Plastic production begins with the extraction of raw material from earth, such as oils, natural gas, coal, and crude oil. Though plastic mainly derived from fossil, it can also be produced from renewable sources, such as plants, algae or bacteria. These are called bioplastics, unlike plastic from fossil fuels, bioplastic is biodegradable or compostable within 12-24 months (if not ended up in the ocean or landfill), but unfortunately, plastic from renewable sources have some drawbacks, such as expensive production and lower performance.

Surprisingly, the production of plastic in the last ten years is exceeding the whole plastic production in the last century. In 2012, Asia accounted for about 51% of the global plastic production, followed by Europe with 18%, North America with 17%, and the rest of the world with 14%. The global plastics production was estimated at 390 million metric tons in 2021, yet bioplastic represents less than 1% of the total.