Plastics 101

Plastics are a part of our everyday lives, from food containers to soda bottles to soap dispensers to the life-saving ventilators used at hospitals. This cheap to produce, life-saving product is everywhere, in every aspect of our lives. Unfortunately, having plastic everywhere also means it ends up everywhere in our environment, as well. There are literally billions of tons of plastic in the world. Despite taking steps to recycle what we can, plastic is still harming the environment, specifically regarding microplastics and microbeads. These literal bits of plastic can seep into our oceans and soil, with recent research showing microplastics can carry pathogens out to sea. Despite our efforts to curb plastic waste, the question remains, “Are we doing enough?”