plastic pollution

Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

Recent News

Jun. 3, 2023, 8:07 AM ET (AP)
Delegates working to end global plastics pollution agree to craft a draft treaty
Global negotiators have agreed to create a draft treaty to address plastic pollution, a major environmental issue caused by human waste. This is an important first step in tackling the problem.
May 29, 2023, 8:23 AM ET (AP)
UN talks on a treaty to end global plastic pollution open in Paris
A United Nations committee met in Paris Monday to work on what is intended to be a landmark treaty to bring an end to global plastic pollution, but there is little agreement yet on what the outcome should be
May 24, 2023, 7:21 PM ET (AP)
Shell agrees to pay $10 million for air pollution at massive new Pennsylvania petrochemical plant
Shell has agreed to pay $10 million to resolve allegations that it polluted the air around its massive new petrochemical refinery in western Pennsylvania

plastic pollution, accumulation in the environment of synthetic plastic products to the point that they create problems for wildlife and their habitats as well as for human populations. In 1907 the invention of Bakelite brought about a revolution in materials by introducing truly synthetic plastic resins into world commerce. By the end of the 20th century, plastics had been found to be persistent polluters of many environmental niches, from Mount Everest to the bottom of the sea. Whether being mistaken for food by animals, flooding low-lying areas by clogging drainage systems, or simply causing significant aesthetic blight, plastics have attracted ...(100 of 1682 words)