Why should we ban plastic?

Plastic usage has increased exponentially over the past few decades, and the effects on the planet are alarming. The oceans are filled with plastic waste, and people can’t afford another crisis like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. All around the world, plastics are wreaking havoc.

Are people doomed to live in an endless sea of garbage? No. It’s time for a change. People must stop using plastic and strict action must be taken on those who use plastic in their shops.

Some of the powerful reasons to prove that the world needs to ban plastic are: -

1. Plastic bags harm both the land and the water

Since plastic bags are often light in weight, they can travel over great distances by wind or water. These plastic bags are blown by the wind, trashing the surrounding region. These waste materials end up floating in the water, entangled between fences and trees, and eventually making their way to the oceans.

2. It takes a lot of energy to make these bags

The energy needed to make nine plastic bags equals the total energy needed to drive a car one kilometre (0.5 miles). Using these non-renewable resources to produce plastic bags is illogical, given that each bag has a 12-minute lifespan on average.

3. Non-renewable resource that contribute to climate change

Polypropylene, created from natural gas and petroleum, makes up most of the plastic. The materials are all made from non-renewable fossil fuels, and the extraction and manufacture of these materials result in the generation of greenhouse gases, which furthers the effects of global climate change.

4. Plastic bags don’t break down

Plastic bags made from petroleum never really disintegrate. Instead of decomposing, plastic gets broken down into minuscule fragments that are swept into the ocean, where they are devoured by wildlife. The world’s oceans currently have between 46,000 to 1,000,000 floating pieces of plastic per square mile.

5. Plastic bags harm wildlife and marine life

Plastic bags and other items are frequently mistaken for food by birds, animals, and marine life, including fish and sea turtles. When they swallow these plastic items, their digestive tract becomes clogged, which causes health infections to grow and eventually results in death from suffocation. Additionally, the creatures may easily tie themselves up in plastic.

According to research, turtles consuming plastic results in over 35 percent of turtle deaths according to Green Tumblr. According to ABC News, a 2008 crocodile autopsy in Australia revealed 25 bags in the animal’s stomach. National Geographic research claims that almost every seabird is eating plastic because 90 percent of them contain waste plastic. The future is bleak if people don’t reduce the manufacturing and disposal of plastic bags.

6. Plastic bags are toxic

The plastic bags are packed with dangerous, poisonous compounds, including those that resemble oestrogen. The plastic possesses hormone-mimicking properties, and the plastic items emitted compounds that mimic oestrogen, according to a paper by Environmental Health Perspectives.

This is harmful because it means that hormones like oestrogen and others won’t function as they should in our systems, leading to a hormonal imbalance that could harm our health.

7. Health risks are associated with plastic bags

Plastic bags include several compounds that can interfere with how hormones in the body normally function. Most plastic debris in the oceans, such as plastic bags, contain contaminants, including PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl) and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), which disrupt hormones. Following their consumption by marine animals, these toxins pass through the food chain and eventually reach people who eat fish and other marine animals.

As marine life and fish are exposed to the chemical substances in the ocean waters, they bio-accumulate in their systems. All these substances that are harmful to human health are consumed when humans cook them. They might get cancer or some other terrible disease.

8. Recycling plastic bags can be challenging

According to reports, recycling plastic bags might be very difficult. Recycling facilities cannot recycle plastic bags; hence they cannot be accepted. As a result, only about 5% of plastic bags get recycled.

Conclusion

So, from the above article, you may conclude that plastic should be banned as soon as possible for a healthy environment. People should take every possible measure by their end to reach their desired goal. I Hope to see a healthy environment in the upcoming years.