Plastic

This book offers an interdisciplinary perspective on the entire "life cycle" of plastic, tracing its evolution from natural cellulose to synthetic materials, while also directly addressing the global environmental crisis and social challenges it presents. The book chronicles the development and application of plastics: from celluloid replacing ivory, to the birth of Bakelite, to today's annual plastic production exceeding 400 million tons, used in key areas such as packaging, medical, and construction. However, the high reliance on plastic in packaging and the global spread of a "throwaway culture" make plastics more likely to quickly become waste, and a low recycling rate of less than 10% further highlights the difficulties in managing them.