Abstract
Untangling plastics: Reaching the post-plastic age for sustainability plastics are made from fossil fuels, and in every step in a piece of plastic’s lifecycle, from creation to destruction, it negatively impacts our Earth. And yet, more and more plastics are being produced every day, even as we scrounge for ways to reduce carbon emissions. We can no longer afford to ignore the connection between plastic and climate change. Untangling plastics is a comprehensive investigation of the manufacturing, use, and disposal of plastics and their impact on the health of the environment and human beings. Bob Gedert pulls from current research and his forty-five-year career in the recycling industry to reveal how our current methods for addressing the issue of plastics have been insufficient and instead supplies real solutions for how we can adopt greener ways of living. With step-by-step plans to phase plastics out of society, Bob provides actionable strategies and resources so individuals can change their consumer practices to slow the effects of environmental destruction. Our planet has already been irreversibly damaged by the impact of plastics, and we will never successfully limit climate change if we can’t untangle ourselves from the creeping web of plastics.
Citation: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Environmental Sustainability Through Waste and Recycling (ENSURE – 2026). USG Proc J 2(Suppl 15): S1-S20.
