SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION OF PLASTICS

This article deals with the environmental effects of the production an d consumption of plastics. The original study was carried out at the r equest of the National Environmental Conference (Landelijk Milien Over leg) of the Netherlands as part of a project on sustainable chemical p roduction. This project was sponsored by The Netherlands Department of the Environment. In the project, various studies were commissioned on the environmental performance of specific branches of chemical produc tion. The purpose of these studies was to provide a basis for a compre hensive vision on the future of the production of chemicals, and for d iscussions with the chemical industry. The article will first deal wit h the history of plastics and then analyze current plastic production, plastic industry, and plastic consumption. The environmental burden c aused by plastics is analyzed, as are the various measures taken to re duce this burden. Their effects are analyzed. This article also examin es the political debates and conflicts of interest that are involved. In its conclusions, the article will discusses the possible form of a sustainable plastics industry. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.