Plastics consumption in the United States 1980-2019

Plastics use in the United States has grown substantially over the past four decades. Between 1980 and 2019, annual plastic use tripled, surpassing 84 million metric tons in the latter year. During this period, plastic use experienced a notable reduction in 2008 during the global financial crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic is believed to have had a similar impact on U.S. plastic consumption, with projections showing a year-over-year drop of four percent in 2020. Nevertheless, plastics use is projected to rebound and continue rising over the coming decades.