- Last year China announced that it’s no longer purchasing other countries’ plastic scraps, citing negative effects on public health.
- “China has imported 106 million tons of old bags, bottles, wrappers and containers worth $57.6 billion since 1992”.
- Of the 8.3 billion metric tons of new plastic produced worldwide (2017), 80% was thrown into landfills and the environment and 10% was burned.
- In 2016, China bought 50% of all recycled plastic.
- Global plastic output has increased from 2 million (early 1950s) to 322 million tons per year.
