Except for the 1% of “bioplastics” made from corn or other plants, 99% of plastics are made from fossil fuels and a mixture of 10,000 petrochemical additives, also made from oil and gas. They do not biodegrade.
As leaders finally grasp the gravity of the plastic pollution problem, new efforts are being made to build a more sustainable future for this versatile but pervasive commodity, including cutting-edge alternatives and engineering innovations in waste management and processing.
Today, the United Nations Environment Assembly adopted a broad negotiating mandate for a new legally binding international agreement on plastic pollution. Under the mandate, countries are expected to adopt a final agreement by the end of 2024.
Americans, we are told, generate more plastic waste both by weight and per person than any other country 42 million metric tons (MMT) yearly or 287 pounds per man, woman, and child, at least as of 2016.