Modern plastics are often seen as the scourge of contemporary society, littering highways, byways, and beaches worldwide. However, a new study suggests that these materials also serve as a valuable archive, documenting human activities and behaviors during a pivotal period in our history.
The United Nations estimates that 400 million tons of plastic are produced annually, posing significant environmental threats. Beyond their ecological impact, microplastic particles infiltrate humans, animals, and plants. Yet, according to Professor John Schofield from the University of York, plastics offer an alternative narrative as a historical record of the modern era.
Professor Schofield, the study’s lead author, stated, “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.”
The Dual Nature of Plastics
Plastics are omnipresent, from the depths of the ocean to the peaks of mountains. They are resilient and toxic, continuously breaking down to nano-scale particles. This study, published in Cambridge Prisms: Plastics, questions how society should perceive an archaeological record that is both a valuable archive and a dangerous contaminant.
Professor Schofield, also affiliated with Flinders University in South Australia, collaborated with a cross-disciplinary team of researchers from archaeology, history, chemistry, and earth sciences. Together with Professor Fay Couceiro from the University of Portsmouth and Dr. Alessandro Antonello from the University of Tasmania, the paper explores the potential of the “Plastic Age” as a means to study human relationships with the environment.
The Plastic Age: A Global Phenomenon
The Plastic Age, unlike earlier named periods, began simultaneously across the globe in the 1950s. It is deeply intertwined with contemporary global issues such as consumerism, habitat destruction, and fossil fuel combustion. The study argues that archaeology is ideally positioned to illuminate the processes of plastic pollution and create a record of contemporary events and human behaviors—an “archaeology of us.”
Recent years have seen archaeology expand its focus beyond the distant past to include how contemporary societies interact with the world through material culture. The study’s authors propose viewing the environment as an archaeological archive, which can be studied to understand and mitigate plastic pollution. They suggest focusing interventions at the point where plastics transition from everyday use to waste.
Plastics as a Record of Human Behavior
Professor Schofield emphasized, “Only recently have archaeologists started taking an interest in plastics, and it is vital that they do. We need this archive to help us understand and try to reduce our impacts now and ensure people can understand these impacts in the future.”
Flinders University Professor of Archaeology Alice Gorman added, “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 traveled. There are even plastics on the Moon.”
Implications and Future Perspectives
This development follows a broader trend in archaeology to include the study of modern materials as part of the historical record. By recognizing plastics as a significant archaeological resource, researchers can better understand contemporary human impacts and potentially guide future environmental policies.
As the world grapples with the challenges posed by plastic pollution, this study highlights the importance of viewing plastics not only as an environmental threat but also as a crucial element of our historical narrative. The implications extend beyond archaeology, potentially influencing environmental science, policy-making, and public awareness.
Moving forward, the study suggests that a deeper understanding of plastics as both a pollutant and a historical archive could play a vital role in shaping strategies to combat environmental degradation. As archaeologists and scientists continue to explore this duality, the “Plastic Age” may offer insights into both our past and our future.
