Plastics are part of our daily lives. Besides being extremely
Plastics are part of our daily lives. Besides being extremely lightweight, they are strong and durable. A majority of plastics are made from petroleum or natural gas and are generally inexpensive to produce, as most of them are byproducts of petroleum or crude oil.
From delicate artificial heart valves to lifesaving medical equipment, and from packing and packaging materials to industrial supplies, countless other items are made using various types of plastics.
The Birth of Plastics
The first plastic was created in 1856 by Alexander Parkes, an English inventor. However, the breakthrough came in 1907 when the fully synthetic, durable plastic was invented by Leo Baekland, a Belgian chemist working in the United States.
Over the years, several types of plastics have been made to manufacture millions of different kinds of products.
Pollution from Plastics
Currently, of the estimated 350 million tons of plastic that are generated each year, about 6 million tons find their way to our oceans and waterbodies as waste. Pollution from plastics is affecting our natural ecosystems at
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