Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic materials composed primarily of polymers. Their defining characteristic, plasticity, allows them to be molded, extruded, or pressed into a diverse range
Plastics pose a wide range of hazards for people, ecosystems and the climate. Ninety-nine percent of plastics are made from fossil fuels and generate planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions
plastic, polymeric material that has the capability of being molded or shaped, usually by the application of heat and pressure.
Improving the management of plastic waste across the world — especially in poorer countries, where most of the ocean plastics come from — is therefore critical to tackling this problem. This page presents all
Plastic pollution has become one of the most significant environmental challenges facing the world today. From oceans and rivers to food and drinking water, plastic waste is now found almost everywhere on
Affordable, durable and flexible, plastic pervades modern life, appearing in everything from packaging to clothes to beauty products. But it is thrown away on a massive scale: every year, more
From polymers to nurdles, learn how plastic is created and what we can do to slow the lasting repercussions this material will have on both our planet and our lives.