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How are plastics made?

Most plastics are made from chemicals that come from petrol, gas or coal.

They are made by heating these chemicals at a high temperature. When the plastic is soft it can be poured into a mould. Once the plastic cools, it hardens into a shape.

Plastic is a material that can be formed into almost any shape. This is one of the reasons it is so useful.

Plastics are also strong, long-lasting and light. They resist damage because they are so hardwearing.

There are about 50 main types of plastic. Manufacturers use it because it is so easy and cheap to produce. For example, some car makers try to use plastic rather than metal for different car parts.

But the materials that are used to create plastics are very bad for the environment when they are burned. So we have to be very careful in choosing when to use plastic and when not to.

Good and bad plastics

While many plastics are bad for the environment, there are some that can be used in great ways - like the plastics in bicycle helmets, safety seats and keeping your house warm.

But the ways some companies and people use plastic causes real damage to nature – especially when it comes to throwing it away.

The trouble with plastic litter is that it never really goes away. The plastic you see lying around might disappear in around 500 years. But it really just turns into millions of tiny bits of microplastic that get everywhere and cause problems for humans, animals and the environment.

Plastic is especially problematic in the sea, where it hurts all sorts of marine creatures.

Plastics are also taking up too much room in landfill sites. Some fishing lines collect more plastic than fish because the ocean cannot break it down.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

It is very difficult to ban all plastics because there are some good ones.

We need to be more responsible about how we use plastic and how we dispose of it. Remember the words reduce, reuse and recycle.

We should reduce the amount of plastic we use and try to find other materials to use instead.

If we do use plastic, we should try to use it again and again so that we don’t just throw it away. In other words, we should reuse it. For example, we can buy reusable water bottles and even bamboo toothbrushes. Also, you can bring your plastic bag to the shop every time. Unfortunately, we use nearly 100 million plastic bags a year here!

The last word is recycle. That means we use our plastic to make other things.

You can help at home by making sure that every bit of plastic that can be recycled is put in the right bin or box. If you aren't sure, ask an adult to help you.