WHAT'S PLASTIC WASTE?
Countries worldwide throw away millions of tons of plastic trash every year. Finding ways to manage plastic waste is daunting even for wealthy nations, but it can be overwhelming for smaller and less-developed countries.
Plastics are made up of synthetic organic polymers, widely used in different applications ranging from water bottles, clothing, food packaging, medical supplies, electronic goods, construction materials, etc. Plastics have become an indispensable and versatile product with a wide range of properties, chemical composition, and applications in the last six decades.
Plastic waste or pollution accumulates plastic objects and particles (e.g., plastic bottles, bags, and microbeads) in the Earth's environment, adversely affecting wildlife, wildlife habitat, and humans. Plastic pollution can afflict land, waterways and oceans. It also refers to the significant amount of plastic that isn't recycled and ends up in landfills or thrown into unregulated dumpsites in the developing world. In the UK, for example, over 5 million tonnes of plastic are consumed each year — and yet only one-quarter of it is recycled. It is estimated that 1.1 to 8.8 million tonnes of plastic waste enter the ocean from coastal communities each year.
WHY PLASTIC WASTE IS PROBLEM?
The most visible impacts of plastic debris are the ingestion, suffocation and entanglement of hundreds of marine species. Marine wildlife such as seabirds, whales, fish and turtles mistake plastic waste for prey; most then die of starvation as their stomachs become filled with plastic. Since the number of plastics being manufactured cannot be controlled, we cannot stop the use of plastics. The attitude of individuals toward the control of plastic waste must improve to ensure a safe future for our planet.
Plastic waste has become a problem in the ecosystem because marine animals get caught in plastic objects (such as the plastic rings that hold drinks cans together), ingest the plastic, and be exposed to plastic chemicals, altering their physiology over time.
CAUSES OF PLASTICS WASTE
a. Increase in the population growth
The greater the population, the greater the demand also, which means the excess use of Plastics in the society. More plastic has been produced than ever due to rapid urbanization and, in turn, demand.
b. plastic takes over 400 years to decompose
The chemical bonds that make-up plastic are strong and made to last. The decomposition rate of plastic can vary depending on the type. However, this typically ranges from 50 to 400 years. In other words, according to the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency in the United States), almost every bit of plastic ever made and sent to landfills or dumped in the environment still exists — a sobering thought for us all. As new plastic items are manufactured every day, the cycle repeats.
c. plastic is readily available, and its use is widespread
Since plastic is an affordable and durable material, it can be found in packaging materials, plastic bottles, straws, plastic bags, etc.
Until manufacturing companies and businesses start to utilize more environmentally-friendly, alternative materials (such as paper) or any other material that can stand in place of plastic, the cycle of producing and disposing of plastic will continue.
HOW TO MANAGE OR RECYCLE PLASTIC WASTE
• Use a metal bottle rather than a plastic bottle
• Provision of more recycling bins at homes, offices, and schools, to ensure accessible collection of recyclable plastics
• Uses of plastic utensils should be only encouraged if only they can be washed and used again
• Uses of reusable straws rather than plastic straws
• Use a cloth shopping bag for your groceries.
BENEFITS OF RECYCLING PLASTIC WASTE
A world where we can walk without seeing a lot of heaps of trash, a society where the environment is naturally clean, can be achieved by Recycling. The benefits of Recycling are :
• Recycling plastics saves landfill space.
Recycling plastics reduces the amount of energy and resources (such as water, petroleum, natural gas, and coal) needed to create plastic.
• Eases demand for fossil fuels
In any case, plastic Recycling additionally saves the energy necessary to generate new substances. According to a study from Stanford University, a great deal of recycled plastic conserves 7,200 kilowatt-hours of power or about enough ability to operate a home for seven weeks.
• Enhance Standard living
Suppose companies work together with their internal and external stakeholders towards creating awareness and encouraging positive consequences of Plastic and Recycling. In that case, they will lead to a sea change towards environmental conservation.
• Reduction in gas emission
The production of plastics produces greenhouse gas. Nevertheless, many plastic bottles are fabricated from plants nowadays. Consequently, the number of these greenhouse gas gets large. To prevent the creation of vinyl, present plastic bottles are required to be recycled. With Vinyl recycling, the product of vinyl can be lessened. This will gradually lead to a lower generation of harmful greenhouse gas.
• It protects natural resources
Plastic Recycling conserves valuable organic resources. For instance, oil, which is essential for creating brand new plastic products, around 40 percent of oil consumption can be lowered simply by Recycling lost and older Plastic Waste.