Published by The New Press on December 2, 2025, "The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It's Too Late" by Judith Enck, Adam Mahoney and Beyond Plastics is a powerful investigation into plastic’s impact on human health and the environment, and how we can fight back.
*An Amazon Editors' Pick for Best Non-Fiction Books of December 2025*
What if we said that the line between societal advancement and environmental degradation is as thin as a layer of plastic wrap? Once a marvel of modern science, plastic has become so inextricably woven into our lives that imagining a world without can seem impossible. Over the last 75 years, plastic has cradled our planet in a synthetic embrace.
“The Problem with Plastic” critically examines the paradox of this material, first celebrated for its innovations and now recognized for its devastating environmental and public health impacts. This compelling narrative reveals how plastic pollution contributes to poisoned oceans, polluted air, a warming planet, and overwhelming waste, particularly affecting marginalized communities, which bear the brunt of petrochemical pollution. The book highlights the pervasive presence of microplastics in the environment and the human body, challenging the belief that recycling can solve the crisis.
In addition to uncovering environmental racism and debunking industry claims, “The Problem with Plastic” emphasizes the urgent need for action against plastic’s toxic legacy, and offers readers practical, actionable solutions, including a “household waste audit,” which empowers readers to track and reduce their own plastic consumption.
Learn more at: https://www.beyondplastics.org/publications/problem-with-plastic-book (ISBN: 9781620979457).
PRAISE FOR THE PROBLEM WITH PLASTIC
“A must-read for folks trying to fight plastic pollution and stop the production of plastic.” —Sharon Lavigne, executive director of RISE St. James, 2021 Goldman Prize winner, and lifelong resident of St. James Parish, Louisiana in Cancer Alley
“This salient book exposes the environmental racism baked into the plastic crisis, demanding that we name names, follow the money, and change the system to prevent further harm to people and our planet.” —Dr. Robert D. Bullard, distinguished professor, Texas Southern University and "Father of Environmental Justice"
“Plastic pollution is not just an environmental crisis—it’s a justice issue. In The Problem with Plastic, Judith Enck and Adam Mahoney lift up the frontline communities who are resisting Big Plastic and provide readers with the tools to take action. This book is a powerful roadmap for anyone ready to fight back against pollution, protect our health, and build a more just, sustainable future.” —Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., president & CEO, Hip Hop Caucus
"I don't think anyone on planet Earth knows more about the plastics problem than Judith Enck — including, most crucially, what to do about it. This is a handbook for people looking to make a difference!" —Bill McKibben, author of “Here Comes the Sun”, founder of 350.org
“Only now, with books like this, are we beginning to understand the full breadth of the impact of plastics pollution and explore meaningful ways to join together to act with purpose and conviction. As this book confirms, there are no easy answers to big problems like plastic pollution, but there is much we can and must do to stem the tide, or we will all pay the price.” —Gina McCarthy, former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator
“‘The Problem with Plastic’ is a powerful wake-up call and a necessary reckoning. It exposes not only how plastic destroys our environment, but also how it disproportionately affects vulnerable communities. Most importantly, it empowers readers with the tools to take action in their own lives.” —Cynthia Nixon, actress and activist
"Plastic pollution has reached crisis proportions, and false solutions abound. But, as ‘The Problem with Plastic’ shows, there are real solutions out there. And, fortunately, there are people like Judith Enck working to enact them." —Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “The Sixth Extinction”
"We can’t talk about climate or justice without talking about plastic. This urgent and powerful book challenges us to imagine a world where communities and ecosystems are no longer treated as disposable." —Catherine Coleman Flowers, author of “Waste”, and one of Time’s Most Influential People of 2023
“The science behind the dangers that plastics pose to the health of our species (and planet) has been accumulating for nearly 40 years and is frighteningly clear. But far too little has been written about the action that these threats call for. ‘The Problem with Plastic’ fills that gap expertly, and Judith Enck — with her impressive record of successful advocacy — is the person we need to sound the call to action that this crisis requires.” —Dr. Shanna Swan, author of “Countdown”
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