For all the negative press about plastics, it may be tempting to think of the ubiquitous material as the rebellious teenager of a wholesome marriage of naturally occurring fibers, metals, or glass. Plastics' reputation, in fact, led one BBC reporter to try forgoing — and ultimately failing — a month without the devilish material at all. It also led another BBC reporter to defend plastics through a review of its history and present-day, often overlooked, applications, from pen caps to medical drug delivery devices. The two different reports pit oil consumption used in plastics manufacturing against sustainability. And the middle road — wise and waste-free use of plastics — seems to be the winner.
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