Plastic is a synthetic polymer material that is characterized by its malleability, durability, and versatility. It is created through a process called polymerization, in which small molecules called monomers are chemically bonded together to form long chains known as polymers. Plastic is produced from ethylene and its subproducts, itself created using fossil fuels in a long chain of complex industrial processes. Thermoplastics (the most common kind today) can be moulded into various shapes when they are in a molten or semi-liquid state, and they retain their shape once they cool and solidify. This gives them the ability to be recycled and recast into different shapes when no longer useful.
