Though the detrimental impact of plastic on the environment is well-known, consumption of drinks bottled in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) — the most commonly used polymer — continues to rise at alarming levels. According to experts, over 22,000 plastic bottles are discarded every second, and the numbers are only growing. While a fraction of them do get recycled, most end up in the ocean, where they disintegrate into smaller pieces and are often mistaken for food by innocent fish and birds.