US was the top generator of plastic in 2016, exceeded European nations combined: Report

The US was the world's "top generator of plastic waste" in 2016, exceeding all European nations combined, according to a report published in The Hill.

An article, titled 'US must cut plastic production to save oceans,' published last Wednesday, cited a new study by the National Academy of Sciences.

With a population of about 330 million, accounting for 4.3 per cent of earth's population, the US generated a total of 42 million metric tonnes of plastic waste in 2016, the report stated.

"The waste is devastating the ocean's health and marine wildlife," it stated.

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"Plastic waste is an environmental and social crisis that the US needs to affirmatively address from source to sea," Margaret Spring, the chair of the committee that published the report was quoted by The Hill.

However, the American Chemistry Council (ACC), a trade group that represents 28 companies, including oil giants, major chemical manufacturers and plastic makers, slammed the study's recommendation that plastic production should be limited, Xinhua news agency reported.

Joshua Baca, the vice president of plastics at the ACC, was quoted by the report as saying that "plastic is a valuable resource that should be kept in our economy and out of our environment."

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