Plastic material production worldwide by region 2021

China accounted for 32 percent of global plastic materials production in 2021, making it the world's largest plastic producer by far. North America was the second-largest plastics producing region that year, accounting for almost 20 percent of global production. The total worldwide production of plastics in 2021 amounted to some 391 million metric tons.

Plastic: the material to replace many

Plastics are used in almost every segment of life - from everyday life to industrial applications. On a global level, plastics have displaced many traditional materials, such as wood, stone, horn and bone, leather, paper, metal, glass, and ceramic. Global plastics use is projected to continue rising over the coming decades to reach more than 1.2 billion metric tons by 2060.

China: the plastic leader

As the leading manufacturing economy and exporter of goods in the world, it is not surprising that China is the world’s largest producer of plastic as well. China's monthly production of plastics ranges (on average) from between six and eight million metric tons.