The worldwide production of plastics reached ***** million metric tons in 2023. The versatility of this group of materials accounts for the continued growth in production year after year. In tandem with that growth, the market value of plastics also continues to grow. What plastics are and how they are made Plastics are used in a wide variety of products and have displaced other materials – such as wood, metal, and glass – that were previously used for the applications that plastics now dominate. One of the main applications for plastics use is plastic packaging. The production of plastic requires four basic steps: the acquirement of raw material, synthesizing a basic polymer, compounding the polymer into a usable fraction, and lastly, molding or shaping the plastic. Leading plastic producers Asia was the largest plastics producer in the world in 2023. That year, the country accounted for ** percent of global production. Over recent years, China produced an average of approximately **** million metric tons of plastic products each month. The rest of Asia ranks second worldwide in terms of plastic production, with a share of ** percent in 2023.

This dataset shows the increase of global plastic production, measured in tonnes per year, from 1950 through to 2019.In 1950 the world produced only 2 million tonnes per year. Since then, annual production has increased nearly 200-fold, reaching 381 million tonnes in 2015. The short downturn in annual production in 2009 and 2010 was predominantly the result of the 2008 global financial crisis — a similar dent is seen across several metrics of resource production and consumption, including energy.

Plastic has become ubiquitous in human society, with about *** billion metric tons of plastic produced since 1950. Out of this amount, *** billion metric tons have become waste which either sits in landfills or, even worse, the natural environment. Globally, humans have produced more plastic in the last 15 years than they have in the last 50 years. Due to the rise of oil and gas, packaging has become the largest plastic market as it is often cheaper to produce virgin plastics as a petroleum product rather than recycle plastic.

Plastic and the Environment
Plastic is largely tied to the oil industry as it is both cheap and easy to convert oil into plastics, creating single-use plastics or disposable plastics. Petroleum-based plastics are not biodegradable and often get thrown into landfills. It is estimated that plastic water bottles may take up to 450 years to degrade, however, plastics do not biodegrade into natural substances but rather will continuously breakdown into smaller and smaller particles. These particles, microplastics, have been found in the water and food supply as well as in animals and humans.

It is projected that the global production of thermoplastics will amount to 445.25 million metric tons in 2025. Annual production volumes are expected to continue rising in the following decades, rising to approximately 590 million metric tons by 2050. this would be an increase of more than 30 percent compared with 2025. Between 2010 and 2020, the global production of plastics has increased from 270 million metric tons to almost 370 million metric tons.

This statistic displays the total production volume of plastic worldwide from 1950 to 2017, and a forecast figure for 2050. In 2017, cumulative global plastic production reached *** billion metric tons. This figure is expected to increase to ** billion metric tons by 2050.

China Production: Plastics data was reported at 85,580.000 Ton th in 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 84,580.800 Ton th for 2017. China Production: Plastics data is updated yearly, averaging 1,180.000 Ton th from Dec 1950 (Median) to 2018, with 69 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 85,580.000 Ton th in 2018 and a record low of 1.000 Ton th in 1951. China Production: Plastics data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s China – Table CN.BA: Industrial Production: Annual.

China's total production of plastic products amounted to around ** million metric tons in 2024 - an increase of *** percent from the previous year. China is the world’s largest plastic producer, accounting for nearly one third of global plastics production.

United States AHE: sa: PW: Mfg: Non Durable: Other Plastics Products data was reported at 23.970 USD in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 23.870 USD for Feb 2025. United States AHE: sa: PW: Mfg: Non Durable: Other Plastics Products data is updated monthly, averaging 13.710 USD from Jan 1990 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 423 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23.970 USD in Mar 2025 and a record low of 8.600 USD in Jan 1990. United States AHE: sa: PW: Mfg: Non Durable: Other Plastics Products data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G: Current Employment Statistics: Average Hourly Earnings: Production Workers: Seasonally Adjusted.

China Production Capacity: Plastic in Primary Form (Synthetic Resin) data was reported at 99,246.000 Ton th in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 99,273.300 Ton th for 2016. China Production Capacity: Plastic in Primary Form (Synthetic Resin) data is updated yearly, averaging 8,931.000 Ton th from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99,273.300 Ton th in 2016 and a record low of 3,401.500 Ton th in 1990. China Production Capacity: Plastic in Primary Form (Synthetic Resin) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Industrial Sector – Table CN.BA: Production Capacity.

