The positive and negative effects of plastic have been explained below. To reduce plastic waste and negative effects, recycling programs have been implemented in many parts of the united states, but remain underutilized. Big numbers can be daunting so lets put it another way. It may seem like large amounts of plastic waste are inevitable in the world we live in, but you can help with the plastic pollution issue by being aware of its dangers and taking steps to reduce waste. Positive and negative effects of plastic essay and speech. Plastic is one of the most used material these days. Environmental disadvantages of each paper versus plastic is a hot topic when choosing between plastic bags and paper bags. Dec, 2016 researchers at cardiff university, in the united kingdom, found that a fee for plastic bags introduced in october 2015 has led to a sharp decline in the number of shoppers who take singleuse bags at checkout, from 25 percent to 7 percent after one year.
May 07, 2018 harmful effects of plastic bags on plants even plants are not protected from the harm caused by bags. Raise public awareness about the harm caused by singleused plastics. During the extended process of plastic packaging production, plasticizers are added to alter properties of the plastic, including increasing its resilience. They are so inexpensive and convenient that most households use them. Moreover, a study of 38 green turtles found that 61 percent had ingested some form of marine debris including plastic bags, cloth, and rope or string bugoni et al. Get the pros and cons of paper versus plastic bags.
Even plants are not protected from the harm caused by bags. While the industrial development of plastic in many ways made life easier, plastic production impacts every phase of the life cycle. People are exposed to these chemicals not only during manufacturing, but also by using plastic packages, because some chemicals migrate from the plastic packaging to the foods they. The worst effects of plastic bags that cause environmental. Harmful effects of plastic harmful effects of plastic. In this guide, we will teach you about how plastic shopping bags damage the environment. This is due to the fact that disposable plastic bags are cheap. Plastic, one of the most preferred materials in todays industrial world is posing serious threat to environment and consumers health in many direct and indirect ways. Industrial development of fossil fuels into a wide array of plastics changed formulations in everything from insulation to mechanicals to paint, and plastic is still a ubiquitous component of every building assembly. Due to nonbiodegradable nature they cause hazardous negative impact on the. Ten lines on plastic bag and its harmful effects set 1. Plastic is a very hazardous material with respect to its effects on the environment.
The plastic with its worst impact on our community and environment is the one that we use and throw, such as water bottles, plastic bags, sachets, pouches or other packaging. The effects of plastic bags on the environment are really quite devastating. Plastic bags are very popular with both retailers as well as consumers because they are cheap, strong, lightweight. Many countries have banned plastic bags due to public concern over the serious negative impact on the environment and agriculture, especially, in agricultural.
Impact of national bans and levies on plastic bag usage. Disposal of plastic waste which are major cause of environment pollution becomes carcinogenic to human, birth defects, impaired immunity,endocrine disruption, development and reproductive effect. China, which banned many types of plastic bags in 2008, claims some successes. Problem and solutions plastic pollution in the oceans and on dry land is a terrible plague that needs to be addressed through responsible environmental. The european union passed legislation in 2015 aiming to cut plastic bag use in half by 2019 and half again by 2025. Using plastic bags in packaging of hot bread and meals makes these bags. Research shows the effects plastic has on the earth as well as on humans. Download 10page essay on harmful effects of plastic on the environment 2020. Aug 18, 2018 the effects of plastic bags on the environment. Not only is the oil expended nonrenewable, but manufacturing plants burn the oil during the production processreleasing a significant amount of pollution into the atmosphere. Plastic bags are very popular with both retailers as well. Plastics are inexpensive and durable, and as a result levels of plastic production by.
In this article we highlight 15 harmful effects of plastic bags, cutting across social, economic, health and ecological aspects of life. Watch this video to know how plastic bags lead to environmental pollution, and the measures you can take. This study focuses on the toxic effects of plastic on human health and environment and possible consequences of health risk assessment in bangladesh. Aug 10, 2017 therefore, they pose a threat to the atmosphere. Pdf using plastic bags and its damaging impact on environment. Why singleuse plastics are badand what you can do about. Sometimes plastic such as polythene bags, get buried under the soil, this makes the soil toxic. Chemical migration from plastic packaging into contents.
Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles e. Unfortunately, babies drinking from hard, plastic polycarbonate bottles ingest roughly 10 times that amount. Plastic can have both positive and negative effects on our environment and on us. A field survey of the city of sanaa and the surrounding areas, yemen. The harmful effects of plastic on human health and the. Harmful effects of plastic bags the harmful effects of plastic bags are numerous and it affects human, all living organisms, soil, water, air, and the entire ecosystem. Nearly 200 different species of sea life including whales, dolphins, seals. Assessing the impact of the complete ban on plastic carry bag. It has been estimated that plastic marine debris adversely affects at least 267 species globally, including 86% of sea turtles, 44% of seabirds, and 43% of marine mammals.
Perhaps most ominously, plastics buried in landfills can leach. See the adverse health effects grid for a list of commonly used plastics and their known health effects. Plastic is a material made to last forever, yet 33 percent of all plastic water bottles, bags and straws are used just once and thrown away. Impacts of mismanaged trash trashfree waters us epa. Many animals, including whales, dolphins, turtles, penguins, and dolphins, ingest plastic bags as they mistake them food. There is a substantial body of evidence documenting the harmful effects of aquatic plastic debris on river and marine organisms. Disposed plastic materials can remain in the environment for up to 2,000 years and longer. Dec 16, 2016 but, most of us are blissfully unaware of the harmful effects of the use of plastic bags. Why are plastic grocery bags bad for the environment. Jun 21, 2018 90% people aware of harmful effects of plastic bags, but still use it. Harmful effects of plastic waste disposal sciencing.
Lets take a look at the positive and negative effects of plastic. Positive and negative effects of plastic my daily alerts. Harmful effects of plastics on health and environment h. Five ways that plastics harm the environment and one way. The second option, incineration, returns some of the energy from plastic production but is known to produce negative environmental and health effects. The toxic chemicals used to manufacture plastic gets transferred to animal tissue, eventually entering the human food chain. We can reduce the use of plastic containers for the storing food and other items and use more durable materials like metal. As studies have shown, there is much evidence in favor of using plastic bags over cloth bags. When plastics breakdown in soil they release harmful chemicals, like bisphenol a bpa, that can harm natural microorganisms that plants are dependent upon for survival 8. Serious effects of plastic pollution on our health. The effect on wildlife can be catastrophic world wildlife fund report 2005. In the meantime, it contaminates our soil and water. Polythene bags, commonly known as plastic bags, are popular packaging materials.
Plastic debris waste is often ingested by seafaring creatures, and the chemicals therein can poison all manner of wildlife. Banning styrofoam is easy as replacing canvas bags with plastic ones. Plastic grocery bag pollution on land is troublesome, but in the water, its dangerous to animals. For example, polythene used in shopping bags is nonbiodegradable it doesnt beak down naturally in landfills. Effect of plastic grocery bags on environment and its reuse. The effects of plastic bags on environment healthguidance. Perhaps most ominously, plastics buried in landfills can leach harmful chemicals into groundwater and therefore into the water supply, and the bpa in polycarbonate bottles can contaminate beverages. We also will discuss alternatives to using plastic shopping bags.
Considering the large scale damaging effect of plastic bags on the. Effects of plastic on marine life help save nature. Nonbiodegradable waste can last for centuries and cause environmental problems that affect more than just the land. Nov 16, 2018 plastic bottles are everywhere you turn. With this post, i believed we understand how is plastic harmful to humans. Disposable shopping bags are convenient, but they are a major source of waste and pollution in our society. Exposure to harmful chemicals during manufacturing, leaching in the stored food items while using plastic packages or chewing of. Also, try and avoid coming home with plastic bags and purchase items with not too much packaging. Due to the toxic chemical composition of plastic bags, its exposure causes illnesses like birth defects, cancer, and other systemic illness plastic bags also affect animals, birds, and aquatic organisms. Harmful effects from use of polythene bags healthy living.
Sometimes plastic such as polythene bags, get buried under. Some markets, such as trader joe s, strive for the use of paper and reusable bags, but most big market shopping centers refuse to switch to biodegradable bags. It does not degrade or decompose easily and dumping it in large quantities can create landfills and garbage dumps. The actual role of plastic waste in causing these health impacts is uncertain. Sea turtles, marine mammals and fish confuse the bags with prey, such as jellyfish, and eat the plastic imposters. Plastics that act as pollutants are categorized into micro, meso, or macro debris, based on size. For example, whales and sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for squid, and birds often mistake plastic pellets for fish eggs.
Read on, to see the impact of this material on the oceans of the earth. Environmental effects while the economic and employment effects of plastic bag bans are substantial, there are no environmental benefits to banning plastic bags. Floating plastic waste can survive for dozens of centuries and disrupt habitats by shuttling microbes to and fro. Birds become terminally entangled world wildlife fund report 2005. Plastic bags require less energy to produce and recycle, and they create less municipal waste than cloth bags.
We already know that many additives in plastic are considered extremely harmful, but there is no complete understanding of the effects of plastic itself on human health yet. Exposure to harmful chemicals during manufacturing, leaching in the stored food items while using plastic packages or chewing of plastic teethers and toys by children are linked with severe adverse health outcomes such as cancers, birth defects, impaired immunity, endocrine disruption, developmental and reproductive effects etc. Drinking water, soda, various food products and even condiments come in plastic bottles. Plastic bags create visual pollution problems and can have harmful effects on aquatic and terrestrial animals.
Many plastics can be recycled, and some of the materials used to make plastics can be recovered. The impact of plastic bags on the environment greentumble. Due to nonbiodegradable nature they cause hazardous negative impact on the environment. With this, you can help in contributing to the environment by reducing the harmful irreversible effects of plastics on humans. Plastics have been around for more than 100 years and without a doubt, they have been extremely useful, however when you see them blowing around in the streets causing entanglement in animals, clogging up of drainages causing flooding, posing dangers. Read on to know more about this widely used famous product. Plastic pollution this module1 is intended for elementary or secondary education teachers interested in teaching their classroom about plastic pollution and for anyone interested in learning about the impacts of plastic pollution on our environment and society and actions we can take to diminish this problem. Reusing cloth bags also has potential negative health effects as this practice can lead to crosscontamination and disease. The positive effects of plastic have been mentioned as. Plastics in our oceans a page that explores the increasingly harmful issue of plastic pollution in the worlds oceans. There is strong evidence that your body is at stake people are exposed to plastics and their additives every day in a variety of ways. Plastic pollution is currently one of the biggest environmental concerns. Such plastic garbage when comes in contact with soil, air and water, it contaminates them all as it is not biodegradable.
From a vegetable vendor to a designer store, everyone seems to use them. Every man, woman and child on our planet uses 83 plastic bags every year. It can take up to thousands of years for plastic bags and styrofoam containers to decompose. The plastic bag problem an article that provides information on the issue of plastic bags, and how people can reduce use and recycle. Animals may not eat because they feel full, or the blockage may prevent the.
This refers to the reduction or decreased consumptions of plastic artifacts. While there are many objections to the banning of plastic bags based solely on their convenience, the damage to the environment needs to be controlled. Mar 18, 2010 plastic is a material made to last forever, yet 33 percent of all plastic water bottles, bags and straws are used just once and thrown away. Plastic packaging is produced from natural gas, which strains a resource that could be put to other uses.
Qlwlrqri3odvwlf plastic is an organic material manufactured from petroleum derivatives. There are also toxic monomers, which have been linked to cancer and reproductive problems. One of the side effects of technology advances is the inability of nature to decompose substances humans create. Due to the toxic chemical composition of plastic bags, its exposure causes illnesses like birth defects, cancer, and other systemic illness. Much is due to the nature of plastic itself, which often can only be downcycled rather than recycled a torn plastic bag might eventually be transformed into a lunch tray, but it will.
Harmful effects of plastic bags on health and environment. Cloth bags need to be used 104 times before they have an environmental. A sea change in building technology arrived in the 1950s with the age of plastic. The plastic threat to human health the billions upon billions of items of plastic waste choking our oceans, lakes, and rivers and piling up on land is more than unsightly and harmful to plants and wildlife. This makes the water unhealthy for human consumption and agricultural use. San francisco have reported no sustained negative impact to retailers.
Plastics have potentially harmful effects on both animals, plants and on the environment. Learn about the harmful effects of plastic on human health and the environment in this excerpt from chapter 2, ecology. From saving plastic bags to replacing plastic water bottles, people have been taking steps to becoming more environmentally aware. The harmful effects of plastic bags every once in a while the government passes out an order banning shop keepers from providing plastic bags to customers for carrying their purchases, with little lasting effect. The need to implement various measures to save planet earth has become even more urgent as we continue to inch towards an obvious disaster that we have created for ourselves. The next step is banning polystyrene, better known as styrofoam, a harmful product still in our society. Plastic buried in soil can release a toxic chemical which mixes into the ground making it harmful for agriculture and human use, it can also seep into the ground and mix with groundwater. Using plastic bags and its damaging impact on environment and. Although plastic bags make up only a small percentage of all litter, the impact of these bags is nevertheless significant. Serious effects of plastic pollution on human health greentumble pollution june 29, 2018 most of us grew up in an age where the mantra of plastic is fantastic shaped our environment to the extent that today plastic really is all around us. But along with its advantages, there are lot of disadvantages of plastic too. We can reduce the use of plastic bags and carry jute bags and paper bags to carry items from the market. It could promote severe health disruption in humans.
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