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 …

Nov 19, 2025 · plastic, polymeric material that has the capability of being molded or shaped, usually by the application of heat and pressure.

Plastic waste invades every corner of our planet, and threatens sea life. But there's still hope for a future free from plastic pollution.

6 days ago · For the average person, trying to avoid plastics can feel overwhelming—and maybe pointless. Our writer asked two experts how they navigate our plastic-filled world.

Oct 31, 2025 · Plastic products are generally versatile, durable and lightweight. Plastic products are prominent in the construction, transportation, and packaging industries. Plastic innovations …

Nov 20, 2025 · Scientists have long known that plastic waste is bad for marine animals. A new study quantifies how little ingested plastic it takes to be a lethal dose.

On this page, you can find all of our data, visualizations, and writing on plastic pollution. The first synthetic plastic – Bakelite – was produced in 1907, marking the beginning of the global plastics …

Apr 25, 2023 · 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, …

Plastic is a word that originally meant “pliable and easily shaped.” It only recently became a name for a category of materials called polymers. The word polymer means “of many parts,” and polymers are …

Plastics are incredibly versatile materials that can be used to make a variety of products. They are lightweight yet durable, strong yet malleable, and relatively inexpensive to produce. There are seven …