While some forms of plastic break down in 20 years, others take as long as 500. Millions of tons of plastic make their way into oceans each year. The company that produces the most plastic is Exxon Mobil.
Plastic waste has become one of the greatest environmental disasters in history, and it is unlikely to end any time soon. Plastic is used in numerous items used by consumers and companies.
Efforts to reverse the situation amount to a drop in the ocean. Plastic recycling programs are better than nothing, but they are hardly a panacea. A 2019 peer-reviewed study in the journal Science Advances concluded that only 9% of plastic gets recycled and that most of the rest ends up in landfills and the natural environment, including oceans. You won’t believe how deep ocean plastic is found.
Worse still, production of single-use plastics is predicted by some sources to increase by 30% over the next five years.
To identify the company generating the most waste from single-use plastic manufacturing, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2019 data from “The Plastic Waste Makers Index,” published in 2021 by the Minderoo Foundation, an Australia-based philanthropic organization.
U.S.-based oil and gas giant, Exxon Mobil, generated 6.5 million tons of single-use plastic waste in 2019 — the most of any company. The company had revenue of $178.2 billion in 2020 and a loss of $22.4 billion, based on Forbes figures.
Producers of consumer products are the main culprits of single-use plastic waste. Break Free From Plastic, a global network of environmentalists that audits discarded plastic waste, names Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Nestlé as the top global polluters of plastic waste. (Some of these companies are among the world’s most valuable brands.)
But companies like this don’t actually produce the raw materials that become your shampoo bottle, single-serving water bottle, or takeaway food container and utensils. The raw materials for these and other disposable consumer plastics are pellet-sized polymers produced by the global petroleum industry. And many of the companies on this list are oil and gas and chemical companies.
Click here to see the companies that produce the most plastic waste around the world
Methodology
To identify the company generating the most waste from single-use plastic manufacturing, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data in “The Plastic Waste Makers Index,” published this year by the Minderoo Foundation, an Australia-based philanthropy. Companies are ranked on the plastic waste generated in 2019, measured in millions of tons (converted from metric tons). Most recently available annual revenue and profit figures came from the Forbes Global 2000, a list of the world’s largest 2,000 public companies in the world, as well as from publicly available financial documents. (Figures in a foreign currency were converted to U.S. dollars.)
Source: Miladfarhani / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
50. Bakhtar Petrochemical
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.6 million tons
> Country: Iran
> Annual revenue: N/A
> Annual profit: N/A
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Source: vladispas / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
49. MOL Hungarian Oil and Gas
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.6 million tons
> Country: Hungary
> Annual revenue: $13 billion
> Annual profit: -$51.8 million
Source: China Photos / Stringer / Getty Images
48. JBF Industries
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.6 million tons
> Country: India
> Annual revenue: N/A
> Annual profit: N/A
Source: David Silverman / Staff / Getty Images
47. Octal
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.6 million tons
> Country: Oman
> Annual revenue: N/A
> Annual profit: N/A
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Source: brazzo / iStock via Getty Images
46. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.6 million tons
> Country: India
> Annual revenue: $48.4 billion
> Annual profit: $19.3 billion
Source: Hoseoklee88 / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
45. SK Innovation Co
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.6 million tons
> Country: South Korea
> Annual revenue: $29 billion
> Annual profit: -$1.8 billion
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Source: Peter Macdiarmid / Staff / Getty Images
44. Nan Ya Plastics Corporation
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.6 million tons
> Country: Taiwan
> Annual revenue: $10.3 billion
> Annual profit: $1.5 billion
Source: SOMNATH MAHATA / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
43. Indian Oil Corporation
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.7 million tons
> Country: India
> Annual revenue: $48.9 billion
> Annual profit: $651.5 million
Source: robwilson39 / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
42. Repsol
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.7 million tons
> Country: Spain
> Annual revenue: $37.9 billion
> Annual profit: -$3.7 billion
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Source: Ralf Roletschek / CC BY 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
41. Yanchang Group
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.7 million tons
> Country: China
> Annual revenue: N/A
> Annual profit: N/A
Source: Rocielma / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons
40. Eni
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.7 million tons
> Country: Italy
> Annual revenue: $50.1 billion
> Annual profit: -$9.8 billion
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Source: Justin Sullivan / Staff / Getty Images
39. Zhejiang Hengyi Group
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.7 million tons
> Country: China
> Annual revenue: N/A
> Annual profit: N/A
38. Sasol
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.7 million tons
> Country: South Africa
> Annual revenue: $11.1 billion
> Annual profit: -$4.9 billion
Source: Kakidai / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
37. Mitsui Chemicals
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.7 million tons
> Country: Japan
> Annual revenue: $11.2 billion
> Annual profit: $410.4 million
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Source: David Paul Morris / Stringer / Getty Images
36. Westlake Chemical Corporation
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.7 million tons
> Country: United States
> Annual revenue: $7.5 billion
> Annual profit: $329.0 million
Source: Courtesy of LG Chem
35. LG Chem
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.8 million tons
> Country: South Korea
> Annual revenue: $25.8 billion
> Annual profit: $434.5 million
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Source: Courtesy of GAIL
34. GAIL India
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.8 million tons
> Country: India
> Annual revenue: $8 billion
> Annual profit: $1.1 billion
Source: Courtesy of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
33. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.9 million tons
> Country: United Arab Emirates
> Annual revenue: N/A
> Annual profit: N/A
Source: Courtesy of SIBUR
32. SIBUR
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.9 million tons
> Country: Russia
> Annual revenue: $7 billion
> Annual profit: $1.3 billion
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Source: Courtesy of Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
31. Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.9 million tons
> Country: Japan
> Annual revenue: $30 billion
> Annual profit: -$655.9 million
Source: China Photos / Stringer / Getty Images
30. Rongsheng Group
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.9 million tons
> Country: China
> Annual revenue: $14 billion
> Annual profit: $858.1 million
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Source: Wang Meng / iStock via Getty Images
29. China Coal
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 0.9 million tons
> Country: China
> Annual revenue: $20.5 billion
> Annual profit: $775.1 million
Source: Courtesy of Hanwha Group
28. Hanwha Chemical
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 1.0 million tons
> Country: South Korea
> Annual revenue: $43.2 billion
> Annual profit: $181.2 million
Source: MattGush / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
27. Chevron Corporation
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 1.0 million tons
> Country: United States
> Annual revenue: $94.4 billion
> Annual profit: -$5.5 billion
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Source: Justin Sullivan / Staff / Getty Images
26. Jiangyin Chengxing Industrial Group
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 1.0 million tons
> Country: China
> Annual revenue: N/A
> Annual profit: N/A
Source: alexeynovikov / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
25. Sumitomo Chemical
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 1.1 million tons
> Country: Japan
> Annual revenue: $20.8 billion
> Annual profit: $143.1 million
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Source: Courtesy of Zhejiang Wankai New Materials Co.,Ltd.
