We can not neglect the scenario of plastic pollution that primarily harms the environment directly and indirectly. The endless debate over sustainable development and management often fails as well. From the past many decades, plastic pollution is one of the significant issues that adversely affect the environment.
Every day, millions of tones of plastic waste; generated on the global count, and that inevitable waste leads the ecosystem in danger. However, many non-government organizations have raised their hands in favour of reducing plastic waste.
As a fact, making the planet plastic-free is a somewhat impossible task, yet the reduction of use and recycling is another advanced step. Even the invention of biodegradable plastic recently lowers the risk of plastic pollution to some extent. Plastic waste is affecting the environment, including flora and fauna, even intoxicating land, water, and air.
On the degradable count, plastic takes hundreds of years for a complete breakdown, and that break down process generates many toxic substances and gases. So whether it goes for degradable mechanism or recycling treatment, it damages the environment ultimately. Let’s get over the question of how does plastic harm environment, with its types, causes, and preventive outlook.
What Causes Plastic Pollution?
The exploitation of natural resources and overuse of plastic has made earth nothing less than a dumping ground. As plastic is cheap and commonly used in every item, but that availability of plastic has lead to giant plastic islands and dumping grounds.
However, if not appropriately treated, plastic is nothing less than the pollution that causes toxins into air, land, water. Each day, the plastic packing of food items, bottles, tiny sacks, and more are produced by humans and critically affects the entire ecosystem. Apart from such disposable plastic products, waste from technological devices and batteries is another pollutant for the environment.
Disposable medical wastes, also play a crucial role in world plastic pollution, that adversely upset the environment with germs, bacterias, and infectious diseases. All such plastic wastes when dumping openly, or burned influence groundwater table and wildlife as well.
In fact, it also lowers the fertility level of soil and leads to deforestation. Use of giant fishing nets for the commercial fishing purpose also create intoxication into oceans. It risks the marine ecosystem of aquatic wildlife, corals, and flora.
The Havoc Overview: How Does Plastic Harm The Environment?
Indeed, it is clear that plastic is dangerous for the entire environment, but now the question arises, how?
Plastic was invented to make our life easy yet today, effecting more negatively than positively. Below are some listed plastic harms that critically influence the environment.
Disturbs The Food Chain
The use of plastic packing in prepared and raw food adds toxic elements, even if it is of food-grade quality. However, the ingestion of plastic by marine species, and other animals, also influence food web wholly. In fact, many researches found that everyday use of plastic is now the part of fishes, crabs, aquatic birds, cows, sheep, and more animals. The over-use of plastic critically harms and disturbs the food chain, that also the lead cause for the death of faunas.
Underwater Pollution
The scarcity of water on one hand and conservation, on the other hand, is an alarming aspect. With the rise of population and pollution, the level of groundwater is already fallen. Still, the left underwater level when getting intoxicated with tiny plastics, and leaking waste increases the risk of groundwater pollution. This unhealthy water, when consumed and used by humans and even animals, lead to more negative consequences.
Plastic Pollution On Land
Open dumping of plastic waste on land causes pollution. However, that generated plastic waste interacts with land water, contaminates the surface water with toxic chemicals. The wind is also a promoter of carrying plastic bags and waste from one place to another. Even stucking of plastic bin on electric poles, traffic signals, farm fences, bushes, towers, and trees can cause accidents and injuries.
Air Is Intoxicated Due To Plastic
Treating plastic in re-cycling plants for reuse management, toxicate the air. In fact, the burning of plastic waste on landfills influence air quality and promote the risk of air pollution. Such intoxicated air with harmful gases is unhealthy for animals, trees, and humans. Recently the issues of lungs and respiratory systems have been increased due to air pollution.
Harm Animals
When it comes to the scenario of the world’s ecosystem as significant, plastic pollution plays a considerable part in animal deaths. Many environmental surveys on wildlife have shown plastic waste hazards on natural habitats. Today the internet is filled with photographs showing ducks, goose, swans encircled with plastic rings, wires. Even the images of carbs, tortoise, etc. on sea shore trapped in plastic waste and packings. The plastic islands in oceans poisoned the entire water and thus affecting marine life. However, there are endless pictures to prove the dark side of plastic that is harming animals widely.
Deadly For Human Health
The overuse of plastic is promoting the unhealthy being for humans as well. The consumption of 2nd grade or low-grade plastic in daily life, especially in food items, is a cause for many health issues. Furthermore, dumping and burning of plastic waste in landfills also influence air, water, and land. Apart from this, the germination of germs and viruses leads to untreatable health hazards.
Impacting The Economy On Global Level
As plastic is part of life, yet we know it is harmful. Thus minimum use is crucial. Still, the open exposures of plastic wastes cause excessive pollution that somehow affects the nation’s economy for cleaning, treating, and managing. The role of plastic pollution also influences tourism that impacts the travel economy and business of local people at travel sites.
How To Reduce The Devastating Effects Of Plastic Pollution?
To stop plastic use is not possible yet challenging as well; however, reduction in consumption is more good. The reality is the need for more optimum solutions and preventive measures to make the earth a plastic-free planet.
Carry Cloth Bags While Shopping
The best is shop friendly while buying things in the supermarket. The use of biodegradable plastic bags or reusable bags is more eco-friendly and efficient. Even can use bags made of paper or cloth while shopping for groceries, etc. Check the best reusable produce bag you can find in the UK
Avoid Using Packed Water Bottle
Plastic packed mineral water counts a lot in everyday plastic pollution. To keep the planet safe from plastic waste and body hydrated, carry reusable bottles. As plastic bottles are just meant for single-use and need to trash, promoting plastic garbage. However, now reusable and biodegradable plastic bottles are also used. Carrying metal, glass, and even terracotta are getting popular these days.
Stop Using Plastic Packing Of Food
Whether food is packed in food-grade plastic, you can still avoid it. Generally, junks like chips, chocolates, candies. Excellent is the use of paper cuts and plates instead of plastic packing for food items and snacks. However, biodegradable plastic containers, spoons, lids, etc. lowers the risk of plastic pollution every day. Wrapping in tissues, and foil is also more significant.
Get Involved, Make Involve
Social awareness of plastic pollution is crucial today for the more reliable solution over making the planet more healthy. Speak to people with open suggestions and measures in local businesses such as hotels, cafes, restaurants, supermarkets. Moreover, awareness classes and sessions in schools and educational institutions also help in making people aware of harms by plastic.
Final Thoughts
Plastic pollution is an alarming crisis affecting the entire planet with devastating effects. The everlasting degradable quality of plastic is a significant drawback that is influencing the ecosystem. Adopting eco-friendly trends and bio-degradable plastic is precisely more relevant ideal for managing such toxic waste on the planet.
Small every day initials while using plastics can cause pollution for millions of years. Thus, more sustainable and manageable solutions will help the earth to be a plastic-free zone forever.
