Insights
Stanton Chase: Plastics Industry Innovation - Toward a Sustainable Future
In 1950, there was almost no plastic production in the world. Just 65 years later, in 2015, “over 320 million tons of polymers, excluding fibers, were manufactured across the globe.”[1] The use of plastics grew exponentially in a short period of time, but the revolt against plastic has begun and spread even more quickly.
“[There] is a worldwide revolt against plastic, one that crosses both borders and traditional political divides. … The United Nations has declared a “war” on single-use plastic. … The most astounding thing about the anti-plastic movement is just how fast it has grown.”[2]
The 20th century saw plastic revolutionize the world, as then-new polymers changed the way many products were made and used. In the 21st century, the world is pressuring the plastics industry to revolutionize because even though plastic products are useful in homes and businesses, plastics are increasingly polluting the world and having a harmful effect on it. The industry must change going forward, and it will require high-level leadership and talent to do so.