Chloe Zhang
Plastic has only been around for about 115 years, but it has managed to reach places very few humans have, from the top of Mount Everest to the bottom of the ocean. Plastic was first discovered in the 1800s, but its use was mostly limited to products like appliances, cars, and electronics. In the postwar years, there was a shift in American perceptions of plastic as plastic debris in the oceans was first observed in the 1960s, and Americans became increasingly aware of environmental problems. Plastic usage saw huge improvements, making it cheaper to produce and tap into mass production, which unleashed the disposable plastic boom. Many products that used to be packaged in glass or cans were introduced in disposable, single-use plastic. Plastic is now one of the most widespread materials used in manufacturing and everyday items, and our reliance on it has led to a plastic waste crisis.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic's first discovery | 1800s |
| First synthetic polymer invented | 1869 |
| Plastic's widespread usage | Since the 1950s |
| Plastic waste became a problem | End of 1950s |
| Plastic bags patented in Sweden | 1965 |
| Plastic debris in oceans first observed | 1960s |
| Percentage of supermarkets in Europe using plastic | 80% by 1979 |
| Number of plastic bags consumed per year | 1-5 trillion |
| Time taken for a plastic bag to decompose | 1000 years |
| Amount of plastic in the ocean | 150 million metric tons |
| Plastic pollution in drinking water first reported | 2017 |
| Percentage of plastic recycled | 9% |
| Amount of plastic produced in 2019 | 460 million metric tons |
| Most common plastic waste | Cigarette butts |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic's affordability and convenience
Plastic has become an integral part of our lives, with applications in various sectors, including healthcare and technology. However, our overreliance on plastic has led to a dependency crisis, with plastic waste accumulating in our oceans, landfills, and even remote areas like Mount Everest and the Mariana Trench. To understand how we became reliant on plastic, we can examine the affordability and convenience it offers.
Plastic's affordability stems from its manufacturing process. In the past, materials like wood, metal, stone, and ivory were limited in nature, making them more expensive. With the discovery of synthetic polymers in 1869, humans could create new materials that were inexpensive and abundant. The ability to refine natural polymers like cellulose, soy protein, and vegetable oil into bioplastics provides a renewable and biodegradable alternative to traditional plastic. However, these bioplastics are often more expensive, contributing to the preference for traditional plastic.
The production of plastic has also become cheaper over time. Improvements in processing techniques have made mass production more cost-effective. This shift unleashed a disposable plastic boom, with products that were once packaged in glass or cans transitioning to single-use plastic. As a result, plastic pollution has skyrocketed, and our planet is now inundated with plastic waste.
Convenience is another key factor in our reliance on plastic. Plastic products are lightweight, flexible, and durable, making them ideal for various applications. For example, plastic bags are stronger than paper bags, allowing consumers to carry more items without spillage. Additionally, the durability of plastic has contributed to a shift in consumer mindset. With cheap plastic goods readily available, people are less inclined to fix, reuse, or repurpose items. Instead, it has become more convenient to discard broken items and purchase new ones, perpetuating a throwaway culture.
While plastic has undoubtedly made our lives more convenient, it has also contributed to a waste crisis. To address this issue, individuals, businesses, and policymakers must work together. Individuals can make lifestyle changes, such as recycling, using reusable water bottles, and reducing plastic consumption. Businesses can explore plastic alternatives and reduce plastic packaging. Policymakers can implement schemes like bottle deposits and support initiatives for plastic-free aisles in supermarkets. By recognizing the role of affordability and convenience in our reliance on plastic, we can take steps towards reducing our plastic footprint and protecting the planet.
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Plastic's durability and longevity
Plastic is durable, lightweight, flexible, and resistant to reacting with other materials. These qualities make it exceptionally useful, and it is now an essential part of our lives.
Plastic was first discovered in the 1800s, but its use was limited to products like appliances, cars, and electronics. The first fully synthetic plastic was invented in 1907 by Leo Baekeland. However, it wasn't until the 1950s that plastic waste became a problem. By the 1960s, plastic debris was observed in the oceans, and Americans began to become aware of the environmental problems caused by plastic.
The processing of plastics saw huge improvements, making it cheaper to produce and tap into mass production. This led to the disposable plastic boom, with products that were previously packaged in glass or cans now being introduced in disposable, single-use plastic. Plastic was superior to paper bags, as they were stronger and cheaper to manufacture. By 1979, 80% of supermarkets in Europe were using plastic, and by the early 1980s, supermarkets in the US were doing the same.
The durability of plastic has contributed to its longevity in the environment. Most plastic is made from refining oil and natural gas, composed of long carbon polymers. Plastic is engineered to be reliable and can take multiple centuries to break down. It only breaks down through photodegradation, which requires sunlight, not decomposing bacteria. In landfills, plastic is often shielded from sunlight, preventing it from breaking down. As a result, plastic pollution has accumulated in our oceans, soil, and waterways, with an estimated 150 million metric tons of plastic currently circulating in the oceans.
To address the issue of plastic longevity, alternatives to plastic packaging, such as cellulose packaging, are being developed. These bioplastics are made from renewable resources like cellulose, soy protein, and vegetable oil, and can biodegrade. While they are often more expensive, advancements in bioplastic technology aim to make them more affordable.
