Serious effects of plastic pollution on our health. In the proposed ordinance the consumer has three choices. Wastage and hygiene issue arises as these non biodegradable bags are usually littered and not recycled. They are a major constituent of the filth and garbage in our society. Harmful effects of plastics improper disposal of plastics poses a number of problems. Using plastic bags and its damaging impact on environment and agriculture.
Well, i have not bought a plastic trash bag in nearly ten years because i use my walmart plastic bags daily so i recycle plastic bags and i am sure others do. Altkleider image by marem from polythene bags, commonly known as plastic bags, are popular packaging materials. Jul 24, 2012 houston community college systems central campus speech 11 fundamental of speech summer ii 2012 the harmful effects of plastic bags presented by. Plastic bags pollution effects and solutions green. It is also worth looking at what has happened in practice as a result of plastic bag bans. In this article, youll learn the different facts about plastic and paper bags, the benefits of reusables and some tips to make the most out of your reusable bags. The effects of plastic bags on the environment are really quite devastating. How plastic affects animals and harms them plastic soup. Count the plastic bags brought into your home in a week.
An evaluation of the effects of californias proposed plastic. The real reason that the worlds landfills werent overflowing with plastic was because most of it ended up in an ocean fill u. Oct 09, 2014 to reduce plastic waste and negative effects, recycling programs have been implemented in many parts of the united states, but remain underutilized. On average, 300 million tons of plastic are produced around the globe each year. The complex challenge caused by plastic and its alternatives. The paper focuses on the sustainable agricultural and economic development in malaysia and other countries by finding out alternatives to the use of ever harmful plastic bags. Plastic bags are very popular with both retailers as well as consumers because they are cheap, strong, lightweight. Polythene bags eventually break down into small particles resembling plankton, one of the main animal food sources. Using custom reusable grocery bags over plastic or paper bags can save on money, resources and have a positive impact on the environment as well. During the year 2008 in the united states, paper and paperboard accounted for the largest portion 34 percent of the municipal waste stream, and 25 percent of.
Some cities have opted for a tax on plastic bags, such as washington, d. 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. Considering the large scale damaging effect of plastic bags on the. Harmful effect of plastic bags plastic bags have rapidly becoming popular among consumers and retailers due to its convenience and functionality and it comes at a relatively low cost. They eat it, they get caught in it, or get sick because of it. Qlwlrqri3odvwlf plastic is an organic material manufactured from petroleum derivatives. Consumer product safety commission, every year about 25. Iv bags and tubing alone constitute up to 25% of hospital waste. But, most of us are blissfully unaware of the repercussions that are occurring and. The study did find that with moderate reuse, plastic totes made from polypropylene are better for the environment than disposable plastic bags, but this doesnt negate the fact that standard plastic bags are a more environmentally friendly choice than socalled. Plastic pollution occured so rapidly that animals were unable to adjust their behaviour around this new material. Jun 21, 2018 90% people aware of harmful effects of plastic bags, but still use it. The environmental impacts of plastic bag use include.
Jan 10, 2018 even in urban areas, where wildlife is relatively scarce, plastic bags cause significant environmental harm. Among the best data we have comes from san francisco, which in october 2007 implemented a ban on the distribution of hdpe plastic bags by. The negative effects of plastic have been mentioned as follows. Due to the problems associated with singleuse plastic bags and following signing of legislation related to plastic bags1, governor cuomo convened the new york state plastic bag task force in february 2017 to develop a report and proposed legislation to address the detrimental impact of plastic bags on the states environment. From katy perrys song fireworks to a random episode of family guy, somehow a mindless act of a piece of plastic being tossed around in the blowing wind has made an impression on todays culture. Plastic bags when consumed along with food by animals, cause harm to their. Runoff water collects and carries discarded plastic bags and ultimately washes them into storm sewers. The effects of plastic bags on environment healthguidance. The harmful effects of plastic on human health and the.
