Plastic Fantastic? audio description: When plastic is not fantastic

Plastic transformed everyday life in the twentieth century and we continue to rely on it today. But it also has a negative impact on our lives.
Plastic has created a global challenge. Many plastic items are used once and thrown away. Most are not biodegradable and they can last for hundreds of years. Waste plastic is found everywhere, in our towns and cities, rivers and oceans, and remote natural environments. Tiny pieces of plastic called microplastics are even found in the air we breathe.
Plastics can harm our health, increasing the risk of disease. Plastic pollution damages natural habitats and disrupts ecosystems.
We need to prevent more plastic waste from entering the environment. We can help by reducing single-use plastics when it’s safe to do so, reusing what we can, and recycling correctly.

There is a wall-mounted TV screen in this section showing a film about how we process and recycle plastic waste in the Wakefield district. The film has a voiceover. There are headphones mounted on the wall underneath the screen for you to pick up. The film lasts about 3 minutes. It plays automatically on a loop.

Key object: Drinks bottle (Prime Hydration), 2022 
Prime Hydration LLC, polyethylene terephthalate 
This drinks bottle was bought locally at Wakefield Wines, an off-licence in Wakefield city centre that went viral on social media in 2022. Customers travelled miles to buy bottles of the popular Prime drink promoted by online influencers. The drink was sold out in many other shops. The hype around the drink contributed to the plastic waste problem. Its single use plastic bottles were often thrown away after drinking.
The bottle is made from clear plastic with four evenly spaced ridges. It has a flat red plastic screw top lid. The bottle is wrapped in a matte red plastic label around its entire body. The label is printed with the product name in large black block capital lettering.

Most plastic is only used once. We can reduce the negative impact of plastic by reusing or recycling it.
The Wakefield Museums and Castles Youth Forum want to give plastic a second life. They have turned old toys, bottle tops and packaging into unique artworks.
Will you join their pledge? Most plastic gets one life, get creative and give it two.
Local artist, Andy Singleton took up the challenge. He made an incredible giant fish from recycled phone cases. It is on display outside this gallery in the museum Welcome Space. There is more information about the fish sculpture later in this guide.

Plastic objects can be difficult for museums to look after long-term.
Because of the way plastics are made, it can be challenging for us to care for our collection of plastic objects. The polymers in plastics can break down if they are not kept in the right conditions. Plastic objects can become brittle, sticky or smelly, or disintegrate. As the polymers break down, they can release gases or get hot, which can damage other objects close by.
Different plastics need to be kept in different environments. Some plastics like polyurethane foam should be stored away from oxygen. Others, like cellulose, need to have an airflow. It is helpful if we know what type of plastic something is made from, but it can be difficult to identify different plastics.

Key object: Jewel Secrets Skipper doll, 1986 
Mattell, Hong Kong, mix of PVC,  ABS and polyester 
Skipper is Barbie’s little sister. She has shoulder length blonde hair and painted blue eyes. She is glamorously dressed in a glittery red high-necked sleeveless top, which is tucked into a shiny silver mini skirt. She has a red jewelled belt around her waist above the skirt. She has long legs and bare feet in a tanned skin tone.
There are areas of damage on her legs where the plastic has started to degrade over time. They are circular patches where the plastic has gone pale. This shows that the plasticizer has become unstable. It may be giving off unwanted gases as it degrades and could pose a risk to other nearby objects.

Plastics are damaging the planet, but they have vital uses. In areas like healthcare and food, plastic is often the safest material. Scientists are researching how to make plastics in a more sustainable way.
Scientists have discovered that we can make new plastics from plants, algae and microbes. We can even create plastic products from waste coffee and banana skins. These are known as bio-based plastics or bioplastics. Some bioplastics will biodegrade or compost in the right conditions. Today, bioplastic products include seaweed coatings and plant-based films.
Making bioplastics can be costly and time consuming and they are not widely available yet. It is still important that we reduce our plastic use and recycle plastic waste.
The future of plastic looks more positive. But what do you think?

Key object: Bioplastics, Daisy Otley, 2026
Daisy Otley, an Art and Design Practice student at Wakefield College, has been experimenting with bioplastics made from natural waste products such as algae, coffee and kombucha.
There are several samples of bioplastics made by Daisy on display. They include a small rectangular sample of a coloured bioplastic. It has a marbled effect in shades of turquoise and blue. There is also a long thin strip of netting that has been made by crocheted with a cream coloured translucent bioplastic yarn. Daisy has also made a bio plastic using coffee grounds. It is dark brown in colour with a slight rough texture and has a slight uneven warp. Daisy has embroidered freestyle flowers, spirals and other patterns onto the plastic in a contrasting cream yarn.

Now exit the gallery through the double doors back into the Welcome Space. Andy Singleton’s fish sculpture is above you on the left as you leave the gallery.