In a world increasingly dominated by environmental concerns, a new study suggests that modern plastics, often vilified for their ecological impact, may also serve as a crucial archive documenting human activities and behaviors. This dual perspective on plastics is spearheaded by Professor John Schofield from the University of York, who argues that plastics offer a unique insight into the modern era.
The United Nations estimates that a staggering 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually, posing significant threats to the environment. Microplastics infiltrate water, soil, and air, affecting humans, animals, and plants. Despite these challenges, Professor Schofield emphasizes the potential of plastics to narrate the story of contemporary human impact on planetary health.
“It is easy to view plastics as a toxic legacy and the cause of environmental harm, which of course they are. But as archaeologists, we can also view them from another angle entirely – as a valuable archive that documents human impacts on planetary health,” Professor Schofield explains.
The Dual Nature of Plastics
Plastics are omnipresent, found from the depths of the ocean to the peaks of mountains. Their resilience and pervasiveness make them both a persistent pollutant and a potential historical record. The study, which includes contributions from Flinders University experts such as archaeologist Associate Professor Alice Gorman, examines how society should perceive an archaeological record that is both a valuable historical archive and a dangerous environmental contaminant.
Professor Schofield, alongside a cross-disciplinary team from archaeology, history, chemistry, and earth sciences, collaborated with UK academic Dr. Fay Couceiro and Dr. Alessandro Antonello from the University of Tasmania. Their research explores the concept of the “Plastic Age” as a means to study human interactions with the world, akin to how archaeologists analyze stone tools, metal, and ceramics from the past.
The Global Phenomenon of the Plastic Age
The Plastic Age, unlike earlier historical periods, began globally in the 1950s, intertwined with issues such as consumerism, habitat destruction, and fossil fuel combustion. The study, published in the journal Cambridge Prisms: Plastics, posits that archaeology is ideally positioned to illuminate the processes of plastic pollution and document contemporary human behaviors, creating an “archaeology of us.”
In recent years, archaeology has expanded its scope to include not only ancient history but also the interactions of modern societies with their environment, as evidenced by the material culture they leave behind. The authors advocate for viewing the environment as an archaeological archive that can be studied to understand and mitigate plastic pollution. They suggest interventions should focus on the transition of plastics from everyday use to waste.
“Only recently have archaeologists started taking an interest in plastics, and it is vital that they do. We need this archive, both to help us understand and try to reduce our impacts now but also to ensure people can understand these impacts in the future,” Professor Schofield adds.
Plastics as a Record of Human Behavior
Flinders University Professor of Archaeology Alice Gorman emphasizes the broader implications of plastics beyond pollution. “Our aim is to show how plastics are more than just pollution – they’re a record of human behavior in the contemporary world that extends from the deepest oceans to the furthest reaches of the solar system, everywhere that spacecraft have travelled. There are even plastics on the Moon,” she notes.
The study highlights that archaeology can connect diverse environments by examining how human materials decay under various conditions. This approach not only sheds light on the current environmental crisis but also provides a framework for future generations to understand the impact of plastics on planetary health.
As the world grapples with the environmental challenges posed by plastics, this study invites a reevaluation of their role in documenting human history. The Plastic Age, with its dual legacy, presents both a cautionary tale and a valuable record for future archaeologists and historians.
