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 range of solid forms.
plastic, polymeric material that has the capability of being molded or shaped, usually by the application of heat and pressure.
In this article, we'll examine the chemistry of plastic, how it's made, how it's used, and how it's disposed of and recycled. We'll also look at some new biologically based plastics and their role in the future of plastic.
Worried about bisphenol A (BPA) and other plastic chemicals? Read about types of plastics, how they're made and what the resin identification (recycling) numbers mean.
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 industry. However, rapid growth in global plastic production didn’t happen until the 1950s.