Briefing to the 68th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC68)

The IWC’s critical role in tackling the impacts of plastic on the world’s whales, dolphins and porpoises

Global production of virgin (primary) plastics has increased from two million tonnes in 1950 to 460 million tonnes in 2021 – an increase of 22,900 per cent.

To date, humans have produced about 10 billion tonnes of plastics – half of which has been produced since 2005 and half of which is now in landfill or the open environment.