Since 1950 and for nearly six decades, fossil fuel-based plastics have accounted for the large majority, if not all of global plastics production, amounting to a cumulative 373 million metric tons in 2019. Bio-based plastics accounted for a significantly lower share of plastic production at that time, reaching only 3.8 million metric tons in the same year. Bio-based plastics production amounted to approximately 300,000 metric tons less one year prior to that, in 2018.
Cumulative plastic production volume worldwide from 1950 to 2018 and 2019*, by feedstock type
(in million metric tons)
*The figures shown for 2018 refer to the total cumulative global production of plastics from 1950 to 2018, and the figures for 2019 refer to the same information but for 1950 to 2019. Providing the figures for 2018 has been maintained in order to show the production growth between 2018 and 2019.
This statistic has been assembled using more than one edition of the report.
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nova-Institute. (January 27, 2020). Cumulative plastic production volume worldwide from 1950 to 2018 and 2019*, by feedstock type (in million metric tons) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved August 07, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1114289/global-cumulative-plastic-production-by-type/
nova-Institute. "Cumulative plastic production volume worldwide from 1950 to 2018 and 2019*, by feedstock type (in million metric tons)." Chart. January 27, 2020. Statista. Accessed August 07, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1114289/global-cumulative-plastic-production-by-type/
nova-Institute. (2020). Cumulative plastic production volume worldwide from 1950 to 2018 and 2019*, by feedstock type (in million metric tons). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: August 07, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1114289/global-cumulative-plastic-production-by-type/
nova-Institute. "Cumulative Plastic Production Volume Worldwide from 1950 to 2018 and 2019*, by Feedstock Type (in Million Metric Tons)." Statista, Statista Inc., 27 Jan 2020, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1114289/global-cumulative-plastic-production-by-type/
nova-Institute, Cumulative plastic production volume worldwide from 1950 to 2018 and 2019*, by feedstock type (in million metric tons) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1114289/global-cumulative-plastic-production-by-type/ (last visited August 07, 2022)
