Global plastic waste management methods 2019, by region

Globally, an estimated 15 percent of plastic waste were collected for recycling in 2019. This amounted to roughly 55 million metric tons. Landfilling accounted for roughly half of plastic waste management that year, while 22 percent were mismanaged and littered.
On average, OECD countries landfilled 53 percent of plastic waste, while for non-OECD countries that share stood at 46 percent. However, 37 percent of plastic waste in non-OECD countries were mismanaged and littered, compared to just six percent across OECD member countries. This is due to many developing countries lacking the capacity to deal with the large volumes of plastic waste generated. Mismanaged waste is one the biggest causes of plastic waste pollution. Asia accounts for 80 percent of global plastic waste emitted to the ocean.