Sources: Plastic Pollution by the Numbers
The statistics on our Belmont Public Library display come from the following reports and organizations. We've linked directly to each source so you can read further.
Global Scale
"400M+ metric tons of plastic produced every year" and "79% of all plastic ever produced has ended up in landfills or the environment"
UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)
https://www.unep.org/annualreport/2024/stories/taking-plastic-pollution
Ocean Impact
"100,000 marine mammals die every year from plastic ingestion or entanglement"
WWF Australia
https://wwf.org.au/blogs/plastic-in-our-oceans-is-killing-marine-mammals/"11 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean every year"
UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)
https://www.unep.org/annualreport/2024/stories/taking-plastic-pollution
Closer to Home
"The US is the #1 generator of plastic waste in the world"
Ocean Conservancy / National Academy of Sciences, United States of Plastics (2025)
https://oceanconservancy.org/work/plastics/policy/united-states-of-plastics-report/"Only 6.3% of plastic in the US is actually recycled"
The Pew Charitable Trusts, Plastic Pollution Is a Major Problem in the US, but Solutions Exist (2026)
https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2026/02/10/plastic-pollution-is-a-major-problem-in-the-us-but-solutions-exist
The Worry Is Real
"84% of Americans are concerned about the health impacts of microplastics"
CleanHub, Plastic Perspectives Report (2024)
https://www.cleanhub.com/plastic-perspectives-report
The Reuse Payoff
"Refillable bottles and bulk dispensers could reduce plastic pollution by 30% by 2040"
UNEP, via SDG Knowledge Hub (2024)
https://sdg.iisd.org/news/unep-report-identifies-market-shifts-needed-to-reduce-plastic-pollution/"Shifting 13% of single-use packaging to reusable alternatives would reduce plastic waste by 11%, pollution by 12%, and save taxpayers over $1 billion"
The Pew Charitable Trusts (2026)
https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2026/02/10/plastic-pollution-is-a-major-problem-in-the-us-but-solutions-exist
YES! Your Eco Source is Belmont's bulk refill shop and low-waste general store. We believe in accuracy — if you spot an error or have a question about any of these sources, please reach out at hello@yesplasticfree.com.