Plastic contributes to climate change....Ninety-nine percent of plastics are made from fossil fuels and generate planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions throughout their lifecycles. Emissions are released when raw materials like oil, gas and coal are extracted, as well as during production, transport, use and disposal. Conventional plastics currently emit over 2.4 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide per year — equivalent to around 5% of global emissions. Sustained growth in global plastic production will continue to drive demand for fossil fuels even as other sectors of the economy decarbonize. GHG emissions are not the only way plastics warm the planet. Micro- and nano-plastics appear to be interfering with the planet's carbon cycles. And plastic particles may be affecting Earth's "radiation budget," changing how the planet interacts with heat and light in the atmosphere and on its surface. The full range and extent of plastics' climate impacts aren't fully understood. However, present research suggests they have a bigger climate footprint than is currently accounted for. Micro- and nanoplastics have been detected in nearly every part of the human body, entering through the food and drinks we consume as well as the air we breathe. One study found nearly 89% of healthy adults had microplastics in their blood, linked to increased inflammation and clotting risk. These particles can cross biological barriers like the placenta and blood-brain barrier, contributing to cardiovascular disease, neurological issues, infertility and developmental harm. "Chemicals of concern" that plastics leach into the environment are associated with health risks like cancers and metabolic disorders.                                                                                          

1. Plastic harms people and the environment......Plastic pollution can persist for centuries in the ocean, soil and air. There, it can break down into micro- and nanoplastics and leach chemicals with serious health risks — such as bisphenol A (BPA) and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, or "forever chemicals") — into the environment. Micro- and nanoplastics have been detected in nearly every part of the human body, entering through the food and drinks we consume as well as the air we breathe. One study found nearly 89% of healthy adults had microplastics in their blood, linked to increased inflammation and clotting risk. These particles can cross biological barriers like the placenta and blood-brain barrier, contributing to cardiovascular disease, neurological issues, infertility and developmental harm. "Chemicals of concern" that plastics leach into the environment are associated with health risks like cancers and metabolic disorders. Microplastics can also absorb other harmful pollutants, such as pesticides and industrial chemicals, that cause disease and other issues in animals. Once in the environment, microplastics accumulate across the food web and have already been detected in 1,300 different species. Larger plastic debris can entangle animals or injure them when it's ingested. It can also act as a vessel to transport non-native or potentially invasive species and pathogens, helping them to cross ecosystems and establish new colonies.                                                                      2. Plastic pollution has economic costs...... Estimates suggest that plastic pollution causes about $75 billion per year in environmental damages, with $13 billion of this tied to marine ecosystems. For example, plastic pollution can deplete fish stocks and impact coastal tourism by littering popular beaches. It can damage infrastructure like urban drainage systems. It can even de-operationalize or sink ships by entangling propellers or clogging water intake systems responsible for cooling their engines. Plastics are also responsible for over $1.5 trillion in health-related economic losses per year.                                                                                                                                                    3. Plastics' impacts are unequal......Plastic processing, manufacturing and waste treatment facilities are often sited in or near marginalized and low-income communities, whose residents are disproportionally impacted by plastic pollution and its dangerous health effects.                                                                                                                                                      4. How Big Is the Plastic Problem?.......According to the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) Global Plastics Outlook, the world generates approximately 353 million metric tons of plastic waste per year — or almost a million metric tons every day. Of this, OECD found that only around 9% is recycled. Fifty percent ends up in landfills, and 19% is incinerated. The rest of the world's plastic waste (22%, or 82 million metric tons per year) ends up in insecure dumpsites, is burned in open pits or leaks into the environment.And that only accounts for visible waste. Plastics also emit micro- and nanoplastics, chemicals and climate pollution at every step of their lifecycle — most of which are unaccounted for.......read on- this is a comprehensive article with tons of links!  https://www.wri.org/insights/plastic-pollution-global-plastics-treaty-explained

Where the idea came from...... I grew up in a low-income neighborhood in Bangladesh, near a large dump site. As a child, I noticed that people living closest to the piles of waste were often sick, while those farther away were healthier. At the time, I didn’t know the science behind it – I just saw neighbors having to choose between buying medicine and buying dinner. That memory left a long-lasting impact on me. Years later, when I became an engineer, I learned that poor waste management doesn’t just harm the environment – it harms people. That realization became the foundation of my work.

How plastic roads work......Traditional asphalt is made from a mix of stones, sand and a petroleum-based binder called bitumen, which holds everything together. In my research team’s process, we replace a small part of that bitumen – about 8% to 10% – with melted plastic from everyday items, such as single-use plastic bags and plastic bottles. For our plastic road construction project near Dallas, we used 4.5 tons of plastic waste for nearly a mile of a one-lane road. We first clean the plastic, then shred it into small flakes. Finally, we mix it into the asphalt at high temperatures. These steps ensure that it melts completely and bonds tightly, leaving no loose plastic behind. This process is like adding rebar to concrete: The plastic adds flexibility and strength. Roads with this mix can better handle extreme temperatures and heavy traffic. In hot places, that means fewer cracks and potholes. During an extreme heat wave in April 2024, plastic road constructed in Dhaka, Bangladesh, showed no visible signs of distress or cracks, whereas many roads in Bangladesh had visible cracks and distress during the same period. It also reduces the demand for new petroleum-based materials, since we’re reusing recycled plastic that already exists. Plastic road replaces bitumen, an already petroleum-based ingredient in the road, with waste.

The plastic waste problem.......Plastic waste has grown dramatically over the past several decades. In the U.S., plastic waste has increased every year since the 1960s, with the steepest rise between 1980 and 2000. In 2018 alone, landfills received nearly 27 million tons of plastic, making up 18.5% of all municipal solid waste nationwide. That’s a staggering amount of material sitting unused.Plastic-infused asphalt can also save money. Because it lasts longer and resists cracking, cities may spend less on repairs and maintenance. In Rockwall, for example, early estimates suggest these roads could extend the pavement’s life by several years. Under extreme heat, bitumen can melt. During a performance evaluation of a plastic road test section in Bangladesh, we found that adding plastic to the mix increases the road’s heat resistance. These results are especially helpful for states like Texas that deal with extreme heat over the summer. For our sites in UTA’s parking lot and in Rockwall, the pavement has so far stayed intact on days when temperatures surpassed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Overcoming challenges......But there are still challenges.......read on         https://theconversation.com/infusing-asphalt-with-plastic-could-help-roads-last-longer-and-resist-cracking-under-heat-264156