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The word 'plastic' is derived from a Greek word meaning 'capable of being shaped or molded'.
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Plastic can be a cost-effective way to package products but it creates a lot of waste.
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It takes less energy to recycle plastic than it does to burn it.
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It is estimated that 14 billion pounds of trash, much of which is plastic, is dumped into the ocean every single year.
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There are approximately 13 billion plastic bags used each year in the United States.
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It takes roughly 450 years for a plastic bottle to begin decomposing, and then still up to 80 more years to decompose.
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An adult-sized fleece jacket can be made from 25 recycled PET bottles.
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The fishing industry drops more than 150,000 tons of plastic into the oceans each year. This plastic comes in the form as buoys, fishing lines, packaging, and even plastic nets.
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In the United States, approximately 40% of household waste is created by plastic drinking bottles.
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When you buy a bottle of water, only 10% of the cost is for the water while 90% is for the plastic bottle.
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It takes 24 million gallons of oil to produce one billion plastic drinking bottles.
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Millions of animals and fish in the oceans and lakes each year die because they mistake plastic for food.
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Despite the increase in recycling plastic in the United States, plastic production is only continuing to grow.
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To reduce the estimated 300 plastic bags an adult uses each year, some countries have completely banned their use. Ireland, Austria, Bangladesh, China, Australia, and many in Europe have put this plastic bag ban in place.
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There is enough plastic shrink wrap produced in the United States each year to shrink wrap Texas.
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Plastic is popular because it is cheap to produce but also because it is easy to mold, shape, cast, or press into the desired form with relative ease.
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Polyester is a type of plastic commonly used to create textiles and textiles.
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Polyethylene terephthalate is a type of plastic used for creating water bottles, microwave packaging, and plastic film.
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Polyethylene is a type of plastic used to make shopping bags.
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Shower curtains, plumbing pipes, and even some flooring are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
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Drinking straws, snack containers, and car bumpers are made from polypropylene.
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Mobile phone cases are often made with a type of plastic called polycarbonate.
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Every piece of plastic that has ever been produced still exists in some form. Since its beginnings in the 1800s, it will be more than 450 years before it ever starts to decompose.
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