Question

upfront
name
class
for use with \plastic planet\ on p. 8 of the magazine
graphs
plastic waste:
a global problem
since the 1940s, the world’s production of plastic, and its corresponding waste, has grown exponentially, with most of that waste ending up in landfills. however, this buildup of plastic is not uniform around the globe. to avoid the expense of recycling and managing their own plastic waste, many nations export much of it to other countries, such as china or turkey, which have been known to implement poorly regulated waste management practices, such as dumping the waste into the oceans. analyze the graphs and answer the questions below to gain a deeper understanding of plastic production and waste around the globe.
the top graph shows the amount of plastic produced globally during statistically significant time periods, beginning in 1950 and ending in 2023. prior to 2002, the length of time between each data point is much longer, while each year after 2008 is accounted for. the bottom graph shows the top 10 countries that exported the most plastic waste in 2024.
global plastic production, 1950 - 2023
bar graph with year on x - axis and amount produced (in million metric tons) on y - axis
top 10 global plastic waste exporters in 2024
bar graph with country on y - axis and plastic waste exported (in 1,000 metric tons) on x - axis
*taiwan has long considered itself an independent nation. china still considers it part of china. taiwan is not recognized as a member state by the united nations, but the u.s. maintains trade and other formal relations with its government.
analyze the graphs

1. in 1989,

the amount of
plastic produced
was about ___ that of 1976.
a double
b half
c triple
d one - third

1. about how

many million
metric tons of
plastic did the
world produce
in 2023?
a 350
b 385
c 415
d 450

1. by 2023, the world

produced about ___
more million metric
tons of plastic than
it did in 1950.
a 50
b 110
c 250
d 410

1. how many

nations
export more
plastic waste
than the
u.s.?
a four
b five
c seven
d ten

1. the top plastic

waste exporter
exported about ___ thousand
metric tons
more than the u.s.
a 300
b 400
c 500
d 700
discussion questions
write answers on the side

1. think about the countries listed on the second graph. why do you think these countries are the top exporters of plastic waste? do you agree with this practice? explain why or why not.
2. how do the introduction text and the data on these graphs expand your understanding of the issues discussed in the upfront article?

scholastic
september 1, 2025 • upfront

Explanation:

Question 1

Step1: Analyze 1976 and 1989 data

From the "Global Plastic Production, 1950 - 2023" graph, estimate plastic production in 1976 and 1989. 1976 production is around 100 million metric tons, 1989 is around 200 million metric tons.

Step2: Compare the amounts

$200\div100 = 2$, so 1989 production is double 1976.

Step1: Locate 2023 on the graph

In the "Global Plastic Production, 1950 - 2023" graph, find the bar for 2023.

Step2: Estimate the value

The bar for 2023 is near 415 million metric tons (between 400 and 450, closer to 415).

Step1: Find 1950 and 2023 values

1950 production (from graph) is ~5 million metric tons, 2023 is ~415 million metric tons.

Step2: Calculate the difference

$415 - 5 = 410$ million metric tons.

Answer:

a. double

Question 2