Single-use plastics have a bad rap when it comes to sustainability, and for good reason. Plastics meant for the landfill are a strain on the planet’s non-renewable resources and have a tendency to end up in the natural environment rather than a recycling plant or municipal landfill. Every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste finds its way into the oceans from the coast, and when that waste breaks down, microplastics come with their own array of challenges.
