Plastic Pollution Essay Example

Plastic Pollution Paper Discovered by Charles Moore in 1 997, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a prime example of the amount of plastic pollution that enters the ocean from land. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch has been described as a filthy plastic collage of discarded cups, straws, lids, bags, and food containers. These giant patches of plastic debris have also been identified as the nations most significant marine debris problem (Murphy). This enormous amount of plastic pollution on our beaches and in our oceans is harming humans and marine life; therefore, to stop this global issue, we must prevent plastics from entering our oceans. The Center for Marine Conservation, an environmental group based in Washington, states that the number one source of debris on beaches from Santa Monica Hint 2 to Miami is plastic trash (Murphy). In the past, ships out at sea have been the main cause of plastics in the ocean, dumping 14 billion pounds of garbage into the ocean every year (Amoral). Before the use of plastic, trash dumped overboard consisted of natural materials that would sink to the bottom biodegrade quickly (Amoral). Today, Plastic that is thrown into the sea floats on the surface and can remain so for 400 years (Amoral). We will write a custom essay sample on Plastic Pollution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Plastic Pollution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Plastic Pollution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Although there is now a law making it illegal to dump plastics into the ocean, it is difficult to enforce and ensure that ships are not polluting our oceans. How does trash make its way into the ocean? In Better Planet Garbage Patch, Kookiest points out that the reason for trash entering the ocean is pretty straightforward. He explains, for example, that when a cup gets blown off the beach in, say, San Francisco, it gets caught in the California Current which makes it way down the coast toward Central America(Kookiest). Just one piece of trash that enters the ocean is taken around the world by the various rents in the ocean. According to Beaches Drowning in plastic pollution, a study was conducted to analyze the amount of trash collected on beaches across America. In Los Angels County, nearly 68% of debris collected for the survey was some form of plastic (Murphy). A total of more than three million pieces of debris were recorded, just a small portion of the amount of trash thrown on our beaches. Local officials in Santa Monica state that most of the plastic collected in the survey was the result of beach visitors tossing aside their trash. During the summer months at Santa Monica Beach, maintenance ores collected twelve tons of garbage on the weekends. According to Kookiest, the LINEN reports that today 80 percent of all marine debris that Hint 3 washes ashore such as trash and toxic matter originally comes from shore-based activities(Kookiest). A large portion of plastic pollution, however, is flushed into the ocean from storm drains, rivers, and creeks. According to Murphy, during heavy rainstorms, the drains and waterways act as huge siphon, dumping the debris directly in the ocean (Murphy). It is obvious that we cannot control the weather but what we can control is our actions. Instead of tossing aside our trash onto the beach, we must dispose of the trash properly. Murphy reports that members of the marine conservation center conclude that the general public poses a major threat to beaches and marine life(Murphy). Although we cannot collect every existing piece of plastic in the ocean, we can organize beach cleaning to further prevent more trash from entering the ocean. During a 1993 coastal cleanup, over 3. 1 million pounds of trash was collected, more than half of it was plastic. (Amoral). The lack of proper disposal of trash is contributing to the existing problem of elastic pollution. Without changing our habits, the garbage patch will only continue to grow (Kookiest). In Better Planet Garbage Patch, Thomas Kookiest tells his experience of traveling to the Eastern Garbage Patch to witness this growing problem first-hand. Kookiest describes this area to be one and a half times the Lignite States with a depth of 1 00 feet or more (Crossties). Plastic Pollution Essay Example Plastic Pollution Paper After people use them, people throw them away, which is plastic pollution. According to Wattenberg (2009), today between 500 billion to one trillion are used annually. Over one billion plastic bags are distributed free to consumers each day. This essay will discuss the Ocean pollution problem, landfill problem and economical problem and then introduce how can individual, governments and school to solve the problems. Firstly, ocean pollution problem by plastic is becoming more and more serious. So much plastic is flowing into the sea, which pollutes the ocean. The UN Environment Programmer (2006) estimated that every square mile of ocean contains 46,000 pieces of floating plastic. Besides, some marine animals mistake plastic as food. It is harmful to them. Wattenberg (2009) state that because of plastic, more than one million marine animals and bird die. Many sea turtles mistake plastic as jellyfish. So plastic are lodged in their digestive tract, contributing to slow and painful death. This information indicates that how serious the plastic pollute the ocean and does harm to animals. If human eat the marine animals whose digestive tract contain plastic, the plastic will then be harmful to humane themselves. Secondly, landfill is another problem. The rubbish that humans throw away every day contains a lot of plastic. Because plastic has harmful chemicals, Humans need to bury them deeply. In addition, plastic need a long time to decompose. Wattenberg (2009) points out that plastic bag contain BPCS and Deeds chemicals. It takes 1000 years to decompose. So the land humans can use is becoming limited. According to We will write a custom essay sample