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See all EU institutions and bodiesIn 2022, the estimated total GHG emissions of the European plastics value chain were 193 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

The total GHG emissions from EU’s plastics value chain for 2020 were 191 Mtonnes of CO2 equivalent. For comparison, the total annual GHG emissions from Belgium were 123 Mtonnes (2019).
In 2018, the year for which we have such data, the majority, 63%, of the greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union plastics value chain were from plastics production. Converting polymers into products accounts for 22%, and plastic waste treatment at end-of-life adds another 15%, mainly due to incineration.
The total GHG emissions mimic the similar pattern of the total plastics converters demand. There has been a drop of emissions from highest (2018) 204 Mtonnes of CO2 equivalent to about 193 Mtonnes of CO2 equivalent (2022). The trend between the converters demand and the GHG emissions is not completely linear because of a higher amount/share of plastic waste being incinerated in 2022.
- This estimation is based on a model that was built for the Eionet Report – ETC/WMGE 2021/3 Greenhouse gas emissions and natural capital implications of plastics (including biobased plastics). The data is enriched on annual plastics demand and end-of-life data extracted from Plastics Europe’s annual Plastics facts between 2014-2024.↵
- ETC/WMGE Report 3/2021: Greenhouse gas emissions and natural capital implications of plastics (including biobased plastics)a b
- ↵Tenhunen-Lunkka, A., Rommens, T., Vanderreydt, I. et al. Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Potential of European Union’s Circularity Related Targets for Plastics. Circ.Econ.Sust. 3, 475–510 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-022-00192-8