Egypt produces 5.4 million tonnes of plastic annually, making it the biggest plastic polluter in the Arab World.

A recent report by the WWF also revealed that Egypt is the biggest source of plastic polluting the Mediterranean, pouring in 250,000 tons every year.

Turkey is the highest polluter in the Middle East, with 5.6 million tonnes of plastic coming out of the country every year. Egypt ranks second in the Middle East, and Iran follows, at almost 4 million tonnes.

Globally, China ranks first, producing 59 million tonnes of plastic a year. The United States is the second biggest world polluter; its plastic production amounts to almost 38 million tonnes. Germany is in third place, with 14.4 million tonnes annually.

Rapid growth in global plastic production began in the 1950s. Over the next 65 years, annual production of plastics increased nearly 200-fold to 381 million tonnes in 2015.

This piece was originally published on InfoTimes.org and was written by Aya Nader. InfoTimes is a platform that combines data science, information design, and storytelling, forging a digital experience that informs the public on current topics of interest. For data-driven stories, visit infotimes.org

Main image courtesy of Pixabay.

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