Importance of Plastic in Modern Society: Recycling Is the Best Way of Waste Management

Abstract

Plastic is one of the best and useful inventions of human civilization that possesses both positive and negative expressions. It has extremely advanced the human society in various sectors. It is a polymer based on petroleum products that is used in multipurpose activities, such as household, industry, construction, electrical and electronics, automotive, medical, and packaging. The annual global production of plastics has surpassed 460 million tons in 2025, yet only about 10% of waste plastics are recycled. Over production and consumption of plastic and due to their stable and non-biodegradable nature has led to serious environmental problems, such as contamination of air, soil, sediment, groundwater, and oceans; and also it is related to climate change due to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Therefore, worldwide production, consumption, and disposal of plastic are not sustainable. This paper investigates variants of plastic, and its efficient use and recycling patterns in brief.