what are single use plastics

Single-use plastics are items that are made primarily from fossil fuel-based chemicals and are meant to be disposed of right after use. They are used only once or for a short period of time before being thrown away. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags. Examples of single-use plastics include plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers, soda and water bottles, most food packaging, plastic cutlery, and plastic shopping bags. Single-use plastics are a glaring example of the problems with throwaway culture, and our reliance on these plastics means we are accumulating waste at a staggering rate. The impacts of this plastic waste on the environment and our health are global and long-lasting. Single-use plastic products are more likely to end up in our seas than reusable options. Up to 50% of plastics that we use are single-use. Single-use plastics are a growing concern because they are not biodegradable and usually end up in landfills where they can take hundreds of years to decompose, releasing toxic chemicals that can contaminate the soil and waterways and enter the food chain.