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 …

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

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.

4 days ago · Plastic pollution is already bad, and it’s only slated to get worse. A lot worse. A new analysis of the rising tide of plastic is the subject of today’s newsletter. Plus, a widely …

1 day ago · An estimated 280 million metric tons of plastic waste will enter the air, water, soil, and human bodies every year by 2040, data shows

4 days ago · A major new report published today by The Pew Charitable Trusts and its partners, “Breaking the Plastic Wave 2025: An Assessment of the Global System and Strategies for …

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. …

Plastic pollution is a global problem. Every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas.

Get the latest facts about plastic pollution and its impact on human health, social justice, environmental, climate, and wildlife.

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 …