to create energy could minimize this problem.

But energy recovery from incinerating plastics

is often inefficient, requires air emission controls, and produces hazardous ash.

U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP), Valuing Plastics: The Business Case for Measuring, Managing and Disclosing Plastic Use in theConsumer Goods Industry (Nairobi: 2014).

TEXT HEREAnd, in Europe, only 26% of plastic was recycled in 2012. In the US, only 9% of plastic was recycled.

PlasticsEurope, Plastics–The Facts 2014: An Analysis of European Plastics Production, Demand and Waste Data (Brussels: 2014).U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Plastics (updated 2014), at www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/plastics.htm.

TEXT HEREThe largest waste plastic

exporters are the United States, followed by

Japan, Germany, and the UK.

Costas Velis, Global Recycling Markets: Plastic Waste; A Story for One Player—China (Vienna: International Solid Waste Association, 2014).

TEXT HERE

China receives 56% of waste plasticimports worldwide.

Evidence suggests the plastic wastebeing imported to China is being

reprocessed using family-run, lowtech businesses with noenvironmental controls.

Costas Velis, Global Recycling Markets: Plastic Waste; A Story for One Player—China (Vienna: International Solid Waste Association, 2014).

TEXT HEREApproximately 10-20 million tons

of plastic ends up in the oceans each year,and $13 billion a year is lost in environmentaldamage by plastics to marine ecosystems.

U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP), Valuing Plastics: The Business Case for Measuring, Managing and Disclosing Plastic Use in theConsumer Goods Industry (Nairobi: 2014).

TEXT HEREA recent study conservatively estimated that

268,940 tons plastic particles are currently in the world's oceans.

Marcus Eriksen et al., "Plastic Pollution in the World's Oceans: More than 5 Trillion Plastic Pieces Weighing over 250,000 Tons Afloat atSea," PLOS ONE, 10 December 2014.

TEXT HEREThe environmental and social benefits of plastics

must be weighed against the problems that its durability and incredible volume worldwide

constitute as a waste stream.

TEXT HEREAlong with reducing unnecessary plastic consumption,

finding more environmentally friendly packaging alternatives, and improving product and packaging design to use less plastic,many challenges associated with plastics could be addressed by improving management of the material across its lifecycle.

Full analysis, sources,and data available at:

http://bit.ly/1uUO9jV

about us

WORLDWATCHINSTITUTE

VITAL SIGNSONLINE

Through research and outreach thatinspire action, the Worldwatch Instituteworks to accelerate the transition to asustainable world that meets humanneeds.

Vital Signs Online provides businessleaders, policymakers, and engagedcitizens with the latest data andanalysis to understand critical globaltrends.

www.worldwatch.org vitalsigns.worldwatch.org