Chapter 2 - Synthetic Materials and the Problems They Pose

Abstract

The use of synthetic plastic materials has increased at an alarming rate due to unawareness regarding the hazards of plastic debris. Generally, it is used once and then becomes waste, which is the main contributor toward environmental pollution. Therefore natural degradable materials are the substitutes to control the adverse effects of such environmentally risky materials. Moreover, the preparation and use of degradable or decomposable materials are significant to lessen the problems associated with plastic materials. In addition, various recycling methods are also developed to control the growing issue of synthetic materials to convert them into useful and environment-friendly products. However, more efforts are still needed to promote the use of degradable materials and cost-efficient methods for recycling of plastic waste.