How to make plastic less of an environmental burden

Plastic has long been an ecological problem. But emerging technologies and more awareness could make the ubiquitous material part of a circular economy.

  1. Sarah DeWeerdt
    1. Sarah DeWeerdt is a science writer based in Seattle, Washington.

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

    An illustration showing colourful molecules forming a plastic bottle and dismantled to form a plastic chair.

    There’s a soap dish for sale at a beauty products shop in São Paulo, Brazil. An off-white disc with a smooth, rounded shape like a river stone, it is just one of millions of plastic soap dishes on offer in shops around the world. But, although most plastics are made from petroleum, some of the plastic in this dish started out as methane generated by a water-treatment facility in California.

    Access options

    Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

    Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

    cancel any time

    Subscribe to this journal

    Receive 51 print issues and online access

    196,21 € per year

    only 3,85 € per issue

    Rent or buy this article

    Prices vary by article type

    Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

    Nature 611, S2-S5 (2022)

    This article is part of Nature Outlook: The circular economy, an editorially independent supplement produced with the financial support of third parties. About this content.

    References

    1. Zibunas, C., Meys, R., Kätelhön, A. & Bardow, A. Comput. Chem. Eng.162, 107798 (2022). ArticleGoogle Scholar
    2. Geyer, R., Jambeck, J. R. & Law, K. L. Sci. Adv.3, e1700782 (2017). ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
    3. Lange, J.-P. ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng.9, 15722–15738 (2021). ArticleGoogle Scholar
    4. Tiso, T. et al.Metab. Eng.71, 77–98 (2022). ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
    5. Klotz, M., Haupt, M. & Hellweg, S. Waste Manag. 141, 251–270 (2022). ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
    6. Wilson, D. C. & Velis, C. A. Waste Manag. Res.33, 1049–1051 (2015). ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
    7. Bardow, A. et al. Preprint at Research Square https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1788256/v1 (2022).
    8. Johansen, M. R., Christensen, T. B., Ramos, T. M. & Syberg, K. J.Environ. Manag.302, 113975 (2022). ArticleGoogle Scholar
    9. King, S. & Locock, K. E. S. J. Clean. Prod.364, 132503 (2022). ArticleGoogle Scholar

    Related Articles

    Subjects

    Latest on:

    Sustainability

    The pharmaceutical industry must embrace synthetic alternatives to horseshoe-crab blood

    Correspondence 10 SEP 24

    Data on SDGs are riddled with gaps. Citizens can help

    Data on SDGs are riddled with gaps. Citizens can help

    Comment 10 SEP 24

    Waste management won’t solve the plastics problem — we need to cut consumption

    Waste management won’t solve the plastics problem — we need to cut consumption

    News & Views 04 SEP 24

    Materials science

    A polymer-like ultrahigh-strength metal alloy

    A polymer-like ultrahigh-strength metal alloy

    Article 04 SEP 24

    Natural acid makes super-sticky eco-friendly glue

    Natural acid makes super-sticky eco-friendly glue

    Research Highlight 29 AUG 24

    Inside China’s race to lead the world in nuclear fusion

    Inside China’s race to lead the world in nuclear fusion

    News Feature 28 AUG 24

    Environmental sciences

    Wildfires are spreading fast in Canada — we must strengthen <a href=forests for the future" />

    Wildfires are spreading fast in Canada — we must strengthen forests for the future

    Comment 09 SEP 24

    Simple steps could shrink US beef industry’s carbon hoofprint

    Simple steps could shrink US beef industry’s carbon hoofprint

    Research Highlight 05 SEP 24

    Why the next pandemic could come from the Arctic — and what to do about it

    Why the next pandemic could come from the Arctic — and what to do about it

    World View 04 SEP 24

    Jobs

    Assistant Professor in Forest Genetics

    Assistant Professor position in Forest Genetics with focus on genetic biodiversity in relation to forestry at Umeå Plant Science Centre Umeå (Kommun), Västerbotten (SE) Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)

    Associate Professor/Professor (Tenure-Track) in Human Genetics [Req#: 810264]

    Dallas, Texas (US) The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern Medical Center)

    Southeast University Future Technology Institute Recruitment Notice

    Professor openings in mechanical engineering, control science and engineering, and integrating emerging interdisciplinary majors Nanjing, Jiangsu (CN) Southeast University

    Scripps Research Institute, Fellow Position, Fall 2025

    Scripps Research Institute is seeking an outstanding candidate for the 2025 Fellow position in La Jolla, CA. La Jolla, California Scripps Research Institute

    Faculty Positions in Biology and Biological Engineering: Caltech, Pasadena, CA, United States

    The Division of Biology and Biological Engineering (BBE) at Caltech is seeking new faculty in the area of Neuroscience. Pasadena, California California Institute of Technology (Caltech)