Report: World is producing more single-use plastic 'than ever before'
![Pile of plastic water bottles.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/odnDej2iReGFiH2e2NEUnc-415-80.jpg)
A new report has revealed that the world's production of single-use plastic rose by 6 million metric tons to 139 million metric tons between 2019 and 2021 "despite rising consumer awareness, corporate attention, and regulation." Production is now at a record high, reports CNN.
Plastic pollution is a growing environmental and ecological concern, with consequences including increasing carbon emissions and leaching microplastics into the land and sea ecosystems. The report found that the additional waste produced was equivalent to an extra kilogram per person for everyone on Earth.
But why didn't the world's efforts amount to a change? The biggest issue is that the world's recycling mechanisms are not able to keep up with the level of plastic production and petrochemical companies are the ones to blame. Plastic created from "virgin" polymers outpaces plastic made from recycled materials 15 times. Exxon Mobil is the largest producer of virgin polymers. Most single-use plastic also makes its way into landfills or the environment and not into the recycling stream, writes Reuters.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Currently, only two major petrochemical companies are producing from recycled materials on a large scale. "It demonstrates beyond any doubt that the plastic pollution problem is getting much bigger and is being driven by the polymer producers, which are of course, driven by the oil and gas sector," said Andrew Forrest, founder of Australia's Minderoo Foundation which created the report.
To combat the growing level of production, Forrest suggests a "'polymer premium' on every kilogram of plastic polymer made from fossil fuel." He adds that the payment "will lead to automatic mechanize collection" of plastic "in the advanced world" and "people ... making sure there's no plastic waste going into the ocean" in "the developing world."
"Make no mistake, the plastic waste crisis is going to get significantly worse before we see an absolute year-on-year decline in virgin single-use plastic consumption," concludes the report.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
Ukraine's Olympians: going for gold in the line of fire
Under the Radar Hundreds of the country's athletes have died in battle, while those who remain deal with the psychological toll of war and prospect of Russian competitors
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Democrats now have a chance to present a vigorous, compelling case'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What has Kamala Harris done as vice president?
In Depth It's not uncommon for the second-in-command to struggle to prove themselves in a role largely defined by behind-the-scenes work
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
4 tips to make your home more eco-friendly
The Week Recommends You don't have to spend a bunch of money to make more sustainable choices
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Is Hurricane Beryl the sign of another dangerous storm season?
Today's Big Question Climate change is fueling the frequency and intensity of storms
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
What is NASA working on?
In Depth A running list of the space agency's most exciting developments
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Extreme weather events in the last year
In Depth These events are becoming more common thanks to climate change, and are "affecting every corner of the world"
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Fish around the world are shrinking
Under the Radar Smaller fish in a very, very big pond
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
What are rogue waves and what causes them?
Under The Radar Once dismissed as mythology, the 'giant colossi' are now taken very seriously
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The biggest climate records in the last year
In Depth The number of records set in the past year is a stark reminder of the destructiveness of climate change
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Inside Siberia's 'megaslump' – and why it is getting bigger
Under The Radar The 'eerie sinkhole' is rapidly expanding and climate change is the reason why
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published