"Plastic" is used to describe a large range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that can be molded under heat and pressure. The first synthetic plastic — Bakelite — was produced in 1907, marking the beginning of the global plastics industry.
The production of plastics in the world has increased significantly since 1950. In 2019 the world produced more than 359 million tonnes of plastic. China is one of the leading producers of plastic accounting for more than one-fourth of the global plastic production.