The world produces 57 million tons of plastic pollution a year

The world produces 57 million tons of plastic pollution a year according to a new study. Line it all up and it would circle the earth 1,500 times.

Researchers at the University of Leeds examined improperly disposed of plastic that goes into the open environment, not plastic sent to landfills or properly burned. They found two-thirds of plastic pollution comes from the Global South, and for 15 percent of the world’s population, governments simply lack waste disposal systems to properly collect and dispose of plastic.

While Lagos, Nigeria emitted the most plastic pollution of any city, India leads the world’s countries in plastic pollution with 10.2 million tons each year. The United States ranks 90th in plastic pollution, producing more than 52,500 tons.

But wealthier, global north countries aren’t completely without blame. Many export their plastic pollution to developing countries that are unable to dispose of it of properly.

The study does not focus on the overall plastic production process which emits large amounts of greenhouse gasses that contribute to climate change.

Subscribe for exclusive content in our newsletters

PBS News podcasts

Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app

Find more from PBS News at

Subscribe to our YouTube channel