Does Plastic Ever Go Away?

Generally, it takes many decades for plastics to degrade in the environment. Plastics degrade by oxidation and hydrolysis. Oxidation and hydrolysis are accelerated by heat and sunlight.

A CASE STUDY

The following case study is the property of Plastic Expert Group and cannot be copied or distributed without prior permission. Our case analysis does not imply that this specific plastic failure will happen systematically. Every case is unique and should be treated accordingly.

PROBLEM: DOES PLASTIC EVERY GO AWAY?

Generally, it takes many decades for plastics to degrade in the environment. Plastics degrade by oxidation and hydrolysis. Oxidation and hydrolysis are accelerated by heat and sunlight. Chemicals can be added to the plastic to accelerate the rate of degradation. Some plastics are designed to degrade rapidly in the environment. For example, plastic 6-pack loop carriers, are manufactured using ethylene-carbon monoxide (ECO) copolymer. The ethylene-CO bonds rapidly break down, causing the plastic loops to become brittle and disintegrate into small fragments when exposed to sunlight.

Related articles

4 min read

An Expert’s Perspective on Plastic Recycling, Poverty and the Environment

February 8, 2019

5 min read

The Impact of Plastics on the Environment

January 3, 2019

8 min read

What do PP Pipes and PP Mesh Implants have in Common?

September 20, 2023