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  1. Plastic | Composition, History, Uses, Types, & Facts | Britannica

    Nov 19, 2025 · plastic, polymeric material that has the capability of being molded or shaped, usually by the application of heat and pressure.

  2. Plastic - Polymers, Synthetic, Recycling | Britannica

    Nov 19, 2025 · Plastic - Polymers, Synthetic, Recycling: Polymers are chemical compounds whose molecules are very large, often resembling long chains made up of a seemingly …

  3. Plastic pollution | Definition, Sources, Effects, Solutions, Ocean ...

    Nov 18, 2025 · Plastics are persistent large-scale pollutants, and plastic debris (such as bottles, straws, containers, and plastic wrap) and particulates have been found in many environmental …

  4. plastics summary | Britannica

    Polyethylene (PE), light, versatile synthetic resin made from the polymerization of ethylene. Polyethylene is a member of the important family of polyolefin resins. It is the most widely …

  5. Plastic - Biodegradable, Recyclable, Compostable | Britannica

    Nov 19, 2025 · Plastic - Biodegradable, Recyclable, Compostable: None of the commodity plastics degrades rapidly in the environment. Nevertheless, some scientists and …

  6. How does plastic pollute the environment? | Britannica

    Nov 18, 2025 · Plastic is not biodegradable. Instead of breaking down completely, it forms smaller pieces called microplastics, which can last on Earth for centuries.

  7. plastic pollution Facts | Britannica

    Plastics are persistent large-scale pollutants, and plastic debris (such as bottles, straws, containers, and plastic wrap) and particulates have been found in many environmental niches, …

  8. Plastic pollution - Marine Debris, Microplastics, Landfill | Britannica

    Nov 18, 2025 · Plastic pollution was first noticed in the ocean by scientists carrying out plankton studies in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and oceans and beaches still receive most of the …

  9. Plastic - Injection Molding, Polymers, Manufacturing | Britannica

    Nov 19, 2025 · Plastic - Injection Molding, Polymers, Manufacturing: It is usually slow and inefficient to mold thermoplastics using the compression molding techniques described above.

  10. Single-Use Plastics | Pros, Cons, Debate, Arguments, Plastics Bans ...

    Nov 20, 2025 · Some jurisdictions have dealt with this problem by outright banning single-use plastics. In the United States, San Francisco was the first city to ban plastic bags, and many …