
Plastic - Wikipedia
Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic materials composed primarily of polymers. Their defining characteristic, plasticity, allows them to be molded, extruded, or pressed into a …
Plastic | Composition, History, Uses, Types, & Facts | Britannica
Nov 19, 2025 · plastic, polymeric material that has the capability of being molded or shaped, usually by the application of heat and pressure.
About Plastic Products and Plastic Pollution | US EPA
Oct 31, 2025 · Plastic products are generally versatile, durable and lightweight. Plastic products are prominent in the construction, transportation, and packaging industries. Plastic innovations …
The 7 Different Types of Plastics
Plastics are incredibly versatile materials that can be used to make a variety of products. They are lightweight yet durable, strong yet malleable, and relatively inexpensive to produce. There are …
How Plastics Work - HowStuffWorks
Plastics are made from oil. Oil is a carbon-rich raw material, and plastics are large carbon-containing compounds. They're large molecules called polymers, which are composed of …
Scientists Develop Plastics That Can Break Down, Tackling Pollution
Nov 26, 2025 · Rutgers researchers use a principle in nature to create plastics that self-destruct at programmed speeds, offering a solution to global plastic waste Yuwei Gu was hiking through …
Plastic: Definition, Types, Properties, Applications ... - Xometry
Apr 21, 2023 · Plastic requires lots of different polymers and materials, both artificial and natural. It’s made using several raw materials, and some of them include natural gas, coal, starch, …
An Introduction to Plastics - Chemical Safety Facts
Learn about the types of plastic classification, history and unique chemistry that gives plastic its variety of uses and applications. What is Plastic? A plastic is a type of synthetic or man-made …
Scientists Develop New Plastics That Break Down Safely Instead of ...
6 days ago · Scientists have identified a way to control how and when synthetic polymers break apart. The discovery suggests that everyday materials could one day be designed to vanish, …
Is cutting back on plastic really worth all the effort?
For the average person, trying to avoid plastics can feel overwhelming—and maybe pointless. Our writer asked two experts how they navigate our plastic-filled world.