2017-05-22 · percent of cumulative plastic
Half of all plastic was made since 2005
Petrochemicals turned oil into packaging. Cumulative production passed one billion tonnes.
1 cell = 0.1 percent of cumulative plastic (0.1% of all plastic ever made) · 1,000 cells
Context
Petrochemicals turned oil into packaging. Cumulative production passed one billion tonnes.
Science Advances 2017: >50% of polymers produced since 2005.
This grid fixes all plastic ever made at 1,000 equal cells (0.1% of all plastic ever made). Figures follow Science Advances — plastic as summarized in the source line — rounded so cell counts sum to the chart.