#9 Plastics__Recycling__Waste__

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to plastics and health, focusing on their definitions and significance.

Plastic

A material consisting of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic compounds that can be molded into solid objects.

Plasticity

The property of materials that involves permanent deformation without breaking.

Microplastics

Plastic particles less than five millimeters in length; emerging field of study with unknown impacts.

Bioaccumulation

The process where toxins build up in individual organisms and enter the food web.

Endocrine Disruptors

Chemicals that mimic or interfere with hormones, linked to reproductive and developmental problems.

Incinerated

The process of burning waste material to reduce its volume and mass.

Recycling

The process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be discarded and converting them into new products.

Chasing Arrows

The recycling symbol that can lead to misunderstandings regarding recyclability and waste management.

Plastic Production

The process involving the extraction of fossil fuels, polymerization, and manufacturing into usable plastic products.

Plastic Pollution Lifecycle

The journey of plastic from extraction, production, usage, to its eventual disposal or degradation in the environment.

Polymers

Large molecules composed of repeating structural units, essential in the production of plastics.

Photodegradation

The breakdown of plastic caused by ultraviolet radiation from sunlight.

Single-use Plastics

Plastic products intended to be used once before being thrown away, contributing to plastic waste.

Macroplastics

Large plastic debris typically greater than 5 millimeters in size, often found in marine and terrestrial environments.