Global plastic waste share by waste stream 1950-2018
Of the approximately 9.2 billion metric tons of plastic produced by humans since 1950, only nine percent has been recycled. The remaining plastic waste, which often becomes waste after a single use, has either been incinerated (12 percent of total waste), or worse, is still sitting in landfills or in the natural environment. The latter category accounts for 79 percent of all plastic ever produced. Depending on the type of plastic and the conditions in which it is situated, plastic can take as long as (an estimated) 1,000 years to decompose.