Plastic Pollution and Its Solution.
It is undeniable that plastic has completely changed our lives. Our current lives are closely related to plastic products. However, due to our excessive use of plastics and the lack of relevant recycling measures, plastic products have already had a serious negative impact on the ecosystem.
From 1950 to 2019, humans have produced 8.3 billion tons of plastic and 6.4 billion tons of waste, of which only 9% is recycled, 12% is incinerated, and 79% is landfilled. In fact, most plastics can be recycled.
Because of changes in the types of polymers we use, it is particularly important to develop new recycling methods. More and more products, such as cars, rely on the strength of composite materials made of fiberglass and carbon fiber. These materials cannot be melted and reshaped as easily as other plastics. Chemists have begun to study ways to recycle them in the laboratory. Others choose to develop plastics that are easier to recycle.
The road to recycling plastic is full of challenges, and not all plastics have the opportunity to be recycled. PET bottles and high-density polyethylene containers are the most valuable because these plastics are relatively clean materials. Other plastic waste, such as polypropylene plastics will end up being landfills.
More and more people are beginning to pay attention to recyclable plastics. Despite the difficulties, chemists will continue to carry out unremitting research.
Sources:
1. Tullo, A. H. Plastic Has a Problem; Is Chemical Recycling the Solution? C&EN Global Enterprise2019, 97(39), 29–34.
2. Hub, I. Plastic: The problem and its impact – Impact Hub https://impacthub.net/plastic-the-problem-and-its-impact/ (accessed Mar 25, 2021).
Your rhyming title is quite effective. Your first figure is dramatic and eye-catching. The graphic of the types of plastic pollution is also effective. You outline the problem quite well. What you don't do is mention specific approaches to solving the problem. The C&EN article is focused on depolymerization of various plastic products to produce reusable monomers. That should be briefly discussed in a post like this since it is the focus of the article. Some mention of something from general interest media might also be appropriate when you are talking about something from C&EN.
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