A global database of validated information and analysis on plastic alternatives for packagers and producers has now been made freely available to be integrated with systems and AI tools. Development of the platform has been led by the Plastic Planet campaign group that looks to address the global demand for plastic materials as a means to address challenges linked to waste, as well as other environmental concerns. Sian Sutherland, co-founder of the PlasticFree platform, said it had originally launched two years ago with a subscription model. Development of the platform had been underway for four years with the aim to create a database with an expanded range of information on plastic alternatives and a particular focus on supporting product design. Plastic Planet argued that plastic materials were linked to significant annual global costs for healthcare related issues as a result of the different chemicals used in the production of different materials.