Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic waste in the environment. It clogs waterways, litters beaches, and fills landfills. Plastic is durable, cheap, and versatile, which is why it is everywhere. Those same qualities make it a persistent pollutant. A plastic bottle takes centuries to break down. A fishing net can entangle marine life for decades.

The ocean is a major sink. Millions of tons of plastic enter the sea each year. Currents concentrate it into garbage patches. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch covers an area twice the size of Texas, though it is mostly small fragments, not a solid mass. Wildlife eats the plastic or gets tangled in it. Microplastics now contaminate the entire food chain.

Solutions are emerging. Bans on single-use plastics have spread. Recycling rates remain low, but deposit systems and better sorting help. Biodegradable alternatives exist but are not a complete answer. Reducing production is the most direct approach. The plastic industry is resisting. The fight is political as much as technical.

Common sources

• Single-use packaging
• Beverage bottles
• Fishing gear
• Microbeads
• Synthetic textiles