Plastics:           

Plastics are materials made up of large, organic molecules that can be formed into a variety of products. The molecules that compose plastics are long carbon chains that give plastics many of their useful properties. In general, materials that are made up of long, chainlike molecules are called polymers. The word plastic is derived from the words plasticus (Latin for “capable of molding”) and plastikos (Greek “to mold,” or “fit for molding”).

Plastics are durable, inexpensive and lightweight, they have become a popular building material. They are the standard for most piping and electrical cabling; heavily used for vinyl flooring, furniture and furnishings and are even competing in areas like external cladding and window joinery.

Theoretically, plastics can be made from renewable resources such as casein (a milk product) or cellulose. In reality plastics are generally made from mineral oil - a finite and non-renewable resource - because it is cheap and readily available. One in ten litres of all refined oil is used in the plastics industry. The basis of all plastics is a high molecular weight polymer, which is inert and non-hazardous. However, by itself this is unsuitable for structural purposes so additives such as antioxidants, ultraviolet light stabilisers, moulding and plasticiser compounds and fillers are added. It is these additives that might include toxic substances.

Plastics are generally very durable and will not break down naturally, although research into biodegradable plastics has begun. Some plastics can be recycled, but this requires considerable energy input and composite products (products made from more than one material) cannot be recycled.