
Plastic - Wikipedia
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 …
Plastic | Composition, History, Uses, Types, & Facts | Britannica
Sep 11, 2025 · plastic, polymeric material that has the capability of being molded or shaped, usually by the application of heat and pressure.
Everything you need to know about plastic pollution
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, …
History and Future of Plastics - Science History Institute
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 …
The world’s plastic pollution crisis, explained - National Geographic
Jun 7, 2019 · Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues, thanks to the overwhelming rise in production of disposable plastic products. Plastic pollution is most visible in...
PLASTIC Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
The meaning of PLASTIC is a plastic substance; specifically : any of numerous organic synthetic or processed materials that are mostly thermoplastic or thermosetting polymers of high molecular …
7 Main Types of Plastic: Properties, Uses & Impact
Explore the 7 main types of plastic, their properties, and environmental impact. Learn how plastic classification helps recycling and sustainable decisions.
Plastic Pollution - Our World in Data
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 …
Impacts of Plastic Pollution | US EPA
May 15, 2025 · Plastic pollution poses a threat to the marine environment. It puts marine species at higher risk of ingesting plastic, suffocating, or becoming entangled in plastic pollution. Research …
Microplastics and our health: What the science says
Jan 29, 2025 · Whether we know it, or like it, our bodies are polluted by tiny fragments of plastic that fail to break down in our earthly environment. What does that mean for our long-term health, and what …