The Hidden Cost of Our Dependence on Plastic

Plastic has become one of the defining materials of the modern world. Lightweight, durable, and inexpensive, it has transformed industries ranging from healthcare and food preservation to transportation and technology. Yet the very properties that make plastic so useful have also made it one of the planet's most persistent environmental challenges. Today, the world produces more than 400 million tonnes of plastic every year, and that figure continues to rise. Less than 10% of plastic is recycled globally, while the majority is landfilled, incinerated, or released into the environment, where it can persist for centuries. The plastic pollution crisis extends...