on Plastic Pollution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Plastic Pollution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Plastic Pollution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Clean up Australia Ltd (2009), Australians dispose of an estimated 4 billion plastic bags, or 20,700 tons of plastic, that can be recycled. Even plastic bags that are reused as bin bags end up in municipal waste streams and will never be recycled, filling our already limited landfill space. From the evidence, plastic not only occupy the land but also pollute the land, which is detrimental to society. The final problem is that plastic pollution result in an economical problem. Every year, government spends a lot of money to produce and dispose plastic. It becomes an economic burden to government. Clean Up Australia Ltd (2009) indicates that governments, businesses and community groups spent more than $4,000,000 in cleaning up plastic shopping bag. Wattenberg (2009) observes that shopping bags cost retailers 54 billion in the SACS. Besides, plastic are made with petroleum, which is a no renewable natural resource. It also leads to short supply of petroleum. According to the Nolan TIT (2002), 8. 7 plastic of petroleum energy can make car drive 1 kilometer. This information shows that plastic are not only cheap but also ensure the no renewable resource. It is harmful to humans sustainable development. In order to solve those problems, there are many things that human can do. As for citizen, they can reduce the plastic. If they can do it, the less plastic will be protected. But it is hard to do because plastics are linked to our life. The better way is to recycle the plastic. According disconnected Inc. (n. D), less than 10% plastics produced are recycled. It means that recycling is no enough. If human can improve it better, the better human can solve the problem. Another way citizen can do is using green bag when they go shopping, which can reduce dependence on plastic bag. As for government, government can formulate some policies to make plastic bag in charge in supermarket and institutes green chemistry plastic. Wattenberg (2009) claim that Ireland has devised a Plans Tax, which reduces 90% use of plastic bag. And Taiwanese formulate law to charge plastic bag and utensils. Plastic product use has dropped by 69%. From the information, the effect of government is obvious and both of them are good ways to solve the plastic robber. In conclusion, although the plastic problem is very serious, which is not only harmful to human and animals but also cause an economic burden. There are still some valid ways to solve it. If everyone can do their part, the plastic problem may will be solved one day. Plastic Pollution Essay Example Plastic Pollution Paper Plastic is one of the major toxic pollutants of our time. Being a non-biodegradable substance, composed of toxic chemicals, plastic pollutes earth, air and water. There is no way whatsoever you can ;safely; dispose of plastic waste. Plastic causes serious damage to environment both during its production and disposal. So the only way to reduce the hazards of plastic is to reduce the use of plastic and thereby force a reduction in its production. Plastic plays the villain right from the stage of its production. The major chemicals that go into the making of plastic are highly toxic and pose serious threat to living beings of all species on earth. Some of the constituents of plastic such as benzene and vinyl chloride are known to cause cancer, while many others are gases and liquid hydrocarbons hat vitiate earth and air. Plastic resins themselves are flammable and have contributed considerably to several accidents worldwide. The noxious substances emitted during the production of plastic are synthetic chemicals like ethylene oxide, benzene and xylems. Besides hitting hard the CEO-system, which is already fragile, these chemicals can cause an array of maladies ranging from birth defects to cancer, damage the nervous system and the immune system and also adversely affect the blood and the kidneys. And, many of these toxic substance are emitted during recycling of plastic, ooh. Like in the case of all other chemical substances, ;[emailprotected] of plastic is a myth. Once plastic is produced, the harm is done once and for all. Plastic defies any kind of attempt at disposal be it through recycling, burning, or landfill. We will write a custom essay sample on Plastic Pollution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Plastic Pollution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Plastic Pollution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer When you recycle a hazard, you create a hazard. Recycling of a toxic waste merely puts the hazardous material back into the marketplace and, eventually, into the environment thereby making no reduction in toxic use. Since plastic does not undergo bacterial decomposition, landfill using plastic would mean preserving the poison forever. But can plastic be burned and thus its hazard got rid of? No way. When burned, plastic releases a host of poisonous chemicals into the air, including dioxin, the most toxic substance known to science. Apart from these perils, recycling of plastic is very uneconomical, dirty and labor-intensive as has been reveled by a study conducted by the Public Interest Research Group, based in Died, India. Recycling of plastic is associated with skin and respiratory problems, resulting from exposure to and inhalation of toxic fumes, especially hydrocarbons and residues released during the process. What is worse, the recycled plastic degrades in quality and necessitates the production of more new plastic to make the original product. Plastic wastes clog the drains and the us hit especially urban sewage systems. The plastic wastes being dumped into rivers, streams and seas contaminate the water, soil, marine life and also the very air we breathe. Choked drains provide excellent breeding grounds for disease-causing mosquitoes besides causing flooding during