In 2023, global plastic production reached ***** million metric tons, ** percent of which was produced in China. The Middle East and Africa, China, and the Rest of Asia were the only regions to have recorded an increase in production across the whole period, reaching a global share of *** percent, **** percent, and **** percent respectively.

This dataset has an article on plastics that make their way into the ocean and data on plastics and other waste in the Pacific Island region.

The dataset contains year- and state-wise compiled data on the quantity of plastic waste generated in India.

Note:

The CPCB compiles and publishes the annual data about plastic waste based on the same data provided by states. Several of the states have not reported plastic waste generated data from the year 2010-11 to 2017-18. Therefore, the dataset has not given All India figures of the Plastic Waste generated during the same years

Graph and download economic data for Sectoral Output for Manufacturing: Plastics Product Manufacturing (NAICS 3261) in the United States (IPUEN3261T301000000) from 1988 to 2024 about plastics, NAICS, IP, production, manufacturing, and USA.

Industrial Production: Plastic in Primary Form (Synthetic Resin): Beijing data was reported at 91.700 Ton th in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 90.762 Ton th for Dec 2024. Industrial Production: Plastic in Primary Form (Synthetic Resin): Beijing data is updated monthly, averaging 95.450 Ton th from Mar 2009 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 172 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 116.300 Ton th in Dec 2015 and a record low of 0.000 Ton th in Feb 2022. Industrial Production: Plastic in Primary Form (Synthetic Resin): Beijing data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Industrial Sector – Table CN.BA: Industrial Production: Plastic in Primary Form (Synthetic Resin): By Region.

This dataset provides annual trade statistics for plastics and plastic products in Qatar, covering imports, exports, re-exports, net imports, and trade balance. The data is structured by year, with monetary values for each trade category, enabling analysis of trade trends, economic performance, and market dynamics in the plastics sector. It supports insights into Qatar’s trade surplus, export growth, and import dependency for plastics, aiding policymakers, businesses, and researchers in economic planning and market studies.

Plastics production in Europe totaled ** million metric tons in 2023, a decrease of nearly *** million metric tons from the previous year. This reflects a continuing decline in the production of plastic in Europe since 2021.

Graph and download economic data for Labor Productivity for Manufacturing: Plastics Product Manufacturing (NAICS 3261) in the United States (IPUEN3261L000000000) from 1987 to 2024 about productivity, plastics, NAICS, IP, production, labor, manufacturing, and USA.

Brazil Production: Rubber & Plastic: Plastic: Other Nonspecified: Waste or Scrap Plastic data was reported at 218,320.773 BRL th in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 161,869.320 BRL th for 2016. Brazil Production: Rubber & Plastic: Plastic: Other Nonspecified: Waste or Scrap Plastic data is updated yearly, averaging 114,212.000 BRL th from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2017, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 218,320.773 BRL th in 2017 and a record low of 18,634.000 BRL th in 2005. Brazil Production: Rubber & Plastic: Plastic: Other Nonspecified: Waste or Scrap Plastic data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Chemical and Petrochemical Sector – Table BR.RHA030: Chemical and Petrochemical: Production: Rubber and Plastic.

Russia Plastics in Primary Forms Production data was reported at 7,795,146.266 Ton in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 7,597,499.507 Ton for 2016. Russia Plastics in Primary Forms Production data is updated yearly, averaging 6,133,654.300 Ton from Dec 2009 (Median) to 2017, with 9 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7,795,146.266 Ton in 2017 and a record low of 4,495,376.100 Ton in 2009. Russia Plastics in Primary Forms Production data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Russian Federation – Table RU.RHA026: Plastics in Primary Forms Production: by Region: Annual.

Brazil Production: Rubber & Plastic: Plastic: Rolled & Tubular Goods: Biaxially Orientated Polypropylene Film data was reported at 2,648,230.054 BRL th in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 2,170,984.058 BRL th for 2016. Brazil Production: Rubber & Plastic: Plastic: Rolled & Tubular Goods: Biaxially Orientated Polypropylene Film data is updated yearly, averaging 2,085,158.000 BRL th from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2017, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,648,230.054 BRL th in 2017 and a record low of 786,209.000 BRL th in 2005. Brazil Production: Rubber & Plastic: Plastic: Rolled & Tubular Goods: Biaxially Orientated Polypropylene Film data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Chemical and Petrochemical Sector – Table BR.RHA030: Chemical and Petrochemical: Production: Rubber and Plastic.