Plastic bags, which pose a significant threat for ocean wildlife, need approximately 20 years to decompose, depending on the conditions in which they are disposed of.
Plastic toothbrushes, which are typically made from polypropylene, can take up to an estimated 500 years to degrade/decompose.
Lifecycle of selected plastic products (in years to decomposition)
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Statistics on Plastic waste in the UK
Overview
5
- Premium Statistic Per capita plastic waste generation worldwide 2016, by select country
- Premium Statistic Recycling of plastic packaging waste in the EU-27 2010-2019, by country
- Premium Statistic Breakdown of plastic waste treatment methods in the UK 2022
- Premium Statistic Local authority plastic packaging collection rates in the UK 2010-2020, by type
- Premium Statistic Plastic packaging waste recycling stream in the UK 2019
Generation and consumption
6
- Premium Statistic Generation of plastic packaging waste in the UK 2012-2021
- Premium Statistic Household plastic packaging consumption in the UK 2020, by type
- Premium Statistic Breakdown of plastic packaging waste thrown out in the UK 2022, by type
- Premium Statistic Plastic packaging waste items counted by UK households 2022, by type
- Premium Statistic Number of household plastic packaging waste items thrown away in the UK 2022
- Premium Statistic Single-use plastic carrier bags issued by major supermarkets in England 2017-2021
Recycling
7
- Premium Statistic Recycling rate of plastic packaging waste in the UK 2012-2021
- Premium Statistic Household plastics packaging collection rate in the United Kingdom 2020, by country
- Basic Statistic Packaging waste arisings and recovery in the United Kingdom (UK) 2021, by material
- Premium Statistic Volume of plastic packaging waste recycled in the UK 2012-2021
- Premium Statistic Household plastic packaging collected for recycling in the UK 2020, by type
- Premium Statistic Plastics packaging collected per household in the UK 2020, by type
- Basic Statistic Packaging recycling rate targets in England 2030, by type
Trade
5
- Premium Statistic Plastic packaging waste recycling and exports in the United Kingdom 2010-2021
- Premium Statistic Volume of plastic waste exported annually from the UK 2000-2021
- Premium Statistic Annual plastic waste exports from the UK 2020-2021, by type
- Premium Statistic Breakdown of UK plastic waste export destinations 2021, by country
- Premium Statistic Volume of plastic waste exported by the UK 2000-2021, by destination
Plastic pollution
4
- Premium Statistic Number of years for selected plastic products to decompose
- Premium Statistic Plastic waste pollution concerns in the UK 2021
- Premium Statistic Litter items collected from beaches in the United Kingdom (UK) 2021, by type
- Premium Statistic Plastic/polystyrene pieces and packets collected from beaches in the UK 2015-2021
Further related statistics
10
- Millennials' opinion on the ease of reducing plastic consumption in France 2019
- Global share of plastic waste by type 2015
- Material decomposition rates 2017
- Single-use plastic beach litter in the Mediterranean in the EU-28 2017
- On-the-go single-use plastics consumption in the European Union (EU-28) 2017
- U.S. polymethyl methacrylate market revenue by product 2014-2025
- Global data on plastic production and waste 1950-2017
- Distribution of polymer production capacity in the GCC by country 2016-2022
- Polymer production capacity expansion in the GCC 2016-2022
- Italy: leading suppliers of imported plastic products 2016-2018
Further Content: You might find this interesting as well
Statistics
- Millennials' opinion on the ease of reducing plastic consumption in France 2019
- Global share of plastic waste by type 2015
- Material decomposition rates 2017
- Single-use plastic beach litter in the Mediterranean in the EU-28 2017
- On-the-go single-use plastics consumption in the European Union (EU-28) 2017
- U.S. polymethyl methacrylate market revenue by product 2014-2025
- Global data on plastic production and waste 1950-2017
- Distribution of polymer production capacity in the GCC by country 2016-2022
- Polymer production capacity expansion in the GCC 2016-2022
- Italy: leading suppliers of imported plastic products 2016-2018
WWF. (July 1, 2021). Lifecycle of selected plastic products (in years to decomposition) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved February 01, 2023, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1192549/lifecycle-selected-plastic-product/
WWF. "Lifecycle of selected plastic products (in years to decomposition)." Chart. July 1, 2021. Statista. Accessed February 01, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1192549/lifecycle-selected-plastic-product/
WWF. (2021). Lifecycle of selected plastic products (in years to decomposition). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: February 01, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1192549/lifecycle-selected-plastic-product/
WWF. "Lifecycle of Selected Plastic Products (in Years to Decomposition)." Statista, Statista Inc., 1 Jul 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1192549/lifecycle-selected-plastic-product/
WWF, Lifecycle of selected plastic products (in years to decomposition) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1192549/lifecycle-selected-plastic-product/ (last visited February 01, 2023)
Lifecycle of selected plastic products (in years to decomposition) [Graph], WWF, July 1, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1192549/lifecycle-selected-plastic-product/