This Civic Issues blog will focus on topics related to sustainability and the environment, which are currently facing significant challenges that require individual and collective action. The third blog gives insight into plastic pollution, its effect on the environment, and ways to reduce plastic use or make it more sustainable.
Plastic pollution is a relatively new environmental issue as plastic production ramped up following World War II. Although it has allowed for more convenience and innovations in fields such as space travel, the car industry, and medicine just to name a few, it does not come without serious drawbacks. This level of convenience led to a culture where people throw away many plastic items, especially single-use plastics leading to a buildup in landfills and oceans. Some of the main culprits include plastic bags, food wrappers, and utensils/eatery. These items can be used and discarded in such a short time frame, yet they will last for hundreds of years in the environment. To understand the sheer amount of plastic produced it is a fact that plastic production has increased at such a rapid rate that production is expected to double by 2050. Yet, much of this plastic either sits in a landfill or makes its way to the environment. Each year about 8 million tons of plastic enters the ocean. The effect of these plastics on the environment will be detrimental to many life forms ranging from sea turtles to plants.
Plastic pollution is talked about mostly in terms of its harm to oceans, as plastic trash cumulates in rivers and gets carried to the ocean. It can remain near coastal areas or get carried away by the tide traveling across the ocean and even the world. But many people think of plastic pollution as heaps of plastic sitting in the ocean, yet often it is broken down into microplastics by sun, wind, and water. This is more difficult to try and clean and it can then be found in our own drinking water and in air particles. If ingested microplastics can have life threatening affects in animals. For example, they can cause damage to internal intestines and nano plastic particles can pass into different parts of the body and cause health issues such as lower respiration rates. On humans microplastics have been involved in studies showing it can lead to damage in cell DNA and can lead to an increase in the risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s and lung inflammation. Beyond the harm of the plastic itself the chemicals on the plastic such as BPA are known to increase the risk of cancer as well.
Microplastics cause damage which is being studied as it is harder to see with the naked eye, but plastics in the ocean are causing visible harm to many forms of life. Sea creatures such as turtles and seals can get caught in plastic and be strangled or constricted by it, or it can be ingested and block digestion or scratch internal organs. Also, when plastic is burned to try and get rid of or repurpose it, it releases harmful chemicals into the air. When plastic is also put into landfills it takes up space, pollutes the land, and depletes nutrients in the soil.
Change is necessary to stop the continuation of the bad effects of plastic use and pollution. There are lifestyle changes and alternatives that can be used on an individual level to help in the fight against plastic pollution. One way is to reduce or stop using disposable plastic items such as plastic bags and cutlery. Instead of using the plastic bags at the grocery store invest in reusable bags which not only help the environment but also will break less when carrying heavy items. Another way to reduce single use plastics is to commit to using silverware even if it is a larger family gathering, it is better for the environment to give up the convenience of throw away utensils for a cleaner environment. Many single use plastics come as water bottles or gallons of water. A way to reduce this is to buy a water filtration system at home and use that in reusable bottles. This will save people money and keep the environment more sustainable. In relation to other at home ways to do your part, eating at home more can reduce take out containers, or when going out you can bring your own reusable plastic or even glass containers.
Many would assume that rather than making the changes stated above it would be easier to simply recycle, yet the issue is that the recycling process is not as straight forward as many believe it to be. For many companies it is cheaper to dispose of the recycling items than to recycle them and the plants often get backed up. Also, contamination from food, dirt, or even other nonrecyclable items can cause entire batches of items to not be recycled. Items such as plastic bags, utensils, and containers cannot be recycled which means they only go take up in the landfill.
The issue goes well beyond the individual user, as manufactures are also prime culprits in the plastic pollution issue. They can also reduce the amount of plastic, especially single-use plastic, that is used, and reuse more than before. Packaging is where a lot of plastic is wasted in manufacturing, so finding an alternative to plastic packaging would be a substantial leap in the direction toward sustainability.
To wrap up this blog about plastic pollution and how to make more sustainable choices it is important to also see the hope and the good actions that are already being taken. There are various alternatives to plastic, especially for single use plastic like containers. Bagasse and Areca palm are just two examples of alternatives that are biodegradable and do not leave behind harmful chemicals. Innovation is already headed in the right direction, so people and other manufactures need to change their plastic use and the environment will be better off for it. This is an issue like many others where people not only have the power to change their individual actions, but also can advocate for more universal change overall.
Information Links:
Plastic pollution facts and information (nationalgeographic.com)
How harmful are microplastics? — Science Learning Hub
Harmful Effects of Plastic Pollution | Earth Reminder
Plastic Pollution Solutions – 10 Ways to Reduce Plastic Pollution | NRDC
Five sustainable alternatives to plastic for food packaging – Prakati India