Global plastic production statistics

Global plastic production from 1950 to 2016 (in million metric tons)

The above statistic depicts the global plastic production from 1950 to 2016. In 2016, world plastics production totaled around 335 million metric tons.

Global plastic production Plastics are used in a wide variety of products and have displaced other materials, such as wood, metal, and glass. It can be formed into polyesters for use in fabrics and textiles, polyvinylidene chloride for food packaging, and polycarbonates for eyeglasses and compact discs, among thousands of other uses. The production of plastic requires four basic steps: the acquirement of raw material, synthesizing a basic polymer, compounding the polymer into a usable fraction, and lastly, molding or shaping the plastic.

1950 1.5 0.35
1976 50 19.8
1989 100 27.4
2002 200 56.1
2008 245 60
2009 250 55
2010 270 57
2011 279 58
2012 288 57
2013 299 58
2014 311 59
2015 322 58
2016 335 60