Since the 1950s, growth in the productionof plastic has largely outpaced that of anyother material,with a global shift from theproduction of durable plastics to single-useplastics (including packaging), as shownin Figure 1.2. The production of plasticis largely reliant on fossil hydrocarbons,which are non-renewable resources. If the growth in plastic production continues atthe current rate, by 2050 the plastic industrymay account for 20% of the world’s total oilconsumption.