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Primary plastic waste generation by polymer, 2015

Global primary plastic waste generation by polymer type, measured in tonnes per year. Polymers have been coloured based on recyclability where blue is widely
recycled; yellow is sometimes recycled depending on local context; and red is usually non-recyclable

0 tonnes10 million tonnes20 million tonnes30 million tonnes40 million tonnes50 million tonnesLD, LDPE57 million tonnesPP55 million tonnesPP&A fibers42 million tonnesHDPE40 million tonnesPET32 million tonnesPS17 million tonnesPUT16 million tonnesPVC15 million tonnesOther polymer type11 million tonnes

Source: Geyer et al. (2017)

Note: Polymer types are as follows: LDPE (Low-density polyethylene); HDPE (High-density polyethylene); PP (Polypropylene); PS (Polystyrene); PVC (Polyvinyl chloride); PET (Polyethylene
terephthalate); PUT (Polyurethanes); and PP&A fibres (polyester, polyamide, and acrylic fibres).

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