Plastic Pollution: Causes, Effects and Control measures

As the world’s population continues to grow, so does the amount of garbage that people
produce. On-the-go lifestyles require easily disposable products, such as soda cans or bottles
of water. Still, the accumulation of these products has led to increasing amounts of plastic
pollution around the world. As plastic is composed of major toxic pollutants, it has the potential
to cause significant harm to the environment in the form of air, water, and land pollution.
Plastic pollution occurs when plastic has gathered in an area and has begun to negatively impact
the natural environment and create problems for plants, wildlife, and even the human
population. Often this includes killing plant life and posing dangers to local animals. Plastic is
an incredibly useful material, but it is also made from toxic compounds known to cause illness,
and since it is meant for durability, it is not biodegradable.
Plastic is a non-biodegradable product and it always remains in the same state as we throw
them. One of the common methods of disposal of wastes is incineration i.e. burning, but plastics
cannot be disposed by burning because burning plastic will emit harmful chemical gases like
carbon monoxide (CO), carbon-dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), sulphur
dioxide(SO2), etc. The emission of these gases leads to global warming and pollutes the
environment. Plastics contain major toxic pollutants and if it is not properly disposed or
recycled, the pollutants will affect the environment by leading to air pollution, land pollution,
water pollution and soil pollution.
Prime Causes of Plastic Waste
1. Plastic is cheap, readily available, and its use is widespread

Since plastic is an affordable and durable material, it can be found in everything from
packaging materials to plastic bottles, straws to plastic bags, and much more.

Until businesses start to utilise more environmentally-friendly, alternative materials (such as

paper), the cycle of producing and disposing of plastic will continue.

2. The world’s population is growing — and so is urbanisation

Put simply, the more of us there are in the world, the greater the demand for cheap materials
and in turn, the more plastic we use to excess.

To illustrate this, in the first decade of this century, more plastic has been produced than ever
due to rapid urbanisation and, in turn, demand.

3. We have a disposable mentality when it comes to plastic

Plastic items typically have a very short lifespan — think carrier bags, water bottles, straws,
and food containers. And because they’re so cheap to make, we don’t value them enough to
hang on to individual items.

Not only that, but the disposal of plastic is often mismanaged — so again, it ends up in landfills.
4. Plastic takes over 400 years to decompose

The chemical bonds that make-up plastic are strong and made to last. The decomposition rate
of plastic can vary depending on the type, however, this typically ranges from 50 to 600 years.

In other words, according to the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency in the United
States), almost every bit of plastic ever made and sent to landfill or dumped in the environment
still exists — a sobering thought for us all.

As new plastic items are manufactured every day, the cycle repeats.

5. Marine shipping and fishing industries

The shipping and fishing industries are also responsible for contributing towards plastic waste
and pollution, particularly in our oceans.

Plastic waste is often washed to shores from ships and nets used for fishing, which — you
guessed it — are usually made from plastic.

Not only does this plastic pollute the water, but marine animals can become trapped in nets
and/or swallow the toxic particles.

Impact/Effect of plastics on environment

Plastic has many negative effects on the life of the living organisms in the earth. Some of the
environmental impacts of plastic wastes are as follows: -
1. Degradation of land: Throwing of plastics on the land creates an untidy environment
and also pollutes the soil. The toxic substance released from the plastic wastes affects
the growth of plants and trees on the land.
2. Pollution of ground water: Rain water harvesting is one of the most commonly
followed methods to increase the level of ground water. The plastic wastes dumped on
landfills will interact with rain water and will form some hazardous chemicals. The
chemicals formed will affect the quality of ground water and pollutes the water.
3. Ecosystem imbalance: Disposal of plastics on rivers, lakes and ponds will release toxic
substance and will poison the plankton living in water. If the big fishes eat that poisoned
plankton, then the entire food chain will be affected and it will lead to an imbalance in
the ecosystem.
4. Air pollution: Burning of plastics introduces pollutants into air and cause air pollution.
Carbon Monoxide, Dioxin, Chlorine, Nitrides, Amines, Furans, Hydrochloric acid,
Benzene, Styrene, Acetaldehyde and CCl4 gets emitted when plastic is burned. The
pollutants released in the air affect the ozone layer and cause global warming. When
the chemicals released during the burning of plastics ascend into higher atmosphere it
may cause acid rain.
5. Threat to animal health: Animals especially cattle eat plastic bags found on the road
side. Plastic materials are not digestible by the stomach and it may lead to stomach
upsets. Sometimes the components present in plastic bag releases chemical toxins
during digestion process and causes poisoning.
 6. Affects marine life: Fishing using plastic fishing nets introduces toxins into the ocean
and pollutes the water. The toxins released in the water may create harm to marine life
and cause loss of biodiversity.
7. Health effects on human: Degradation of plastic wastes on water resources releases
toxins and causes cancerous diseases. Consuming hot consumables in plastic cups and
plates can lead to endocrine disruptors and hormone mimicking. Release of toxic
chemicals and various types of gases during the manufacturing process can affect the
environment and create health problems to human. Consumption of contaminated
fishes with toxins may create serious health issues to the humans. Inhaling the smoke
from burning plastics causes breathing problems.

Tips to control plastic pollution- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Plastic pollution is caused due to the human activities and it is the responsibility of humans to
control the pollution and save the environment. The plastic pollution can be controlled using
the following ways

• An alternative to plastic utensil should be used.

• Avoid using disposable plastic water bottles and use reusable water bottles.
• Environmental awareness and education on conservation of environment should be
given to people.
• Usage of natural packaging materials like banyan leaf, bamboo utensils, etc. should be
encouraged in hotels and restaurants.
• All the stores and shops must avoid providing plastic carry bags to their customers and
should supply cloth bags and reusable carry bags to carry grocery items and dress
materials.
• Garbage should be properly disposed. Improper disposal and dumping of plastic wastes
on roads and water resources should be avoided.
• Reduce the usage of unwanted plastic products in the house, office and in the
environment.
• Instead of thrashing plastics bottles, the disposable water bottles can be reused as water
bottle sprinkler, pen stand, magazine rack, etc.
• Recycling of plastic products should be strictly followed.