According to the World Economic Forum, plastic production has increased twenty-fold since 1964. This increased production, coupled with insufficient waste management protocols and the one-time use of most plastic products, has led to a global threat: plastic pollution. Indeed, plastic waste has infiltrated the world’s oceans and lands and has become a potential hazard to our environment and human health.
Recently, the plastic pollution threat has been compounded by the discovery of microplastics—small plastic particles that result from the breakdown of human-made plastics, typically measuring less than 5 millimeters.
