In fact, less than 10 percent of plastic waste gets recycled**. This is not only a waste of resources, but mismanagement and landfilling of plastic waste also lead to significant environmental damages.

Plastics are prominently associated with these two issues. In fact, the negative impacts often overshadow the positive properties of the material: the numerous applications that rely on plastics and their benefits. 

Reducing the use of plastics may be a valid concept for some applications - and it should be a priority in solving the plastics dilemma - but it won’t be the solution for all applications. The same is true for reusing plastics: from a sustainability and resource efficiency point of view wherever plastics can be, they always should be reused. 

In addition to reducing and reusing plastics, the replacement of fossil materials in plastics and a significant transition from incineration and landfilling of plastics to recycling should be prioritized: keeping materials in circulation adds value to waste and reduces the need for virgin raw materials.

Solving the plastics dilemma is no simple task, but a crucial one if we wish to continue to enjoy the benefits they offer. We must ensure plastics can serve their purpose in a more sustainable world.