Plastic, in its many forms, has surrounded us for nearly a century and is now one of the most common raw materials in the world. We use it to produce a wide variety of products, including bottles, food packaging, and bags, as well as sewage pipes, flooring, chairs, and car accessories. The term "plastic" encompasses many types of synthetic materials known for their affordability, lightweight properties, rapid production capabilities, and versatility in shaping into almost any desired form, resulting in lightweight and durable items.
It's no wonder the plastic industry has grown to become one of the largest in the world. 1 View gallery Plastic particles in the sea ( Photo: Screenshot ) For many years, it has been known that plastic has a detrimental impact on Earth's ecology. Its durability means it breaks down very slowly, unlike natural materials, leading to the accumulation of plastic waste in oceans and on land, causing severe damage to various ecosystems.
As plastic degrades, wears out, or ages, it fragments into tiny particles known as microplastics or nanoplastics, named for their minuscule size, often measuring just a few micrometers, or even nanometers—a billionth of a meter. In recent years, numerous studies have shown that microplastics are not only prevalent in soil, oceans, and the air, but also in our bodies - in human tissues such as lungs, placenta, blood, urine, and breast milk. These particles enter our bodies through ingestion, inhalation, and sometimes ev.