Written by: Niharika Shrestha - 22022, Grade XI
Posted on: 10 January, 2021
Plastic is one of the most common things that is used on a daily basis in our life. Plastic bags are a major cause of environmental pollution. Plastic as a substance is non-biodegradable and thus plastic bags remain in the environment for hundreds of years polluting it immensely. Plastic takes a long time to degrade so it is very harmful to the environment yet we see many of the shopkeepers using plastic bags to give things to the customers and as well as many people using it for various purposes. Plastic sticks around in the environment for ages, threatening wildlife, and spreading toxins. Plastic also contributes to global warming.
Studies have found that certain chemicals in the plastic can leach out of the plastic and into the food and beverages we eat. As plastic is less expensive, it is one of the most widely available and overused items in the world today. Rapid urbanization and population growth have increased the demand for cheap plastics. Since it is an affordable and durable material, it is utilized in every other way possible, from packaging materials to plastic bottles and containers, straws to plastic carry bags. And also because they’re so cheap, we don’t value them to hang on to individual items. And when thrown, it does not decompose easily and pollutes the land or air nearby when burned in the open air. The chemical bonds that make-up plastics are strong and made to last. Commercial fishing is an economic necessity for many parts of the world, and tons of people eat fish for their daily survival. However, this industry has helped contribute to the problem of plastics pollution in the oceans in several ways. The nets used for certain large-scale trolling operations are usually made of plastic. Plastic waste is also washed to shores from ships and nets used for fishing. This not only kills and harms local wildlife but also pollutes the water, marine animals get trapped in nets and/or swallow the toxic particles. Burning plastic is incredibly toxic and can lead to harmful atmospheric conditions and deadly illnesses. Therefore, if it is in a landfill, it will never stop releasing toxins in that area. Animals and marine creatures unknowingly consume plastic particles along with their food. Not only this, but plastic also has many negative effects on human life. We eat plastic-contaminated seafood. It causes air pollution, land pollution, and also it destroys the food chains. The production of plastic bags releases toxic chemicals. These are the main causes of serious illness. The polluted environment is a major reason for various diseases which are spreading easily in human beings. Plastic bags are non-biodegradable. Thus, disposing of plastics is the biggest challenge.
So, will it be beneficial if plastics are banned? Yes, it will be. Plastic bags never degrade completely, which shows that as more of them are produced by companies, more are introduced into the environment. Therefore, the more the amount of plastic bags, the more plastic pollution, and its effects. Banning the use of plastic bags will help reduce this great effect. Plastic also emits some radiation. So, we must try to use plastics as little as we can. We can reduce the use of plastics in many ways. Like by using reusable shopping bags, give up bottled water, use natural rubber gloves, avoid using plastic straws, stop chewing gum, and many more. China banned plastic bags, and four years later, the amount of plastic bags thrown into the environment had reduced by 40 billion.
Definitely, slowly and surely we will get rid of all the plastics in the future and make the world plastics-free. Before destroying the environment, we must think of future generations as well. We ourselves should be responsible and should stop using plastic bags and replace them with cloth bags. Every little positive change matters for a better future.
