The Polymer Club meeting held on 22 November 2022 at Warwick University was a vibrant meeting with over 100 delegates attending. The latest in polymer science and engineering was on display with talks from industry and academia, and in a poster session where the latest findings towards more sustainable polymer science were discussed. We would like to thank all who attended, their excellent feedback, and we are looking forward to organizing the next event in 2023.

Despite the global movement to tackle plastic pollution, demand for plastics continues to rise. As the world transitions away from fossil fuels, plastics are set to be the biggest driver of oil demand. Single-use plastics – deemed essential in the fight against COVID-19 – have been given a new lease of life. In a world beset with crisis fatigue, what can we do to curb the escalating plastics crisis?

In this book, prof. Alice Mah reveals how petrochemical and plastics corporations have fought relentlessly to protect and expand plastics markets in the face of existential threats to business. From denying the toxic health effects of plastics to co-opting circular economy solutions to plastic waste and exploiting the opportunities offered up by the global pandemic, industry has deflected attention from the key problem: plastics production.

The consequences of unfettered plastics growth are pernicious and highly unequal. We all have a part to play in reducing plastics consumption but we must tackle the problem at its root: the capitalist imperative for limitless growth.