From cellphones and bicycle helmets to hospital IV bags, plastic has left a considerable impact in our world today. Because of its light weight and inexpensive properties, this synthetic material has been widely used by almost every industry nowadays. But along with its advantages, there are lots of disadvantages that are brought about by this material.
Plastic first made a breakthrough in 1920 when different plastic materials were developed. A German chemist, Hermann Staudinger, hypothesized that plastics were made up of very large molecules held together by strong chemical bonds and because of this, an increase of research were conducted by different scientists resulting to new plastic products which includes nylon, methyl methacrylate, also known as Lucite or Plexiglas, and polytetrafluoroethylene, which was marketed as Teflon in 1950. During the World War II, many countries were struck by a shortage of natural raw materials, this made them resort to the plastic industry. Even after the war had passed, advances in the plastic industry continued to flourish up to this day.
But this optimism concerning plastics didn't last for long. During the postwar years, a shift in the perceptions of people occurred and plastics were not seen as a positive solution to different problems. People started to become aware of the pollution that plastic has brought to our lives. Debris of plastic were found in the oceans during the 1960s which ignited awareness to environmental problems. In 1969 a major oil spill in California which polluted a river which further raised concerns on pollution. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, is a large collection of different debris of plastic and other garbage which can be found in the Pacific Ocean and covers an area twice the size of Texas. These plastics which contain hazardous and toxic chemicals, are floating around the ocean and are mistaken for food by marine animals which results to fish kill, and the endangerment of wildlife.
Chemicals added to plastics are being absorbed by human bodies and these chemicals can cause different harmful effects to human health like cancer and other diseases. Plastics, which are dumped and buried in landfills can leach harmful chemicals that spread into groundwater. Humans are exposed to chemicals from plastic multiple times per day through air, dust, water, food and other consumer products. In addition to that, additives like bisphenol A (BPA) which are added to plastic bottles and beverage cans, leach out of plastics and into our food which in very high doses can affect the hormonal system of our body. Researchers worry particularly about the effects of these chemicals on children and what continued accumulation means for future generations.
If these problems on plastic continues at its current rate, disastrous effects are in stored for our future. Some of these are extinction, human illness and global warming.
Pollution greatly impacted wildlife in the past and will continue to do so in the future. According to a report in 2004, pollution is the primary cause of the extinction of various species and other insects in Great Britain. Pollution is posing a great threat for animal creatures on land, but marine animals may face a greater danger because of their higher exposure. Water pollution does not only affect marine life but also poses adverse effects to humans because of the food chain.
As the levels of pollutants increase, human exposure to toxins will also increase. Most of these toxins are linked to cancer and heart disease. In urban areas, air pollution is a major problem, for the people are being exposed to harmful gases which are being released by vehicles and increases the negative health effects of exposure.
Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide and other toxic chemicals into the earth's atmosphere. The high carbon dioxide levels increases the air's temperature, which can cause the earth's average temperature to rise rapidly. Greenhouse effect is the process wherein the earth's ozone layer prevents heat from escaping into the atmosphere, but because of the amount of carbon dioxide that increases the temperature of the earth, the greenhouse effect can cause global warming as pollutant levels escalate.
If plastic pollution continues, and no efforts are made to end this, life on earth may cease to exist.
~Kate_ID2
References:
http://www.sidel.com/about-sidel/media/inline-magazine/a-green-future-for-plastic
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/plastic-not-so-fantastic/
http://dwb4.unl.edu/Chem/CHEM869E/CHEM869ELinks/qlink.queensu.ca/~6jrt/chem210/Page2.html
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