Plastic is ubiquitous. Around 1m plastic water bottles are sold every minute and 5trn plastic bags are used around the world every year, according to the un’s Environment Programme. Half of all production, which is growing faster than that of any other material, is designed for single-use applications. The world’s annual output of over 400m tonnes is set to reach 1,100m by 2050. Mountains of waste mean pressure from both the public and regulators to improve recycling.
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