Plastic was once celebrated as a miracle material — light, durable, cheap. Today, these same qualities have become its biggest danger. Since the 1950s, humanity has produced 8.3 billion tons of plastic, and over 75% of it has already become waste. Only 9% has ever been recycled, while the rest was burned, exported, or ended up in land, rivers, and oceans.
Every year, production grows further. Worldwide we now create over 400 million tons of plastic annually, with packaging alone responsible for more than a third of all plastics made. Since the year 2000, more plastic has been produced than in all the previous decades combined. The world is on track to exceed 600 million tons per year by 2025.
But the problems begin long before plastic becomes waste. Plastic is made from fossil fuels — mainly oil and gas. Extraction, especially through fracking, releases toxic chemicals into air and water. Over 170 chemicals used in these processes are linked to cancer, immune disorders, and reproductive harm.
Once plastic exists, it rarely disappears. Most items — nearly 40% — become trash after less than one month of use. Because recycling systems cannot handle the sheer volume, much of the waste is burned, releasing CO₂ and pollutants, or exported to countries without safe disposal systems. After China stopped accepting foreign plastic waste in 2018, global exports collapsed and many exporting countries resorted to burning or landfilling their “recyclables.”
Meanwhile, plastic continues its journey through the environment. It breaks down into microplastics found in oceans, rivers, soil, Arctic ice, wildlife, and even human bodies. Additives like softeners, flame retardants, and dyes can leach into food and water, affecting both ecosystems and health.
Even so-called bioplastics — marketed as a green alternative — fail to solve the problem. Less than 40% of biobased plastics are biodegradable, and even those require industrial conditions that most facilities cannot provide. They do not compost in household settings, do not break down properly in soil, and do not degrade in the ocean. Instead of reducing pollution, they increase pressure on farmland, water resources, and biodiversity.
Despite the severity of the crisis, powerful oil, chemical, and consumer-goods companies continue expanding plastic production, resisting meaningful reduction strategies. Global movements like Break Free From Plastic push for change, but industry growth forecasts remain high.
Plastic pollution is not simply a waste problem — it is a production problem. Preventing waste begins with producing less.
Yet there is hope in global awareness, new regulations, and communities working toward reuse systems, zero-waste strategies, and sustainable alternatives. The solutions exist — what remains is the decision to use them.