Its a truly massive problem.
Sadly as with most 'new' things, though you can hardly call plastic new these days, it benefits mankind and yet somehow ends up hurting the environment one way or another.
Even the manufacture of paper bags hurt the environment but of course they are more EF than some plastics, not all are the same though. You can make plastic out of crude oil, nasty chemicals or even milk or corn starch.
"Plastic" is suitable and convenient or a hazard or feedstock for microbes and covers a whole range of different things for different purposes.
I'm all for reducing our negative impact but frankly its difficult to suggest other ways of reducing our footprint other than by recycling or producing more expensive biodegradable. The 5p carrier bag initiative has had little effect from what I hear with thieves nicking millions of them to save forking out whereas in the USA they still use a lot paper to carry groceries but they're not immune from the problem either far from it..
I think one of the biggest problems is the use of excess packaging and especially expanded polystyrene. The best alternative is peanuts packaging that dissolves in water, the kind anglers sometimes use for rig foam. It also makes an excelent glue for sticking up posters and things on walls.
Two of the most best/safer for the environmental plastics ever invented are Cellophane and Poly Vinyl Alcohol. But when it comes to robust and useful structural plastics, UN-plasticised Poly Vinyl Chloride is probably as good as you will find. That and perhaps the toughest; Polyoxymethylene (Delrin/acetal) used widly as an engineering plastic.
Plastic has its place, it is only the irresponsible human element that is to blame for its devastating effects on the planet. As anglers we are more than aware of that such as our concern for wildlife. The best thing we can do is to continue to dispose of it all properly and teach others to do the same.
---------- Post added at 12:51 ---------- Previous post was at 12:45 ----------
How about a crime against humanity case,
50 years in Spandau prison with just a plastic bag in their cell; that might perk their ideas up a bit. !
Spandau lol I did 2 years in Spandau!
Okay so I was only guarding Rudolf Hess but I was definitely there