Plastic consumption worldwide 1980-2020
Global plastics use is forecast to continue rising in the coming decades.
Global plastics use has increased six-fold since 1980, reaching a high of 460 million metric tons in 2019. Global plastics use was expected to decrease 2.2 percent year-on-year in 2020. This decline was mainly a result of COVID-19-related lockdown measures, which had a significant impact on plastics production and use. The last notable reduction in plastics use was during the 2008 /2009 global financial crisis.