There has been a heated debt over the years concerning the use of plastics. According to research, we are producing over 300 million tons of plastic annually. This has since interfered with the environment.

Did you know 10 percent of plastic waste end up in the oceans? This has even affected marine life. The normal plastics bags take between 10 to 1000 years to decompose while bottle plastics it takes 450 years or even more to decompose.
This has seen most countries in the world, banning the use of plastics, which is a good move towards protecting the environment. However, in this article, we are going to look at both the positive and negative effects of plastics. Plus, the mitigation measures we can apply.

Plastic is one of the most used material these days. It is being used in almost every industry. But along with its advantages, there are lot of disadvantages of plastic too. Let’s take a look at the positive and negative effects of plastic.

Increasing usage of plastic

In our daily life, plastic made a considerable impact and we are heavily dependent on plastic. Starting from daily usage utensils to decorative items all are coming in plastic. The usage of plastic is increasing day by day and researchers are also trying to develop more durable, less weight, strong plastic to meet today’s needs.

The usage of plastic is increasing exponentially from the last century. Records showed that the amount of plastic made in the first 10 years of 21^stcentury is equal to the amount of plastic made in the whole 20^thcentury. Generally, Plastic is of two types i.e. high quality plastic and low quality plastic. High quality plastic is very strong and is generally used for making products like cabins, mobile and laptop cases etc. Low quality plastic is generally weak and is used for making utensils, vessels etc.

Positive impact of plastic

There are several advantages with plastic which can’t be compared with others. Plastic is highly durable material and it lasts longer. Another positive thing about plastic is its ease in converting to required shape. The weight of the plastic is very less and it is almost as strong as metals. You can convert plastic into the shape you required and they look equally beautiful like glass or other expensive materials. Unlike glass which has to be handled carefully, you can roughly use plastic materials. One more advantage of plastic is it is recyclable. The wear and tear of plastic parts is very less when compared to other materials available.

Plastics have their positive sides that we are going to look into they include

• Packaging and storage

Plastics are durable and can be used for a long time. Various firms are using plastics to store and even package their products. This helps to keep the products in good shape form damages. For example, the shipping firms are using plastics to protect their products from damages. This includes water or even breakage.

Another thing that makes the plastics more effective for the various industries is the features. Plastic is known to be chemical resistant and light. This makes it a desired product to use in chemical firms. It prevents the substance from spilling out and affecting the environment or exposing the employees to the toxic chemicals during manufacturing.

• Cheap and sterile

Plastics are cheap to acquire since its production cost is low. At the same time, the material is sterile. This is why it is used in the medical field to prevent contamination of drugs or equipment.

One can also use the material in the house for preservation. There are certain foods when opened, then persevering them seems to be a problem. However, when one reuses plastic bags, you are able to cover the foods and keep it airtight. This helps to preserve the food and avoid wastage

• Durability

Plastic can last for a period of 10 to 1000 years. However, this depends on the plastic material one is using. This is a guarantee that you can use the bag for a long period without thing of replacing it.

• Usability and versatility

Plastics are easy to use, especially in the house for the kitchen. The material is light and has been used to make spoons, plates, or even cups. This is a perfect alternative for those who are shying away from glassware. On the other hand, the material has multiple uses, such as making shelters, transportation such as boats, among other things.

There are so many advantages with plastic and it has to be used carefully and within the limitations to protect environment. Plastic is recyclable and hence instead of disposing it, everybody must take initiative to recycle so that the effect of plastic on environment will be less. Recycling of plastic not only helps environment but also gives you money. Several governments are making regulatory laws to regulate the use of plastic and several NGO’s from all over the world are trying to create awareness among people about plastic. Presently plastic accounts 10% of waste which is a serious concern of several environmental activists. It has to be reduced substantially for better future.

Negative impact of Plastic

The modern lifestyle is focused on people who are always on the move. For this reason, food is available in cans, plastic containers, and other materials. The more people make use of these items, the higher the rate at which they accumulate the amount of garbage on the planet. Among the most stubborn forms of garbage are plastics. They do not rot as naturally as their other counterparts. Also, when burned up, they emit fumes which contain very harmful chemicals. Here, we focus on the ways plastics affect the planet we call home.

There are some negative things about plastic which has to be considered equally like advantages. Plastic items can’t tolerate high temperatures and releases harmful gases (at high temp.) which cause pollution. Plastic is not easily disposable and it will take thousands of years to completely dispose in soil. This result in other harmful things like blockage of water (resulting floods), death of animals, birds because of eating plastic etc. which are serious concerns of several environmental activists. Even the process of making plastic by industries releases heavy amounts of carbon dioxide.

The plastic material has its cons that have to look into as well. They include

• Toxins

Plastic materials are known to have various chemicals that are harmful to one’s health. Some of the components used to lead to make the product contain the harmful chemical. These compounds are Polyvinyl chloride, Phthalates, and Bisphenol- A or BPA.

