THE EVOLUTION OF PLASTIC revolutionised the modern world, making space travel possible, lightening cars and helmets, and creating machinery for clean drinking water. However, there is a dark side to these advancements: Namely disposable plastics, also known as single-use plastics, which are an ever-growing global concern.
Single-use plastics, such as plastic bags, food wrappers, and plastic bottles, contribute significantly to the global plastic consumption crisis and may continue to do so for a hundred more years. Less developed countries have had to bear the brunt of the global crisis with underdeveloped recycling facilities coupled with inefficient garbage disposal systems.
Rapid plastic development follows an increasing carbon footprint. The sources of carbon footprint in the case of plastics are the fossil fuels used for production, energy-intensive processes during manufacturing, and carbon emissions during incineration of plastic waste.
