Archeoplastica is providing a look at the durability of plastic waste in the oceans by exhibiting digital 3D models of plastic objects found on Italian beaches.
The virtual museum was created by naturalist Enzo Suma after he discovered a discarded bottle of suntan lotion that was manufactured between 1968 and 1970.
“We were all told in school that plastic can last for five hundred years,” Suma told National Geographic.
“But to see a product with your own eyes you may have used 30, 40, or 50 years ago, still completely intact, that’s different. It has an emotional impact,” he added.
Archeoplastica, a collection of 500 unique plastic products, was started to raise awareness of plastic pollution in the world’s oceans.
It showcases items from the 1960s, 70s and 80s, with Suma now working to upload all 500 objects to the virtual museum.
In addition to the virtual museum, Archeoplastica displays items from the collection in schools and other public places. Recently, it was part of National Geographic’s ‘Planet or Plastic?’ exhibition in the Teatro Margherita, a museum in Bari.
“For many children, these pieces are as old as their parents, or grandparents. They’re more like archaeological remains than garbage,” Suma added.
Digital 3D models of plastic objects
“I’m not trying to demonise plastic. It’s a very useful substance.
“But it’s unthinkable that a water bottle, made from a material designed to last so long, can be used for just a few days – or even minutes – before becoming garbage.”
More than 300 million tonnes of plastic is produced every year, at least 14 million tonnes of which ends up in the ocean.
In an attempt to reduce plastic pollution, the US government is to phase out single-use plastic products and packaging on public lands including national parks by 2023.
