Five decades ago, consumers were all too happy to cast off the austerity of global war and were ready to enjoy a more carefree life. These people were helped with an explosion of a miracle material—plastic. There was a great future in plastics, they thought!

Mr. McGuire wasn’t completely wrong-plastics replaced lots of materials as they were lighter, durable, and easily manipulated and formed, all while creating a fortune for many.

But the real cost was to our environment and the health of living organisms.