Many people have quoted multiple articles stating suggesting that by the year 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean (by weight) than fish. Additionally, I have seen a lot of evidence that the plastic in the ocean ends up in the fish that we eat. It is ironic that plastics were once considered the future and are now vilified. I think plastics are the future, but not in their current form. In March of 2019, I attended a presentation from Mango Materials, a company creating the next generation of plastics. Mango Materials creates plastics that are bio-based and biodegradable. This means that materials made from Mango, will biodegrade. For example if you had a fleece type jacket made from Mango Materials, it would decompose in an aerobic composter in 2 weeks. If you accidentally left it on the beach and it was swept out to sea it would dissolve in a few months. If products like Mango Materials become widely adopted by manufacturers you can expend the next trends in Waste Management to shift to greater focus on Compost. As technology continues to move a lighting speeds, products like Mango’s are going to dominate the new market place. As an industry we should get ready and ensure that when we design, build and rebuild our trash enclosures that we should design for adaptability so we can ensure that we can adjust as our waste streams change.
If you are interested in learning more about Mango Materials: http://mangomaterials.com/