This is news for the planet: for the third time since the industrial era, plastic production has declined worldwide. In 2020, plastic production fell by 0.3%, due to the health crisis, unveils the European association of plastic producers, this Thursday, June 10. In Europe, where 55 million tonnes of new plastics left factories last year, the drop in production amounts to 5.1%, and the decline is even more pronounced in France, where production has fallen. by 11% in 2020. According to PlasticsEurope, this drop is the third recorded since the Second World War, after that which occurred in 1973 at the time of the 1stis oil shock, and that of 2008, during the subprime financial crisis.
The automotive sector, which experienced production stoppages, was the most affected sector, with an 18.1% drop in plastic consumption in Europe, and 28% in France. On the whole planet, 367 million tons of plastics were produced in 2020, against 368 million tons in 2019. This is the third global decline since the post-war period, “after that which occurred in 1973 in moment of the first oil shock, and that of 2008, during the subprime financial crisis, ”Éric Quenet, Managing Director of PlasticsEurope, told Agence France-Presse on Thursday, June 10.
Europe produces 15% of the world’s plastic
The slowdown, a “significant” marker of the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the global economy, was mitigated by the continued growth in plastic production in China (+ 1% in 2020), according to the association. China, which manufactured a quarter of the world’s plastic in 2010, now supplies a third, after doubling its production (117 Mt in 2020 against 64 Mt in 2010). In recent years, the country has started to export PVC for construction and other basic plastics, but remains an importer of specialty plastics, especially for the automotive industry.
Europe (27 EU countries, with UK, Norway and Switzerland), which produced 21% of global plastic in 2010 (56 Mt), now only produces 15% (55 Mt) . Even if in terms of tonnage, North America increased its volumes over the decade (70 Mt in 2020 against 53 Mt in 2010) with new polymer units whose competitiveness is based on the exploitation of shale gas, it only succeeds to maintain its rank, with 19% of world production in 2020, against 20% 10 years ago.
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