The United States generated 35.7 million short tons of plastic waste in 2018. The amount of plastic waste generated in the U.S. municipal solid waste stream has increased dramatically over the last few decades. In 1970, the U.S. generated 2.9 million short tons of plastic waste, and by 2000 this figure had increased to 25.5 million short tons. In recent years the U.S. has generated more than 30 million short tons of plastic waste a year.
Plastic municipal solid waste generation in the United States from 1960 to 2018
(in 1,000 short tons)
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Environmental Protection Agency. (April 21, 2023). Plastic municipal solid waste generation in the United States from 1960 to 2018 (in 1,000 short tons) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1097290/us-plastic-waste-generation/
Environmental Protection Agency. "Plastic municipal solid waste generation in the United States from 1960 to 2018 (in 1,000 short tons)." Chart. April 21, 2023. Statista. Accessed December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1097290/us-plastic-waste-generation/
Environmental Protection Agency. (2023). Plastic municipal solid waste generation in the United States from 1960 to 2018 (in 1,000 short tons). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1097290/us-plastic-waste-generation/
Environmental Protection Agency. "Plastic Municipal Solid Waste Generation in The United States from 1960 to 2018 (in 1,000 Short Tons)." Statista, Statista Inc., 21 Apr 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1097290/us-plastic-waste-generation/
Environmental Protection Agency, Plastic municipal solid waste generation in the United States from 1960 to 2018 (in 1,000 short tons) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1097290/us-plastic-waste-generation/ (last visited December 21, 2024)
Plastic municipal solid waste generation in the United States from 1960 to 2018 (in 1,000 short tons) [Graph], Environmental Protection Agency, April 21, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1097290/us-plastic-waste-generation/
