Nature · Facts & sources
4 sourced facts about the environment, waste and plastic pollution, each with the context behind the number. 4 more are in today's round and appear here after it closes.
Answerabout 32%
That combined recycling-and-composting rate has grown a lot since 1960, when it was only about 6%.
Source: U.S. EPA, Facts and Figures on Materials, Waste and Recycling (2018) epa.gov
Answerabout 460 million tonnes
That's up from just 2 million tonnes in 1950 -- production has grown nearly 230-fold in about 70 years.
Source: Our World in Data (2019) ourworldindata.org
Answerabout one-quarter
Mismanaged waste is what's at risk of leaking into rivers and oceans, especially in countries with limited waste collection.
Source: Our World in Data (2023) ourworldindata.org
Answerabout 9%
Plastic has one of the lowest recycling rates of any common material, far behind paper (around 68%).
Source: U.S. EPA, Facts and Figures on Materials, Waste and Recycling (2018) epa.gov