U.S. is world’s top plastic polluter
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According to a new National Academy of Sciences report, the United States is the world’s leading contributor of plastic waste and needs a national strategy to combat the issue
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Plastic waste (kg per person, 2016)  By country (million tonnes)

U.S.  42.0 130.1
UK    9.5  98.7 
S. Korea  4.5 88.1
Germany   6.7 81.2 
Russia  58.7  8.5
Italy  55.5 3.4
EU (28) 54.6  29.9
Brazil  51.8 10.7
France 43.8 2.9
Spain 39.4  1.8
Japan  38.4 4.9
Indonesia 34.9  9.1
India  19.9  26.3
China 15.7  21.6

  
U.S. plastic waste generation (million tonnes, 2018)
              
Combustion with energy recovery 5.1
Landfill 24.5
Recycled 2.8

Total 32.4

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  Sources: AFP, National Academies Press, EPA Picture: Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS