Plastic Use Research Paper

Ava Garrison

March 11th, 2020

The amount of plastic a human comes in contact with each day is staggering.  Plastic is found everywhere in today’s world. Although its purpose is to create ease and convenience, plastic is causing harm to the environment and is an expanding problem. Using alternative materials and reusing existing items are two of numerous solutions to this dilemma. Plastic is man-made and was invented over a century ago. The senseless disposal of plastics threatens the health of all species and the planet. Researchers, environmentalists, and scientists have been able to recommend effective solutions to counter the unnecessary damage. The most successful response to solving the negative impact caused by plastic use is finding alternative materials to replace this man-made entity.

The growth of plastic production in the last 65 years has proliferated rapidly. Although invented in 1907, plastic’s popularity did not escalate until the 1970s. Plastic is made from fossil fuel-based chemicals called petrochemicals. The process of creating one plastic bag requires the same amount of petroleum used to drive a car 36 feet (7). Generating one pound of plastic requires 22 gallons of water. In other words, six bottles of water makes one plastic bottle (Langlois). This is an example of the mindless behaviors involved in plastic production and use.

Plastic widely impacts lives and humans are accustomed to using it without acknowledging the process. Single-use plastics are overused due to the current population having a disposable lifestyle. About 50% of plastic is designed to be used only once (Facts). In fact, the average plastic bag is only in use for 15 minutes. Humanity is highly prone to use plastic and it seems foreign to use another material. “Today we use plastic- a material designed to last forever- for products designed to last minutes” (The). The quantity of dumped plastic has the potential to encircle planet earth approximately four times (Langlois). With five trillion single-use plastic bags being used in one year and one million plastic water bottles bought every minute, these behaviors are difficult to stop.

Plastics inspire innovations and help make life healthy, easy, and safe. Used across every sector of the world, plastic is used in packaging, construction, textiles, transportation, and electronics.  Roofs, walls, insulation, glues, and paints consist of plastic. Items relied on such as medical equipment, airbags, and other necessities are made of plastic. Nearly everything in a fridge, bathroom cabinet, and store aisle is plastic. People find this material extremely useful because of its many forms and pliability. Plastic can be hard, soft, flexible, bacteria-resistant, fire-resistant, or shatter-resistant. Individually each small piece may seem harmless, but as a whole, plastic is overwhelming landfills, polluting oceans, and entangling wildlife.

As the amount of plastic increases, the problem is becoming more visible and striking. Plastic pollution is negatively impacting whales, sea turtles, coral reefs and their habitats. Nearly every ocean animal is expected to encounter plastic in its lifetime. Plastic is unsympathetically affecting approximately 700 species including those endangered (Williams). Ocean waste alone ends up killing as many as 10 million marine mammals per year. The accumulating debris is harming wildlife both visibly and invisibly. The apparent problems include animals being strangled in fishnets, swallowing debris, and being poisoned by polluted water. 1 out of every 3 ocean mammals is found entangled in plastic (Facts). Other problems are not as clear. For example, animals and wildlife frequently ingest microplastic, which harms the animal and could potentially make its way into the food chain. Of all seabirds, 90% have some form of plastic in their stomach. Plastic bags, littered by humans, resemble jellyfish and are deadly to marine animals.

More than dumping itself, the time plastic takes to biodegrade is causing immense harm to the planet. The estimated time it takes plastic to completely biodegrade and break down into its constituting molecules is 450 years to never. Unlike paper or other widely used materials, plastic is man-made and not derived from nature. It does not belong to an ecosystem and has nowhere to organically return to. Instead of breaking down plastic separates into small beads called microplastics. Microscopic plastic fragments are hard to detect but can be found everywhere. Facial scrubs or polyester threads are a few of the microplastics designed to be small. These small beads are nearly impossible to remove from the environment.

Surprisingly, 9% of plastic ever produced has been reused. 12% has been incinerated, and the remaining 79% has infected the earth (Our). The Pacific Ocean is home to a plastic landmass 1.5 times the size of Texas (Langlois). Citizens infer this landmass is bottles, bags, and other debris, but it is worse: tiny microplastics nearly impossible to control or pick up have accumulated and are not disappearing anytime soon. By 2050, more plastic than fish (by weight) is predicted to be in the ocean (Langlois).

