In 1957, Knerr & Medlin made the first hula hoop. Its cylindrical splendour and appealing bounciness made it a firm favourite. The iconic Lego block and Barbie doll were to follow before the end of the decade. Plastic moulded itself into the image of nearly industry, from fashion, to toys, artificial hearts and airplanes. There's even nylon in the American flag planted on the moon.
For close to seventy years, plastic has been one of the most used materials in the world. In 2017, we use it to stop bullets, to mimic haemoglobin in the blood, and to 3D print body parts. We haven't outgrown that need for innovation. But plastic is surely outgrowing us.
In the first global analysis of plastic production and use, the true weight of the world's most flexible material has been brought to light. By 2015, humans had generated 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic. Of that, 6.3 billion is waste, with just nine per cent of it recycled. The majority, 79 per cent, is piled-up in landfills.