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  • Essay / The Waste Problem: Plastic Pollution

    Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic products that begin to negatively affect the environment, animals and their habitats, as well as human beings. The reality is that we eat plastic, drink plastic, and breathe plastic every day, but there is no one to blame but ourselves. It is virtually impossible to completely avoid and eliminate the use of plastic in today's society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the Original Essay Plastics are the type of synthetic or semi-synthetic polymer that can be molded into any shape. This is an example of inorganic waste. Plastics are not toxic as such to humans since they are less soluble, but additives such as plasticizers are toxic. Plastics, although non-toxic, cause a lot of damage to the environment due to their non-biodegradability. Indeed, most plastics are derived from propylene monomer and the propylene bond formed is extremely resistant to being broken down by bacteria. It has been found that in marine pollution, 60-95% of the pollution is due to plastics themselves. Due to the cool temperature and salinity of the oceans, polymer degradation is very difficult. Plastics also degrade soil making it less fertile, and chlorinated plastics release harmful chemicals that can be absorbed into nearby water sources. Types of plastics are: Polyethylene terephthalate is a thermoplastic polymer used to make food and water containers, fibers for clothing. etc. It is recyclable. High-density polyethylene is a thermoplastic made from cracking petroleum. It has a high strength to density ratio and is therefore used to make plastic bottles, pipes, plastic bags, etc. It is recyclable. Polyvinyl chloride is a synthetic polymer used to make pipes, window frames, ducts, etc. It contains many toxins (plasticizers). and is called “poisoned plastic”. They are recyclable. Low-density polyethylene is a thermoplastic manufactured by the radical polymerization of ethylene at high pressure. It is commonly used in plastic bags. It is also recyclable. Polypropylene is formed by chain polymerization of propylene. It is used to make bottle caps, packaging and labeling, etc. It is also recyclable. Polystyrene is made from polymerizing styrene. It is transparent and rigid. It is used for protective packaging of DVDs, CDs, cups, bottles, etc. It is not recyclable. Miscellaneous plastics include all other plastics (polycarbonates, acrylic, styrene, nylon, etc.). They typically contain bisphenol A (BPA), a hormone disruptor used to increase the durability of plastics. Its decomposition requires very high temperatures and is therefore not recyclable. Each year, approximately 18 billion pounds of plastic waste are released into the world's oceans from coastal areas. 40% of the plastic produced is used solely for packaging. This percentage of plastic is only used once and then simply thrown away. Only 20% of plastic is recycled worldwide, although many countries are taking initiatives to increase this percentage. The major problem due to plastic is entering our food chain and causing damage to our health. Most of this plastic disintegrates into particles smaller than five millimeters, called microplastics, and.