James - Hi Silke, thanks for the question. Burning plastic waste, especially in open fires, is not the best option for the environment and is probably in fact the worst method to dispose of such garbage. It releases toxic chemicals in the smoke, such as dioxins, furans, and other harmful pollutants, which can be seriously damaging to human health and the environment. Here to tell us more, and help you find a solution, is Richard Lampitt from the National Oceanography Centre…