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Plastic's versatility and malleability
Plastic is a word that originally meant "pliable and easily shaped". It is made from refining oil and natural gas, composed of long, carbon polymers that make up the various forms of plastic we know today. The first synthetic polymer was invented in 1869 by John Wesley Hyatt, who treated cellulose derived from cotton fibre with camphor. This discovery was revolutionary as, for the first time, human manufacturing was not constrained by the limits of nature.
The versatility and malleability of plastic have made it an attractive material for a wide range of applications. Plastic can be crafted into a variety of shapes and made to imitate natural substances like tortoiseshell, horn, linen, and ivory. It is lightweight, flexible, and strong, making it ideal for various products such as clothing, toys, appliances, and electronics.
In the postwar years, plastic became increasingly popular due to its low cost and convenience. It replaced traditional materials such as steel, paper, glass, and wood in many applications, including packaging and furniture. By the 1970s and 1980s, plastic bags were widely used in supermarkets across Europe and the US, and plastic packaging became common for food items.
Today, plastic is found in a multitude of everyday items, from food wrappers and cosmetic bottles to chewing gum. It has become so integrated into our lives that it is hard to imagine a world without it. However, the negative environmental impact of plastic pollution has become increasingly evident, with plastic debris found in oceans, landfills, and even remote areas such as Mount Everest and the Mariana Trench.
While plastic has contributed to waste reduction and technological advancements, the carbon-intensive manufacturing process and long life cycle of plastic have led to a dependency issue. Most plastic is not recycled, and its resistance to degradation contributes to the accumulation of waste. To address this problem, alternatives such as bioplastics and natural polymers are being explored, and there is a growing emphasis on reducing plastic consumption and improving recycling practices.
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Plastic's environmental impact
Plastic has become an essential part of our lives, with applications in medicine and technology. However, our reliance on disposable, single-use plastic has led to severe environmental consequences. Plastic pollution is now ubiquitous, with plastic waste reaching even the most remote areas of the planet, including the top of Mount Everest and the deepest oceans.
Plastic is made from refining oil and natural gas, which involves extracting and transporting these fossil fuels. This carbon-intensive process releases hundreds of toxins, causing damage to sensory organs, the respiratory, nervous, and gastrointestinal systems, and impairing organs like the liver and brain. The production of plastic contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, which have a detrimental impact on the climate.
Once plastic is in the environment, it persists for an extremely long time, taking between 100 to 1,000 years or more to decompose, depending on environmental conditions. Plastic does not break down naturally but rather fragments into smaller pieces known as microplastics, which are invisible to the human eye. These microplastics can pass through filters and find their way into our water systems, with studies finding microplastics in bottled water, tap water, and even human stool samples.
The ingestion or inhalation of microplastics can severely impact human health, leading to chronic inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and an increased risk of stroke. Plastic pollution also poses a significant threat to marine life, with over 1,500 species in marine and terrestrial environments known to ingest plastics, leading to potential suffocation or entanglement.
While plastic has benefits, we need to address our plastic dependency crisis. This can be achieved by investing in plastic alternatives, such as bioplastics made from renewable resources, and reducing our waste. Recycling plastic is another crucial step, although currently, only a small fraction of plastic waste is economically or technically viable for recycling.
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Plastic's alternatives and solutions
Plastic has been around for about 115 years, but it was in the 1960s when it started to become a staple in our daily lives. Before this, paper and glass were used for groceries, milk bottles, and other goods. Plastic's affordability, durability, and flexibility made it a popular choice for companies and consumers. However, plastic's negative impact on the environment has led to the development of several alternatives.
One alternative is to go back to the basics and use paper and glass instead of plastic. Paper bags, for example, can be reused as fire starters, and glass bottles can be returned, cleaned, and reused. However, paper has a shorter lifespan than plastic and requires more energy to produce. Glass, on the other hand, is heavy to transport. Additionally, nearly all food tins and drinks cans are lined with plastic, making it challenging to completely avoid plastic usage.
Another alternative is to use reusable and refillable packaging and buy unpackaged goods. This option is often available at local markets, farm shops, independent zero-waste shops, and some supermarkets. It requires a shift in habits and behaviour towards more sustainable practices.
Bioplastics, made from naturally occurring polymers such as cellulose, soy protein, and vegetable oil, are also an option. These materials are renewable and biodegradable. Seaweed-based packaging is another innovative solution, with companies like B'zeos and Notpla creating edible and biodegradable products like drinking straws, condiment packets, cutlery, and plastic wrap.
Finally, consumers can opt for durable metals like stainless steel for food and beverage storage. Stainless steel is tough, easy to clean, and can replace single-use cups, kitchen storage, and lunch boxes. Additionally, upcycling glass jars into food storage is a cost-effective way to reduce waste.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic was first discovered in the 1800s, but its use was mostly limited to products like appliances, cars, and electronics. The first fully synthetic plastic was invented in 1907. Plastic became popular due to its low cost, durability, and flexibility.
Improvements in plastic processing made it cheaper to produce and easier to mass-produce. This led to the emergence of disposable, single-use plastic products. By the 1970s and 1980s, plastic bags were widely used in supermarkets across Europe and the US.
Plastic challenged and replaced traditional materials like steel, paper, glass, and wood due to its versatility, durability, and low cost. It also freed people from the constraints of natural resource scarcity.
Plastic pollution has contaminated our oceans, water supply, and food chain. It has also contributed to climate change and air pollution. The long life cycle of plastic means it can take multiple centuries to break down, leading to waste accumulation and environmental degradation.
