Global annual production of plastic has increased exponentially over the past 65 years, growing from 2 million metric tons in 1950 to 460 million metric tons in 2019. Much of this plastic quickly becomes waste, and plastic waste is found everywhere, including the farthest reaches of the Arctic, the deep seabed, and even in clouds and the atmosphere. In a recent study, every human placenta tested was found to have microplastics in it. An estimated 242 million metric tons of plastic waste is generated globally every year, and the United States is one of the top generators. At least 1,565 wildlife species have been found to accidentally ingest plastic, which can lead to starvation, intestinal blockages, and death, and even more wildlife are injured or die every year due to plastic entanglement.
Yet plastic pollution is not just a waste issue to be managed and not just a…