Plastic is a cheap and efficient material. Demand is strong and growing.
However, plastic is considered one of the biggest environmental concerns. Global production of plastics increased from 1.5 million tonnes in 1950, 15 million in 1964 to 322 million tonnes in 2019 (around 18% in Europe) and is expected to double in the next two decades.
It is estimated that 8 Mt/year of plastics end up in the oceans, causing a devastating effect on wildlife and the food chain.