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Industry data: global plastic production reached 431 million tonnes in 2024

Plastics Europe’s annual count shows global output still rising, with Asia making well over half of the world’s plastic.

Authors / organisation
Plastics Europe
Year
2025
Journal or publisher
Plastics Europe
Study type
Institutional report
Evidence strength
Evidence: Medium
Sample / scope
Industry production statistics by region, 2018–2024
Key finding
Global plastics production was 430.9 million tonnes in 2024, up 16.3% since 2018; Asia produced 57.2%.
Headline number
430.9 million tonnes of plastic produced in 2024
Caveats / how it is misquoted
Industry association source; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Lancet use 460–475 million tonnes for 2019–2022 on a different basis.
Open access
Yes
Verified on
22 September 2026

Plastics Europe, the industry association for European plastics manufacturers, publishes an annual 'Fast Facts' summary of production volumes by region.

Its 2025 edition puts global plastics production at 430.9 million tonnes in 2024, up 4.1% on the previous year and 16.3% above 2018. Asia made 57.2% of the total (China alone 34.5%), North America 16.3% and Europe 12%. European output was 54.6 million tonnes, and 15.4% of EU plastics were classed as 'circular' (recycled or bio-based).

This is the most current production number available and the source for a 'plastic produced per second' counter: roughly 13.7 tonnes every second.

It is an industry source. The production volumes are widely used, but the 'circular plastics' framing should be treated with care.

Sources last verified 22 September 2026. Page updated 24 September 2026. How we check sources