Fig. 1.

Global plastic production from 1950 to 2016

The above statistic depicts the global plastic production from 1950 to 2016. In 2016, world plastics
production totaled around 335 million metric tons (The Statistics Portal). China is one of the largest
producers of plastics in the world, accounting for around one quarter of the global production. Plastic
imports from China into the United States are steadily increasing as China’s plastic industry grows.
Production of plastics in China will continue to develop and include more efficient companies that produce
higher quality plastics.

Until the last five years, polymer product designers have typically not considered what will happen after
the end of their product’s initial lifetime. This is beginning to change, and this issue will require increasing
focus in the years ahead (Beckman, 2018).

Fig. 2. Mismanaged plastic waste disposed in oceans by top 20 countries

The amount of plastic that “leaks” into the ocean each year world-wide is estimated to be 8 million metric
tons. In fact, the top 5 countries on the list; China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka
together account for almost 60% of the ocean’s plastic pollution (Johnston & Ketkar, 2017). Looking at the
statistics above, isn’t this quite shocking and appalling? Imagine, a tiny country such as ours landing
ourselves at the top 3 of the world’s biggest plastic & ocean polluter list.