Plastic packaging MSW generation in the U.S. 1960-2018, by product
The volume of plastic packaging in the United States municipal solid waste stream has increased considerably since it first became commercially used more than 50 years ago. One of the most common forms of plastic packaging waste is PET bottles and jars. Between 2000 and 2018, the annual volume of PET bottles and jars waste generated in the U.S. increased by more than 80 percent, from 1.72 million short tons to 3.13 million short tons.
The U.S. generated a total of 14.53 million short tons of plastic packaging waste in 2018.