Littering of plastics in open spaces creates unhygienic conditions, as it acts as a breeding ground for insects and mosquitoes that cause diseases like malaria and dengue. Study the study reflected that while over 85% of the respondents were aware of the plastic usage ban and the harmful effects of plastic on the environment. They are so inexpensive and convenient that most households use them. The harmful effects of plastic bags are numerous and it affects human, all living organisms, soil, water, air, and the entire ecosystem. Although plastic bags make up only a small percentage of all litter, the impact of these bags is nevertheless significant. It takes hundreds of years for plastic bags to decompose and while they do, they release toxins into our soil, lakes, rivers and oceans. Due to the problems associated with singleuse plastic bags and following signing of legislation related to plastic bags1, governor cuomo convened the new york state plastic bag task force in february 2017 to develop a report and proposed legislation to address the detrimental impact of. So, even if all plastic bags were banned, the impact on overall litter would be relatively insignificant.
So many that over one million bags are being used every minute and theyre damaging our environment. Harmful effects from use of polythene bags healthy living. Different reports15showed that plastic bags are still causing severe environmental pollutions and alsohuman and. On plastic bags and their harmful effects on new yorks environment discussion featuring attorney and founder of jennie romer hoylman. Hazard to children polythene bags can be dangerous to children. Nearly all plastic is recycled and turned into diesel which is used to power electric generators, vehicles and farm machinery etc. Plastic bags dry out into a fine dust if left in the hot sun so they do decompose but these can also be melted along with the plastic bottles and refined into oil or fuel. Plastic packaging is produced from natural gas, which strains a resource that could be put to other uses.
Of this, 50% is for disposable applications such as packaging. Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles e. Its damaging impact on environment and agriculture. And one of the worst environmental effects of plastic bags are that they are nonbiodegradable. See the adverse health effects grid for a list of commonly used plastics and their known health effects. The state of california banned singleuse plastic bags at large retail stores and requires a minimum ten cent charge for reusable plastic bags 28. When we actually count the number of bags we bring in weekly, it can spur us to take action. This should be rephrased to encourage the use of reusable bags or no bag at all.
If you havent brought one, you can buy a sturdy, reusable bag at the checkout 29. For example, the chlorinated plastic is known to release harmful chemicals into the soil. Secondly, littered plastic bags are a threat to animals. Raise public awareness about the harm caused by singleused plastics.
Second, they do not quickly and harmlessly biodegade, and du. Mar 14, 2014 plastic bags should be recycled environmentalists regularly reject recycling of plastic bags as a solution to plastic bag litter in favor of banning plastic bags. Positive and negative effects of plastic essay and speech. Plastics degrades faster in the sea, but it also leaves the harmful chemical into it, making it even more dangerous to the life on the earth. Plastics are inexpensive and durable, and as a result levels of plastic production by. Plastic bags create visual pollution problems and can have. Mar 04, 20 carryout bags to reusable carryout bags. 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. If consumers all choose either recyclable paper bags or no bags,or a combination of the two, the objective would fail. I am quite keen to highlight, the illeffects of using plastic bags. Its time to end our throwaway attitude on plastic bags and move to a more sustainable future new york, ny last night, state senator brad hoylman dmanhattan, ranking. They point to the low recycling rate for plastic carryout bags as the reason why plastic carryout bags should be banned.
Collectively, these harmful chemicals are known to cause the following severe health problems. What are the effects of plastic bags on the environment. Apr 29, 20 harmful effect of plastic bags plastic bags have rapidly becoming popular among consumers and retailers due to its convenience and functionality and it comes at a relatively low cost. Most of austrias larger supermarket chains have voluntarily stopped providing customers plastic bags. Many countries have banned plastic bags due to public concern over the serious negative impact on the environment and agriculture, especially, in agricultural. There are various ways on how plastic bags can harm the health of humans and the entire environment. Effect of plastic grocery bags on environment and its reuse. Decline plastic bags at the checkout counter and remind the cashier and others around you that plastic bags hurt the environment. Plastics that act as pollutants are categorized into micro, meso, or macro debris, based on size. In this article we highlight 15 harmful effects of plastic bags, cutting across social, economic, health, and ecological aspects of life. Since we have been using this nonrenewable resource increasingly for our requirements like. Even though they are one of the modern conveniences that we seem to be unable to do without, they are responsible for causing pollution, killing wildlife, and using up.
There is no way to strictly limit the effects of plastic bags on the environment because there is no disposal method. Harmful effects from use of polythene bags health faq. Plastic bags should be recycled environmentalists regularly reject recycling of plastic bags as a solution to plastic bag litter in favor of banning plastic bags. Consumer product safety commission, every year about 25 children in. Plastic bags drifting through the wind have many references in popular culture. Pdf thousands of plastic factories are producing tons of plastic bags which are very. Impact of national bans and levies on plastic bag usage. Ban the distribution of plastic bags by chain retailers within a community. The decomposition of plastic bags takes about years. Plastic bags create visual pollution problems and can have harmful effects on aquatic and terrestrial animals. Chemical migration from plastic packaging into contents 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 contain. Some bans are based on square footage of the business, i. Plastic bags are nonbiodegradable, and are extremely hazardous to the environment. Harmful effects of plastics on health and environment h.
Discarded bags can spread malaria if they collect rainwater, offering mosquitos a casual breeding ground. The harmful effects of using plastic are as follows. On land, plastic bags are one of the most common types of litter worldwide. Plastic bag pollution by sharon jacobsen every year, around 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide. In recent years, local and national governments have begun phasing out or banning lightweight plastic shopping bags.
Build ups of plastic bags are notorious for causing blockages of local drainage systems in developing countries. First, they are manufactured from oil, creating further demand for environmentally damaging oil extraction. 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. Houston community college systems central campus speech 11 fundamental of speech summer ii 2012 the harmful effects of plastic bags presented by. Plastic bags also affect animals, birds, and aquatic organisms. Many animals, including whales, dolphins, turtles, penguins, and dolphins, ingest plastic bags as they mistake them food. From katy perrys song fireworks to a random episode of family guy, somehow a mindless act of a piece of plastic being tossed around in the. Plastic grocery bags are banned in aspen, colorado, and the trend is spreading as other cities, including austin, boulder, philadelphia, and portland, oregon, consider potential plastic bans. Using plastic bags and its damaging impact on environment and.
Pdf using plastic bags and its damaging impact on environment. Even though they are one of the modern conveniences that we seem to be unable to do without, they are responsible for causing pollution, killing wildlife, and using up the precious resources of the earth. Assessment of impacts of options to reduce the use of singleuse. An evaluation of the effects of californias proposed.
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. It cost more to recycle a bag than to produce a new one. Danger to animal life, especially when they find their way into the sea. 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. However, bag ban proponents totally miss the point since they. Harmful effects of plastic a sea change in building technology arrived in the 1950s with the age of plastic. For example, whales and sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for squid, and birds often mistake plastic pellets for fish eggs.
Plastic bags kill wildlife, clog waterways and pack landfills. Whether you burn or throw plastic bags, all the chemicals are released which. Sometimes plastic such as polythene bags, get buried under the soil, this makes the soil toxic. Two major methods that release toxic chemicals of plastic bags are by burning and throwing.
Even after animals bodies decompose, the plastic bags stay intact, and another animal can get hurt. Environmental effects in the united states the paper industry is the largest user, per ton of product, of industrial process water and the third largest industrial consumer of energy. During the extended process of plastic packaging production, plasticizers are added to alter properties of the plastic, including increasing its resilience. Plastic bags are quite commonly mistaken for food by animals, especially when the bags carry food residues, are brightly coloured or are animated by the movement of water. A field survey of the city of sanaa and the surrounding areas, yemen article pdf available november 2014 with 115,274 reads how we measure reads. As much as plastic is used in kitchenware, however, it does contains harmful chemicals, they are likely to release these chemicals in the environment which is very harmful for the environment. 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. 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. Plastic bags are almost not biodegradable, since they do not decompose during the time span of human lives. Once in these sewers, the bags often form clumps with other types of debris, and ultimately block the flow of water.
Plastic bag littering is prevalent in urban settings. Disposable plastic bags are an environmental problem for several reasons. 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. Due to the toxic chemical composition of plastic bags, its exposure causes illnesses like birth defects, cancer, and other systemic illness. Plastic bags are very popular with both retailers as well. Bans on plastic bags harm the environment just facts.
1304 196 1310 1235 1225 1450 883 1581 833 1576 996 211 696 424 1400 1208 699 1255 1131 1094 760 1557 594 1046 1365 172 1377 1349 1524 363 1373 906 228 1557 543 955 649 931 147 1033 428 214 526 1107 462 451 627