More than 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year, but less than 10% are recycled. The transport and distribution of plastic are global processes, and a large proportion of the waste generated by human activities is composed of this material. Plastic pollution is considered one of the main problems and challenges of the current century.
The smallest plastic fragments are the most dangerous and the most difficult to reduce. As we breathe, the air that enters our lungs contains microscopic plastic particles, known as microplastics and nanoplastics. Similarly, any food or drink we consume also contains traces of these particles.
Even the most isolated and untouched places on the planet have not escaped the presence of plastic. Despite years, and even decades, devoted by the developed world to implementing recycling measures for the various types of waste we generate, global recycling rates remain very low.
