Plastics are essential materials, providing unmatched benefits such as durability, lightweight, and low cost, driving social progress and technological advancements. They are found everywhere, from packaging to airplanes, cars, and insulation.
However, plastics also create growing waste and pollution problems that require innovative solutions.
From 2 million tons in 1950, global polymer resin and fiber production has increased to 390 million tons in 2021. Over 9 billion tons of plastics have been created since mass production started after World War II. Unfortunately, less than 10% of these plastics are recycled in the U.S. as of 2015, with over 6 billion tons ending up in landfills.
Plastics take hundreds of years to break down. Even then, they only break into micro- or nano-sized particles. Microplastics have been found in the remotest places on Earth, from Mount Everest to the Mariana Trench and even in the water we drink and the air we breathe.
Photo by Brian Yurasits from Unsplash
Plastic production processes release large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. The best solution is to significantly decrease the production of new plastics and completely reuse existing plastics. Many ideas exist for repurposing plastics and recycling plastic materials into new products.
Photo by Sylwia Bartyzel from Unsplash