Plastics 101 | National Geographic
Summary
TLDRThis video script explores the evolution of plastics, from natural products like Olmec rubber balls to synthetic materials derived from fossil fuels. It explains the production process involving crude oil and natural gas, leading to polymers like polyethylene. Despite plastics' utility, their massive production has resulted in environmental issues, with single-use plastics being a major concern. The script suggests reducing single-use plastics and highlights innovative solutions like biodegradable bioplastics and organisms that can break down plastics, encouraging sustainable practices.
Takeaways
- 🔬 Plastics are made of polymers, which are long flexible chains of chemical compounds that can be easily molded and shaped under heat and pressure.
- 🌿 Early uses of plastic date back 3,500 years to the Olmecs who used natural rubber from sap.
- 🏭 The modern production of plastic begins with the extraction of crude oil and natural gas, which are then refined into ethane and propane.
- ⚙️ Ethane and propane are cracked into ethylene and propylene, respectively, and then polymerized with catalysts to form resins like polyethylene and polypropylene.
- 🧩 Resins are melted, cooled, and chopped into preproduction plastic pellets known as nurdles, which are later molded into various plastic products.
- 🔢 Resin identification codes on plastic products indicate the chemicals used in their manufacturing process.
- 🌐 Global plastic production has doubled approximately every decade since 1950, totaling about 9.2 billion tons.
- 🚮 A significant portion of plastic waste comes from single-use plastics like straws and grocery bags, which often end up as trash and pollute the environment.
- 🐛 Some organisms, such as wax worms, mealworms, and certain microbes, can break down plastic materials.
- 🌱 Scientists are exploring biodegradable bioplastics made from renewable resources like plants, which can degrade more quickly than traditional plastics.
- 🌳 The橡胶树, once used by the Olmecs, is now part of a global initiative for natural and sustainable sourcing of plastic, with its latex used in products like gloves, tires, and mattresses.
Q & A
What is the earliest known use of a material that can be considered a form of plastic?
-The earliest known use of a material similar to plastic dates back 3,500 years to the Olmecs of Mexico, who used sap from gum trees to create rubber balls.
What are the two types of plastics that were introduced during the mid-19th and 20th centuries?
-Celluloid and Bakelite were the two types of synthetic plastics introduced during the mid-19th and 20th centuries.
What are polymers and how are they related to plastics?
-Polymers are long flexible chains of chemical compounds, and they are the building blocks of plastics, allowing them to be easily molded and shaped.
What are the primary sources of materials for making most of today's plastics?
-Crude oil and natural gas are the primary sources for making most of today's plastics, as they provide a cheap alternative to plant-based plastics.
What is the first step in the production of plastic?
-The first step in the production of plastic is the extraction of crude oil and natural gas from the ground.
What happens to ethane and propane in the process of making plastic?
-Ethane is cracked to produce ethylene, and propane is converted into propylene in a cracker plant, which are then used to form polymers.
What role do catalysts play in the formation of plastics?
-Catalysts are used to link ethylene and propylene molecules together to form polymers called resins, which are the basis for plastics.
What are nurdles and how are they used in the plastic production process?
-Nurdles are preproduction plastic pellets made by melting, cooling, and chopping up the polymers. They are then transported to manufacturers for molding into plastic products.
What do resin identification codes indicate on plastic products?
-Resin identification codes indicate which chemicals were used to make the plastic, providing information about the manufacturing process.
How much plastic has been produced since 1950 and what does this amount equate to in terms of weight?
-Since 1950, approximately 9.2 billion tons of plastic have been produced, which is roughly the weight of nearly 1,600 Great Pyramids of Giza.
What percentage of plastic waste is attributed to single-use plastics and why are they particularly detrimental?
-Single-use plastics constitute about 40% of all plastic waste and are particularly detrimental because they often aren't recycled and end up damaging natural habitats and polluting communities.
What are some solutions being explored to counter plastic pollution?
-Some solutions being explored include reducing the use of single-use plastics, using reusable alternatives, and discovering organisms capable of breaking down plastic material.
What is the role of the rubber tree in the current global initiative for sustainable sourcing of plastic?
-The rubber tree is being sourced again for natural and sustainable plastic, with its latex being used to create a range of products such as all-natural latex rubber gloves, tires, and mattresses.
Outlines
🌿 The Evolution and Production of Plastics
The paragraph discusses the history and production process of plastics. Initially derived from natural products like sap from gum trees used by the Olmecs, plastics have evolved into synthetic materials made from fossil fuels like crude oil and natural gas. The paragraph explains how these raw materials are processed in refineries to produce ethane and propane, which are then cracked into ethylene and propylene. These are polymerized with catalysts to form resins like polyethylene and polypropylene. The resins are then turned into preproduction plastic pellets known as 'nurdles'. The paragraph also touches on the environmental impact of plastics, particularly single-use plastics, and suggests reducing their use as a solution. It concludes with a mention of new developments in plastic production, such as organisms that can break down plastics and the return to plant-based plastics like bioplastics and natural latex rubber.
🌱 The Global Initiative for Sustainable Plastics
This paragraph emphasizes the global efforts to source plastics more naturally and sustainably. It highlights the rubber tree's role in this initiative, suggesting a return to using natural resources for plastic production. The paragraph encourages viewers to pledge to reduce single-use plastics and to understand the material's chemical makeup to use it responsibly. It concludes with a call to action for individuals to make a difference by choosing reusable alternatives and being mindful of the environmental impact of plastics.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Plastics
💡Polymers
💡Fossil fuels
💡Ethane and Propane
💡Polyethylene and Polypropylene
💡Nurdles
💡Resin Identification Codes
💡Single-use plastics
💡Biodegradable bioplastics
💡Plastic pollution
💡Sustainable sourcing
Highlights
Plastics have become an entrenched part of our lives.
