China generated the most single-use plastic waste in 2019, at 25.4 million metric tons. This was followed by the United States, where an estimated 17.2 million metric tons of single-use plastic waste was generated. While Australia's net single-use plastic waste generation in 2019 was considerably lower at 1.5 million metric tons of single-use plastic waste, it had one of the highest rates of single-use plastic waste generation per capita, at 59 kilograms per person.
Largest single-use plastic waste generating countries worldwide in 2019
(in million metric tons)
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Minderoo Foundation. (May 18, 2021). Largest single-use plastic waste generating countries worldwide in 2019 (in million metric tons) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 18, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1236969/single-use-plastic-waste-generation-worldwide-by-country/
Minderoo Foundation. "Largest single-use plastic waste generating countries worldwide in 2019 (in million metric tons)." Chart. May 18, 2021. Statista. Accessed December 18, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1236969/single-use-plastic-waste-generation-worldwide-by-country/
Minderoo Foundation. (2021). Largest single-use plastic waste generating countries worldwide in 2019 (in million metric tons). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 18, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1236969/single-use-plastic-waste-generation-worldwide-by-country/
Minderoo Foundation. "Largest Single-use Plastic Waste Generating Countries Worldwide in 2019 (in Million Metric Tons)." Statista, Statista Inc., 18 May 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1236969/single-use-plastic-waste-generation-worldwide-by-country/
Minderoo Foundation, Largest single-use plastic waste generating countries worldwide in 2019 (in million metric tons) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1236969/single-use-plastic-waste-generation-worldwide-by-country/ (last visited December 18, 2024)
Largest single-use plastic waste generating countries worldwide in 2019 (in million metric tons) [Graph], Minderoo Foundation, May 18, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1236969/single-use-plastic-waste-generation-worldwide-by-country/