The Problem with Plastic

A powerful investigation into plastic's impact on human health and the environment, and how we can fight back

What if we said that the line between societal advancement and environmental degradation is as thin as a layer of plastic wrap? Once a marvel of modern science, plastic has become so inextricably woven into our lives that imagining a world without can seem impossible. Over the last seventy-five years, plastic has cradled our planet in a synthetic embrace.

The Problem with Plastic critically examines the paradox of this material, first celebrated for its innovations and now recognized for its devastating environmental and public health impacts. This compelling narrative reveals how plastic pollution contributes to poisoned oceans, polluted air, a warming planet, and overwhelming waste, particularly affecting marginalized communities, which bear the brunt of petrochemical pollution. The book highlights the pervasive presence of microplastics in the environment and the human body, challenging the belief that recycling can solve the crisis.

In addition to uncovering environmental racism and debunking industry claims, The Problem with Plastic emphasizes the urgent need for action against plastic's toxic legacy, and offers readers practical, actionable solutions, including a "household waste audit," which empowers readers to track and reduce their own plastic consumption.

Judith Enck is the founder and president of Beyond Plastics, whose goal is eliminating plastic pollution everywhere. In 2009, she was appointed by President Obama to serve as regional administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and served as deputy secretary for the environment in the New York Governor's Office. She is currently a professor at Bennington College, where she teaches classes on plastic pollution. She lives in upstate New York. Adam Mahoney is a climate and environmental reporter who has reported from more than a dozen U.S. states and Palestine, Mexico, Uganda, and Vietnam for newspapers and magazines like The New York Times and The Guardian. The co-author (with Judith Enck and Beyond Plastics) of The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It's Too Late (The New Press), he lives in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Beyond Plastics is a nationwide project that uses education, advocacy, and grassroots organizing to reduce the production and use of plastic.