Manya Rathore
Research expert covering India
Plastic waste in the Asia-Pacific region - statistics & facts
Medical face masks, test kits, takeout containers – the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global increase in plastic consumption, as consumers have valued the convenient and sanitary nature of single-use plastic (SUP) products. This development has brought previously planned or enacted SUP bans to a halt and accelerated plastic waste worldwide. Asia plays the key role in the global plastic waste industry, both as the biggest producer and as a major destination for waste exports from all over the world. With China alone surpassing any other country or region in terms of plastic materials produced, Asia is responsible for over half of the global plastic materials production. Moreover, many Asian companies are among the biggest SUP waste contributors globally, most prominently Sinopec, Indorama Ventures, and PetroChina.
