2.1.2 The Top 20 River Sources into the Oceans
The total production of plastics globally has been on the rise since the 1950s, with
311 million tons production in 2014, and predicted to be nearly 1800 million tons in
2050. Figure 2.3 illustrates the plastic production worldwide in million tons. China,
North America, European Union, and Asia are the biggest cause of plastic pollution.
Developed countries like the United States, Europe, Japan, Australia, and
New Zealand are the top manufacturing and high consumption countries, but with
Fig. 2.3 The plastic
production worldwide in
million tons. China, North
America, European Union,
and Asia are the biggest
cause of plastic pollution.
(Reprinted with permission
of [Marine litter plastics and
microplastics and their toxic
chemicals components: the
need for urgent preventive
measures, Gallo et al.,
Creative Common
Attribution (CC by 4.0)]
from Gallo et al. 2018)
50
Z. Tahir et al.