Life in the Plasticene

How our most miraculous invention is threatening to destroy us

If you want a fable that encapsulates the existential dilemma our planet finds itself in, the story of plastic is surely the most compelling. The invention of a magical set of substances that could be moulded into any shape, that were easy and cheap to make, durable, water-resistant, heat-resistant, germ-resistant, lightweight, and strong was a turning point in the planet’s history.

The industrial chemists who figured out how to artificially reproduce natural polymers – such as rubber, horn, cellulose, and resin – had finally fulfilled the dream of the ancient alchemists. They were summoning a form of gold out of gas and petroleum.

Leo Baekeland coined the term ‘plastic’ from the Greek plastikos meaning ‘mouldable’ and in 1907 gave his name to the first commercially produced plastic product, Bakelite.

Today, the global plastics market is worth $700 billion and is dominated by 20 companies led by the state-owned Chinese energy company Sinopec, followed by Exxon Mobile, and Dow Inc. Because plastics are made from petroleum and natural gas, some of the biggest energy companies are also plastics manufacturers. Our modern lifestyle is built on, and from, plastic.

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