Plastic Waste

January 2024 – Plastic Waste is any discarded plastic material either organic or synthetic generated by the industry or by consumers. Plastic products have exploded in usage since the introduction of synthetic plastics in the 1950s. Synthetic plastics are typically made of fossil fuels, the use of which contributes to climate change. Synthetic plastics are designed to resist degradation. Their low cost and durability has led to their widespread use in many applications, including single-use plastics. Nearly 400 million metric tons of plastic waste was generated globally in 2021. Most of this plastic is improperly disposed of and winds up in the environment, adversely affecting humans, wildlife, and marine life, both through mechanical means such as entanglement in plastic objects or ingestion, and through exposure to the chemicals involved in the manufacture and degradation of plastics. In 2022, an International Negotiating Committee (INC) was formed to address plastic pollution, end global production of single-use plastics, and form a plastic pollution treaty.

In this slideshow, you will learn about the definition, sources, types, pollution effects, mitigation, UN policy, and global statistics of plastic waste.