Plastic Pollution: A Menace to Society

Plastic Pollution: A Menace to Society

        From food container and bottled water to bags and school supplies, plastic has given shaped the community in many ways that make life both easier and safer. In fact many medical and technological advances made because of it. But the synthetic material also has left destructive impression on the environment and perhaps human health.

        Take a look around you, most of the product we use is made up of and package of plastic. A material made to last forever and design to throw away.

        Plastics owe their name to their most important property, the ability to be shaped to almost any form to produce articles of practical value. It can be hard or flexible and soft. Because of their light weight and low cost, their use has rapidly increase and they have replaced other materials such as metal and glass. They are used in millions of items, including toys, hospital equipment and gadgets. Their increased use has resulted in concern with the consumption of natural resources such as oil, the toxicity associated with their manufacture and use, and the environmental impact arising from discarded plastics.

        The distribution of plastic debris is highly variable as a result of certain factors such as wind and ocean currents, coastline geography, urban areas, and trade routes. Human population in certain areas also plays a large role in this. It also has the potential to poison animals, which can then adversely affect human food supplies. And due to the use of chemical additives during plastic production, plastics have potentially harmful effects that could prove to be carcinogenic or promote endocrine disruption to human.

        This is an environmental issue that can be seen by our naked eyes. As a catalyst of change, what can we do about this?

        Start noticing disposables, talk about what can you see around you, also remember the 5 R’s. Refuse single-serving packaging, excess packaging, straws and other “disposable” plastics. Reduce the use of plastic every day in sandwiches and juice cartons by replacing them with a reusable lunch bag/box. Choose to Reuse when it comes to shopping bags and bottled water. Do your best to Recycle that you can’t refuse. And lastly, Redesign it.

        Still some people are unaware of plastic problem, share what you know to others so we can find a solution to plastic pollution.