Strategy for Plastics Innovation

Plastics are versatile, durable, lightweight, and cost-effective compared to many other materials, making them desirable in many applications. They are critical to the safe and economical distribution of food globally, make up energy-efficient packaging, provide lightweighting options to reduce the energy consumed by cars and airplanes, and are key components of many medical devices and safety equipment. Annually, over 300 million metric tons of new plastic are generated globally and only a small percentage is recycled, not including materials such as composites and rubbers. Most plastic waste ends up in landfills, but plastics also leak into the environment, representing an environmental challenge.