plastics

Plastic contamination of the environment is a global problem whose magnitude justifies the consideration of plastics as emergent geomaterials with chemistries not previously seen in Earth’s history. At the elemental level, plastics are…

SummaryThe visual nature of plastic pollution and the scandals of plastic waste exports to developing countries have prompted a shift in how plastics are made, used, and disposed. Plastic waste remains poorly managed, with as much as 12,000…

SummaryBioplastics are a broad category of materials encompassing bio-based, biodegradable, or both bio-based and biodegradable plastics. They can be manufactured from diverse sources, including crops (e.g., corn, sugar cane, and,…

SummaryAmid the global plastic pollution crisis, a growing number of governments and nongovernmental actors are proposing a new global treaty. In February 2021, at the fifth meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA)—the…

SummaryPeople often grumble that plastics are too durable. Water bottles, shopping bags, and other trash litter the planet, from Mount Everest to the Mariana Trench, because plastics are ubiquitous and don't break down easily. But some…