the monsoons. Any attempt to ;get rid plastic through landfills is also dangerous. Apart form toxic seepage from the landfill, resulting in the contamination of resinous water sources, the waste mass impedes the flow of ground water as well and obstructs the movement of roots thereby badly affecting the soils biological balance and organic processes. Landfills are also prone to leaks. The wastes especially cadmium and lead in the wastes invariably mix with rain water, then seep through the ground and drain into nearby streams and lakes and other water bodies. Thus the water we use gets poisoned. The only way out of the deadly and lasting danger of plastic is to cut down the use of plastic, if not avoid it altogether. Say ;noon to plastic whenever and wherever you can. Plastic Pollution Essay Example Plastic Pollution Paper The act or process of polluting or the state of being polluted, especially the contamination of soil, water, or the atmosphere by the discharge of harmful substances. As we become more technologically advanced, we produce materials that can withstand extreme temperatures, are durable and easy to use. Plastic bags, synthetics, plastic bottles, tin cans, and computer hardware these are some of the things that make life easy for us. But what we forget is that these advanced products do not break down naturally. Plastic bags are fisticuff and costly to recycle and most end up on landfill sites where they take around 300 years to photo degrade. They break down into tiny toxic particles that contaminate the soil and waterways and enter the food chain when animals accidentally ingest them. But the problems surrounding waste plastic bags starts long before they photo degrade. When we dispose them in a garbage pile, the air, moisture, climate, or soil cannot break them down naturally to be dissolved with the surrounding land. Our planet is becoming increasingly contaminated by our unnecessary use of plastic carry bags. We will write a custom essay sample on Plastic Pollution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Plastic Pollution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Plastic Pollution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Big lack bin liners, plastic carrier bags carrying advertising logos, clear sandwich bags, vegetable bags and a variety of other forms used to carry our daily food items and other items are all polluting our environment. Just take a look around you. Plastic bags can be seen hanging from the branches of trees, flying in the air on windy days, settled amongst bushes and floating on rivers. They clog up gutters and drains causing water and sewage to overflow and become the breeding grounds of germs and bacteria that cause diseases. Deadly Facts A plastic milk jug takes 1 million years to decompose. The road outside our house is littered with flimsy multi-colored plastic bags. The wind blows these bags into the open gutter. The bags collect and block the gutter which then spills on to the road. Mosquitoes thrive in the Stagnant Water. Pigs and rats wallow in the slime, carrying disease. The place stinks and the air is polluted. Animals and sea creatures are hurt and killed every day by discarded plastic bags. Plastic clogs their intestines and leads to slow starvation. Others become entangled in plastic bags and drown. Because plastic bags take hundreds of years to break down, every year our seas become home to more and more bags that find their way there through our sewers and waterways. Given Indians poor airbag collection facilities, tons of plastic bags litter the roads, preventing rainwater from seeping into the ground. Hundreds of cows die in New Delhi alone every year when they choke on plastic bags while trying to eat vegetable waste stuffed in the garbage. Do we see the proposed ban as a necessary measure? Despite our desire to see a clean environment and have a clean road wonder what will we do without all the plastic things in our lives? The many uses of disposable plastic that we use everyday comes to mind, gloves, pens, cups, bottles, cans 0 can we really do without these? Do we see the proposed ban as a necessary measure? Each year, as industry produces more and more non-essential products individually and excessively packaged in plastic, we throw away more and more trash. Plastic razors can only be used a few times before disposal, then more must be bought, making the plastic and razor industries rich and happy. Pens used to be filled with ink, today we use them, throw them away and go out and buy another one. The pen industries make a lot of money too. Many household appliances are designed to become obsolete within a short duration and that guarantees that youll just have to buy new ones next year. To a large extent, our garbage robber is a result of a corporate business ethic that puts profits before people and the environment. Industry pushes the advantages of disability to the public because it suits them and it pays well. The profit from disability goes into the pockets of only a few but the hazards of disability are faced by many more. The proposed ban makes us realize that each one of us should develop a sense of responsibility not just towards the litter on our roads but also towards the things we buy and use and throw away. Government initiates plastic surgery The state cabinet has decided to issues an ordinance to ban plastic thinner Han 50 microns and less than 8 inches by 12 inches in size. The ban will be state wide. The Maharajahs state non biodegradable Garbage Control Ordinance recommends stringent punishment for violation of the ban. Once the ordinance is issued it will be mandatory for the manufacturers to mention the thickness and quality of the plastic, name and address of the manufacturer and the registration numbers issued by the Maharajahs Pollution Control Board. Recycled plastic will not be allowed. For effective management and disposal of non biodegradable wastes, a system of collection and segregation will be introduced first in the municipal reparation limits of the state.