24. Zhejiang Wankai
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 1.1 million tons
> Country: China
> Annual revenue: N/A
> Annual profit: N/A
Source: ivanastar / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
23. Phillips 66
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 1.1 million tons
> Country: United States
> Annual revenue: $63.7 billion
> Annual profit: -$4 billion
Source: 39955793@N07 / Flickr
22. Siam Cement Group
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 1.2 million tons
> Country: Thailand
> Annual revenue: $12.8 billion
> Annual profit: $1.1 billion
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Source: Courtesy of Nova Chemicals
21. Nova Chemicals Corporation
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 1.3 million tons
> Country: Canada
> Annual revenue: N/A
> Annual profit: N/A
Source: Milkomède / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons
20. China Resources
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 1.4 million tons
> Country: Hong Kong
> Annual revenue: $7.2 billion
> Annual profit: $664.2 million
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19. PTT
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 1.7 million tons
> Country: Thailand
> Annual revenue: $51.6 billion
> Annual profit: $1.2 billion
Source: Courtesy of China Energy Investment
18. China Energy Investment Group
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 1.7 million tons
> Country: China
> Annual revenue: N/A
> Annual profit: N/A
Source: Dual Freq / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
17. Formosa Plastics Corporation
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 1.8 million tons
> Country: Taiwan
> Annual revenue: $7.1 billion
> Annual profit: $1.2 billion
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Source: Courtesy of Far East New Century
16. Far Eastern New Century
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 1.8 million tons
> Country: Taiwan
> Annual revenue: $7 billion
> Annual profit: $273.8 million
Source: Justin Sullivan / Staff / Getty Images
15. Jiangsu Hailun Petrochemical
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 1.8 million tons
> Country: China
> Annual revenue: N/A
> Annual profit: N/A
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Source: mtcurado / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
14. Total
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 2.1 million tons
> Country: France
> Annual revenue: $119.7 billion
> Annual profit: -$7.6 billion
Source: Paul McIlroy / Petrochemical plant / Wikimedia Commons
13. INEOS
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 2.2 million tons
> Country: England
> Annual revenue: N/A
> Annual profit: N/A
Source: Rose676 / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
12. Lotte Chemical
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 2.3 million tons
> Country: South Korea
> Annual revenue: $10.4 billion
> Annual profit: $134.3 million
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Source: Borealis AG / Wikimedia Commons
11. Borealis
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 2.4 million tons
> Country: Austria
> Annual revenue: $8.1 billion
> Annual profit: $698.3 million
Source: Alpek / Wikimedia Commons
10. Alpek SA de CV
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 2.5 million tons
> Country: Mexico
> Annual revenue: $114 billion
> Annual profit: $11.7 billion
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9. Braskem
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 3.3 million tons
> Country: Brazil
> Annual revenue: $11.4 billion
> Annual profit: -$1.3 billion
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Courtesy of Reliance Industries
8. Reliance Industries
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 3.4 million tons
> Country: India
> Annual revenue: $61.2 billion
> Annual profit: $5.7 billion
Source: Lydia Howell / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
7. LyondellBasell
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 4.3 million tons
> Country: United Kingdom
> Annual revenue: $27.7 billion
> Annual profit: $1.4 billion
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
6. PetroChina
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 4.4 million tons
> Country: China
> Annual revenue: $280.7 billion
> Annual profit: $2.9 billion
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
5. Saudi Aramco
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 4.7 million tons
> Country: Saudi Arabia
> Annual revenue: $229.7 billion
> Annual profit: $49.3 billion
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Source: Courtesy of Indorama Ventures
4. Indorama Ventures
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 5.1 million tons
> Country: Thailand
> Annual revenue: $10.6 billion
> Annual profit: $53.2 million
Source: Daniel Case / Wikimedia Commons
3. Sinopec
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 5.8 million tons
> Country: China
> Annual revenue: $271.1 billion
> Annual profit: $4.8 billion
Source: Bill Pugliano / Getty Images
2. Dow
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 6.2 million tons
> Country: United States
> Annual revenue: $38.5 billion
> Annual profit: $1.2 billion
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Source: zodebala / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
1. ExxonMobil
> Single-use plastic waste generated in 2019: 6.5 million tons
> Country: United States
> Annual revenue: $178.2 billion
> Annual profit: -$22.4 billion
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