At the inception of plastics, humanity viewed them as a great resource to use in place of natural resources. It wasn’t until the 1960s that the harm from the misuse and pollution of plastics became the new focus. This would revolutionize the way the planet looks at plastics and how we use and manufacture them for a brighter future. Now, we can see the big picture of how plastics changed the world forever so that we respect and use them in more sustainable ways.
Availability of New Materials
When plastics came onto the scene, people viewed them as a miracle substance. They labeled plastic a polymer, which translates to “of many parts.” Taking substances like the carbon atoms of petroleum, you could layer synthetic strings of these polymers to make a super durable, lightweight, flexible, and long-lasting product that was usable for just about anything you could imagine. World War II promoted the use of plastics to help the troops overseas, as plastic was easy and cheap to produce. Advances in reinforced thermoplastics from plastic containers to water bottles have made our lives better and more mobile. Manufacturers used it to make all kinds of tools and supplies for the soldiers. This era began the great plastics movement and the innovations of plastics that took hold for generations.
Growing Concerns About Plastics
It wasn’t until the 1960s that activist groups formed to dismantle the production and sales of plastics on a global scale. The world opened its eyes to the detrimental effects of plastics on the planet. But while these groups rallied to make a better world, they only had half the solution nailed. Recycling programs started in the 1980s and have continued with great success into the current era. More harm or good comes from how we choose to handle plastics rather than from the materials themselves.
The Future of Plastics
Now that we have realized that our irresponsibility with plastics was a significant problem, scientists are working diligently on multiple ways to combat this problem and eliminate it permanently. The first and most important step is to make plastics safe to use and more sustainable. There have been many movements and advancements toward this goal. Scientists are working to make polymers that are solely plant-based and could replace fossil fuels entirely. Other advances include a movement toward completely biodegradable plastic. And lastly, people are working to turn plastics back into fossil fuels, from which they were derived. The world continues to work toward a solution and makes progress.
Knowing what we do about polymers explains how plastics have changed the world forever. And with that level of insight, we can make things better for ourselves and for the future of plastics.