There are many ways of combating the immense problems and abuse of plastic, including finding alternatives to the material, reusing what plastics already exist, and making small changes in one’s daily lives. Plastic regulations and bans are a constructive solution to the extensive and unregulated manufacturing of plastic. Environmental laws force companies to innovate and rethink harmful designs using sustainable material. Coordinating public awareness campaigns helps shift consumer mindset and can create awareness towards small but impactful decisions. Banning harmful products is a solution countries such as China, Thailand, and India are implementing. These countries plan on reducing single-use plastics by 2022. For example, the making and exchange of plastic bags thinner than .025mm will be eradicated (Single). The Indonesian government promised 1 million dollars to slash their amount of marine litter. The European Union is also working on ways to cut down their use of plastics.

To lessen the use of single-use plastics is the most influential and impactful way to reduce plastic pollution. Using reusable shopping bags and water bottles can be significant in eliminating one’s carbon footprint. Wood, glass, bamboo, and stainless steel are a few of the long-lasting alternatives to plastic. Thailand is using banana leaves as packaging. These materials are readily available, practical, and fully compostable. Non-liquid soaps steer towards less packaging and waste. Surprisingly, giving up gum can minimize the 100,000 tons discarded each year (Facts).

The only way to completely eliminate a piece of plastic is by destructive thermal treatment (combustion or pyrolysis). The process of recycling can minimize energy by two times as an alternative to burning plastic using an incinerator. Recycling is growing and becoming mainstream in many industries including clothing. An adult fleece jacket can be made using 25 recycled plastic bottles (Interesting). Although it is unlikely that all plastic will be eliminated, humans can make a difference.

While seeming otherwise, small changes and simple habits add up when it comes to plastic use. One person can save 22,000 plastic bags from accumulating in the environment by using recycled bags over their lifetime. By choosing to recycle plastic, the world would end up saving 1 billion gallons of oil. Many people are informed that plastic is harmful to the environment, but most of the global population is not clear about how detrimental this material is and what they can do to remedy this overwhelming problem. Recycling properly is a simple action and is the second most impactful way to reduce plastic pollution. Supporting bans, organizations, and spreading the word can also make a large impact.

As the research shows, continuing to produce and use plastic at the current rate is deadly. It is clear that plastic pollution poses an enormous threat to humanity. “Today we use plastic-a material designed to last forever-for products designed to last minutes,” (The). Harming animals, people, and nature, this material can be replaced by logical alternatives. Without making changes to how plastic is used, future generations are in the way of danger. As expressed, numerous solutions can help solve the environmental problem of plastic use.

Works Cited

“Facts. About Plastic. Help - Plastic Oceans Foundation.” Plastic Oceans International, https://plasticoceans.org/the-facts/.

“Interesting Plastic Facts.” The Australian Museum, 22 April. 2010, https://australianmuseum.net.au/blog-archive/science/interesting-plastic-facts/

Langlois, Austin, et al. “10 Mind-Blowing Facts That Prove How Harmful Plastic Is to Our Planet.” Boxed Water Is Better, 15 Mar. 2018, https://boxedwaterisbetter.com/blogs/blog/10-mind-blowing-facts-that-prove-how-harmful-plastic-is-to-our-planet

“Our Planet Is Drowning in Plastic Pollution. This World Environment Day, It's Time for a Change.” #BeatPlasticPollution This World Environment Day, https://www.unenvironment.org/interactive/beat-plastic-pollution/.

“Single-Use Plastic: China to Ban Bags and Other Items.” BBC News, BBC, 20 Jan. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51171491.

“‘The Smog of the Ocean’ - UPSTREAM Battles Plastic Pollution at the Source.” Marine Science Today, 4 Sept. 2017, marinesciencetoday.com/2017/09/04/the-smog-of-the-ocean-upstream-battles-plastic-pollution-at-the-source/.

Williams, Ryan. “We Depend On Plastic. Now, We're Drowning in It.” We Depend on Plastic. Now We're Drowning in It., 16 May 2018, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/06/plastic-planet-waste-pollution-trash-crisis/.

“7 Facts About Plastic Bags That Will Change How You Use Them.” PADI Blog - Scuba Diving and Freediving Tips, Dive Travel Insights & More, 3 Jan. 2019, blog.padi.com/2017/03/27/7-facts-plastic-bags-will-change-way-use/.