Plastic was originally a natural product, later becoming synthetically produced.
The Olmecs used naturally occurring plastics 3,500 years ago.
Synthetic plastics like celluloid and Bakelite were used from the mid-19th to 20th centuries.
Plastics are made of polymers, which are long flexible chains of chemical compounds.
Most modern plastics are derived from fossil fuels like crude oil and natural gas.
The first step in plastic production is the extraction of crude oil and natural gas.
Ethane and propane are cracked into ethylene and propylene, respectively.
Polymers called resins are formed through polymerization.
Polyethylene and polypropylene are types of resins produced from ethylene and propylene.
Plastic pellets known as nurdles are preproduction forms of plastic.
Manufacturers use heat to mold nurdles into various plastic products.
Resin identification codes indicate the chemicals used to make the plastic.
Global plastic production has doubled about every decade since 1950.
Approximately 9.2 billion tons of plastic have been produced since 1950.
Single-use plastics like straws and grocery bags constitute about 40% of all plastic waste.
Reducing single-use plastics can significantly decrease plastic waste.
Some organisms, like wax worms and mealworms, can break down plastic material.
A microbe has been discovered that can degrade plastic in a few days.
Manufacturers are exploring biodegradable bioplastics made from renewable resources.
The rubber tree is being sourced again for natural and sustainable plastic production.
Understanding plastic's chemical makeup can help us use it responsibly.
Taking a pledge to reduce single-use plastics can benefit the planet.
Transcripts
(bright music)
- [Narrator] Plastics have become
such an entrenched part of our lives
but what exactly is plastic and how was it made?
Before plastic became so ubiquitous, it underwent
a transformation from being a strictly natural product
to being synthetically and widely produced.
Some of the earliest uses of plastic
date as far back as 3,500 years ago
when the Olmecs of Mexico used naturally occurring plastics,
sap from gum trees, to create rubber balls.
During the mid-19th and 20th centuries,
synthetic plastics like celluloid and Bakelite,
made their debut and were used for decades.
On the molecular level, plastics are made of polymers
which are long flexible chains of chemical compounds.
This structure allows plastics to be easily molded
and shaped, especially, under heat and pressure.
Unlike the rubber used by the Olmecs,
most of today's plastics are manmade
and derived from fossil fuels.
Crude oil and natural gas are primary sources
as they provide a cheap alternative
to plastic made from plants.
The first step in the production of plastic
is the extraction of crude oil and natural gas
from the ground.
From there, the fossil fuels are sent to refineries
where they are converted into several products
including the building blocks of plastic,
ethane from crude oil and propane from natural gas.
Ethane and propane are then sent to a cracker plant
to be cracked or broken down into smaller molecules.
Ethane produces ethylene and propane becomes propylene.
Next, a catalyst is mixed in which links
the molecules together and forms polymers called resins.
This structure allows plastics to be easily molded
and shaped, especially, under heat and pressure.
Polymerization converts ethylene
into the resin, polyethylene,
and propylene into polypropylene.
These resins are then melted, cooled down and chopped up
into preproduction plastic pellets known as nurdles.
Nurdles are later transported to manufacturers
who use heat to mold the nurdles into different types
of plastic products.
Many of those products actually feature information
about their manufacturing process.
Numbers called resin identification codes are often featured
indicating which chemicals were used to make the plastic.
Because of plastics utility, it's global production
has doubled about every decade.
The amount of plastics produced since 1950
has measured at about 9.2 billion tons,
the weight of nearly 1,600 Great Pyramids of Giza.
Much of this plastic ends up as trash.
Single-use plastic such as straws, grocery bags
and packaging products are, particularly, detrimental.
They often aren't recycled and constitute about 40%
of all plastic waste.
They end up damaging natural habitats, endangering wildlife
and polluting communities around the world.
Moving forward, a great way we can counter
this plastic pollution is to reduce the amount
of single-use plastics we use.
By opting, instead, for reusable alternatives
in our day-to-day lives, each person can make a huge impact
in helping decrease plastic waste.
For plastics that are already produced,
other solutions are being explored.
Scientists have discovered that a few organisms
are capable of breaking down plastic material.
Wax worms and mealworms, for example, can devour plastics
and turn them into compost.
Another plastic-consuming organism is a microbe
which shrinks the time plastic takes to degrade
from hundreds of years to only a few days.
Change is happening in the production of plastics as well
with some manufacturers turning back
to plants for ingredients.
Called biodegradable bioplastics,
these materials are as durable as synthetic plastics,
come from renewable resources
and can, therefore, biodegrade.
Even the rubber tree, the same plant used by the Olmecs,
is, once again, being sourced for plastic.
Today, the tree's latex is used to create
a range of products such as all natural latex rubber gloves,
tires and mattresses.
The rubber tree itself is now part of a global initiative
for the natural and sustainable sourcing of plastic.
Plastics can be found almost anywhere
but by understanding its chemical makeup
and our uses for it, we can benefit from its versatility
while also being mindful of its impact on our planet.
Take your pledge today to reduce single-use plastics.
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