Share of mismanaged plastic waste caused by COVID-19 2020-2021, by region
Plastic waste pollution in the ocean was already a serious global issue prior to the pandemic, but it has only been worsened by the increased use of single-use plastic products.
An estimated 8.4 million metric tons of mismanaged plastic waste was generated worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, of which 26,000 metric tons was thought to have leaked into the ocean. Asia accounted for almost half of this mismanaged waste, while Europe was responsible for a quarter. The plastic waste comes from sources such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and COVID-19 test kits.