• Plastic is one of the world’s most-used materials. Technically sophisticated, lightweight and cheap, plastics suit a broad spectrum of uses.

• The problem with plastic is not how it is used, but end-of-life management of products made from plastic.

• Since 1950, half of all plastic has ended up in landfill or dumped in the wild.

• Only 9% of used plastic has been adequately recycled.

• Every year, it is estimated that 4 to 12 million metric tons of plastic end up in the oceans.

• Developed economies with regulations that encourage recycling have recycling rates of 30%.

• Developing economies with minimal industrial base have recycling rates at 1%.

• The amount of plastic used has grown over the past 30 years, reaching 300+ million metric tons in 2017.

• This growth of plastic usage will continue driven in large part by the demands of the Chinese middle classes and demand may double by 2050.