Short introduction to the module

Since the start of mass production of synthetic materials in the early 1950s, a total of 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced worldwide. Today over 75% is waste. Only 9% of all discarded plastic has been recycled since 1950. Plastic can take up to 500 years to decompose. As part of the European Green Deal, 55 percent of plastic packaging waste should be recycled by 2030. Therefore, it is crucial to find out how to deal with the global plastic challenge and find solutions on how to avoid or reduce the use of plastics and how to recycle or reuse plastic materials.