When harmful chemicals are exposed to the environment, they pose a health risk to yours. Plus, it affects the ecosystem as well. This includes air, water, and soil. Therefore it is time we seek other alternatives.

• Non-disposable

Plastics take longer to decompose. This affects the animals, plants, and even sea creatures. For example, the discovery of whales that have been washed up to show after being suffocated by the plastic bags. Others have swollen the material, which interferes with their digestion. This is a death sentence to the mammal.

Sources of Plastic Pollutants

Each day, we release plastics to the environment in ways we do not expect.

• Trash

Trash is everyday materials such as plastic bags,water bottles, milk packets, and electronic parts and so on. High impact plastics find their way to the environment in many different ways including when you ‘innocently’ through a water bottle to the dustbin in town. You may even have an item such as cloth but not recognize the fact that the buttons are made of plastic.

• Overuse of Plastic

It may not be a surprise to recognize the fact that plastics are among the most used material on the planet. The fact that they are among the cheapest and most commonly available materials makes them among the most dangerous pollutants on the planet. The harmful effects of plastics may include the introduction of inorganic materials in the soil and harmful gasses in the atmosphere when it is burned, but plastics do more than that as they have compounds that may cause diseases to people and animals. When they find their way into waterways and other areas, they may harm the users of the water including marine life.

• Fishing Activities

Fishing activities require a lot of equipment such as nets which are mostly made of plastics. When the nets break down, they are often left to stay in the water. Also, the fact that the nets stay in water means that they emit toxins at will. High impact plastics are the worst of them all since their level of harm to the environment is higher than the other types of plastics. The harmful effects of plastics on the environment will depend on the materials that went into their making.

• Used Plastics

Impact plastics are those that continue to release toxins into the environment even after their use. High impact plastics are those whose level of chemicals released is higher than the others. When plastics are used and either disposed of or recycled, they will still release their toxic substances to the environment. People make the mistake of thinking that recycling is the solution to the issue of pollution from plastics when it is not. Even the recycling process for plastics is very costly and will lead to the release of some of the gasses that are released when the plastics are burned.

Pollution from Plastics affects the Natural Food Chain

Among the harmful effects of plastics is that they affect the natural order of feeding. They affect from the large animals to the microscopic plankton which is the main type of food eaten by fish and other aquatic lifeforms. Plastics will affect every part of the food chain to the extent that even the large animals in the food chain will be affected. They may be directly affected by feeding on plastic toxins or indirectly by lacking the food to eat after the plastics have killed the animals down in the chain.

Plastics Pollute sources of Water

A large part of the water we drink is transported through the ground through pipes and other methods. The plastics in the dumpsite will mix, resulting in high impact plastic and seep into the ground and into most sources of ground water. The harmful effects of plastics can be passed through the ground to the body through various ways like the water explained here. For most people, ground water is assumed to be safe for drinking when the reality is far from that. Unless it has been treated and approved for human consumption, do not attempt to drink it as you will be taking in lots of poisons.

Air and Land Pollution

Plastics have chemicals that can be transported through water and air to various locations that they can harm the people who come into contact with them. For all one may know, the plastic items in the home may not harm them during their use, but once they are burned or disposed of, they will have such a big impact on the environment that they have been declared among the most impactful of pollutants on the planet. One needs to focus on their impact on land, water, and the air to avoid their polluting effect.

Mitigation Measures

We need to look into the way that plastic effects can be reduced. Various studies have been contacted on how plastics wastage can be reduced. Here are some of the measure that industries and individuals can apply

• Encourage the production firm to recycle the plastics they produce instead of producing more. Plus, the plastics can also be used to produce other plastic products. Individuals can also be educated on the importance of plastic recycling, such as using the product to serve another purpose. For example, margarine containers can be reused to store food
• People should be advised to use cloth bags for shopping instead of plastic bags
• Individuals should also be educated on the importance of buying products with minimal plastic packaging.

Verdict

Finally, plastic is like a double edged sword and we must use it carefully to avoid future complications and environmental problems. Even methods suggested by plastic companies like burying deep in the earth will also have its own implications on environment. So plastic companies and plastic users have to use it cautiously. Plastic must be used according to our needs but not for our luxuries.

With the high number of plastics on the planet and in everyday use, there are measures put in place to stop their pollution on the environment. First of all is the issue of recycling. Recycling will ensure that the plastics do not find their way to the ground or sources of water to impact it in negative ways. It is the responsibility of everyone to take the plastic to the right locations for recycling or other use that will not affect the people around the area. This is the best way of dealing with the plastics.

What are your thoughts on the heavy use of plastic products in our everyday life? What could be done to save the environment from plastic pollution? What could be the alternative materials for plastic? Post your thoughts and ideas in the comments box below.