A global flooding of plastics

Abstract

Plastics were invented 150 years ago. They emerged as sustainable and ingenious alternatives to solve storage, transportation, clothing, and construction issues. Nonetheless, since their early beginnings to the current moment, their global usage has grown exponentially, leading to a severe environmental problem. Plastics have flooded our lands, lakes, rivers and, mostly, the oceans. They caused the death and suffering of millions of animals and, as we discovered recently, are responsible for several human illnesses. In the current scenario, there is a pressing need for alternatives to plastic usage, disposal and reuse to start reducing their multiple impacts. In this article we tell you the story of plastics, a journey from their noble beginnings to a serious environmental issue. In the last part, we will share with you some of the alternatives to counteract the problem, in the hope that you will also think of novel alternatives.

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