The Trade in Plastic Waste by Grid Arendal

Plastic is ubiquitous in our everyday lives – so much that we cannot imagine living without it, nor see how dependent we have become on it. Plastic is in almost everything. Plastic production exceeds 300 million tonnes annually and if current trends continue, another 33 billion tonnes will have accumulated around the planet by 2050. Over two-thirds of plastic consumption comes in the form of packaging such as containers and bags, and building products like plastic pipes and vinyl siding. Massive amounts of electronic and electrical products are made out of plastic. While we may not be aware of it, we also wear a lot of plastic. For example, the soles of shoes are often made of polyurethane or similar materials. One way or another all these items will eventually create plastic waste.