PLASTIC.

"Hello! My name is [YOUR NAME] and I am a student at [YOUR SCHOOL].

Today I am going to present my research project about plastic — one of the most used and most debated materials of our era.

I will explain what plastic is, how it is made, what it is used for, and whether it is sustainable for our planet.

I hope you find it interesting. Let's begin!"

"So, what exactly is plastic?

Plastic is a synthetic material — meaning it is made by humans, not found in nature. It comes mainly from oil and natural gas, and is made up of long chains of molecules called polymers. Its name comes from the Greek word meaning 'mouldable'.

Its main characteristics are: it is very light, resistant, it does not rust, it is an electrical and thermal insulator, and it can be produced in any shape and colour. That is why it has replaced wood, glass and metal in so many everyday uses.

The first fully synthetic plastic was bakelite, invented in 1907 by Leo Baekeland. From the 1950s onwards, production exploded and plastic reached every household in the world. Today, more than 400 million tonnes are produced every single year."

"Plastic does not exist in nature — it is manufactured from oil. The process has three main phases:

Phase 1 – Extraction: Oil is drilled from the ground or sea floor. In the refinery, it is heated and separated into components. One of them — naphtha — is the raw material for plastic.

Phase 2 – Production: Naphtha goes through a process called cracking, which breaks its molecules to produce monomers. These bond together in industrial reactors to form long chains called polymers. The result: tiny pellets the size of a grain of rice.

Phase 3 – Transformation: The pellets are melted and shaped using techniques like injection moulding, blow moulding or extrusion to create all the products we use every day."

"Plastic is absolutely everywhere. Let me show you the main sectors:

🏠 At home: containers, pipes, toys, appliances — almost everything you touch has plastic in it.

🏥 In medicine: disposable syringes, IV bags and medical gloves are made of plastic. Without it, we could not guarantee the sterility of medical instruments.

🚗 In transport: bumpers, seats, dashboards and fuel tanks in cars are plastic.

📦 In food: nearly 40% of all plastic produced goes to food packaging. The water bottle you carry to school is made of PET — light, transparent and safe for liquids.

💻 In technology: your phone case combines ABS and polycarbonate to resist drops and impacts.

The truth is: without plastic, our world would be radically different."

"And now the most important question: is plastic good for the planet?

The answer is: it depends on how we use it.

The problem: plastic takes 100 to 1,000 years to decompose. More than 8 million tonnes enter the ocean every year, forming enormous rubbish patches. Microplastics enter the food chain. And most shockingly: only 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled.

The solution: the 3R rule — Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Reduce single-use plastic, reuse containers, and sort your waste so it can be processed into new products.

Plastic can have a more sustainable future — but it needs our responsibility to make it happen."

"To conclude, researching plastic has made me realise that we use it too much without thinking about the consequences.

It is an incredible material: light, strong and versatile. But its extremely slow degradation and the low recycling rate are enormous problems that we need to change.

My generation has the responsibility to consume less single-use plastic and to recycle properly. Small actions — like reusing a bottle or bringing a reusable bag — make a real difference.

Thank you very much for watching!"