Students Name & ID’s

Marian-Catalin Tandara Module 1 : Academic

Plastic bottles and Sebastian Puiu Writing and Research

the damage they Andrei Bratu

Lecturer Name:
Vladislav Tyashko
do Potcovuta Irina
George Baho

Traianus-George Butnaru Group: J1

Mihai Alexandru Florea
Ionut Dobroiu Campus: Greenford
Ionut Cercel
Marius Comsa Academic Year:
Radu Dinu October 2022
Marcel Boboc
Table of Content
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………..3
What is Plastic?..........................................................................................4
How do Plastic Bottles affect our environment?.......................................5
How does plastic affect our ocean?...........................................................7
Advantages of plastic bottles…………………………………………………………………8
Disadvantages of plastic bottles…………………………………………………………….9
Alternatives of Plastic Bottles……………………………………………………………….10
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………12
References…………………………………………………………………………………………..13
Introduction
One of the most wasteful products that
people use is plastic bottles. These are
incredibly expensive to make and require a
lot of energy and resources to make.
Disposing of these bottles can have a
negative effect on the environment. This
presentation includes information about
plastic bottles and what impact have on the
environment, also advantages ,
disadvantages and alternatives to use instead
of plastic bottles will be discussed.

The Environmental Impact of Plastic Water Bottles and All You Need to Know – Kablo (shopkablo.com)
 What is Plastic?
 According to Helmenstine (2020), the term plastic refers to any type of organic or
semisynthetic material that can be made from either carbon or hydrogen. While it can
be made from various organic compounds, most industrial plastics are usually
produced from petrochemicals. The two types of plastic are thermosetting polymers
and thermoplastics.

 Polymers' diverse properties and their ability to adapt to different conditions make
them ideal for making a wide range of products. These innovations can bring forth
various societal benefits and technological advancements (Andrady & Neal 2009).

 The production of plastics has significantly increased over the past 60 years. From
1950, the industry was producing around 0.5 million tonnes, to 260 million tonnes
today. In Europe, the plastics industry is estimated to have a turnover of over 300
million euros, and it employs over 1.6 million people. Aside from being used in the
transport of goods, plastics are also used in various other industries such as clothing
and footwear (Plastics Europe 2008).
Into a no-plastic bags era - Times of Oman
 How Do Plastic Bottles
Affect Our Environment?
 A chemical known as Bisphenol A is used to make plastic bottles hard
and clear. It has been known to cause health problems, especially in the
development of the body. It can be ingested through various types of
plastic products, such as cleaning products (Dadzie, Kaliluthin and
Kumar, 2020).

 In addition to premature labour and neurological issues, other negative

effects of this chemical include reduced fertility and reproductive health.
Besides of harming our bodies and wildlife, bottles are also having an
astounding impact on the environment (Optimum,2019).

 Researchers calculate the energy costs associated with making and

processing plastic water bottles. They found that it would take around
160 million barrels of oil to satisfy the global demand for such bottles,
which is about two times more energy than the amount needed to
produce tap water (Optimum,2019).

Recycle Symbol Plastic Bottles | Plastic bottles, Recycle plastic bottles, Pet bottle (pinterest.co.uk)
 In addition to contributing to global warming, disposable water
bottles are also known to cause pollution. Fossil fuels are used to
manufacture these bottles, and they contribute to the accumulation
of greenhouse gases (OfficeH2O,2020).

 The production of 17 million plastic bottles would require around 17

million barrels of oil (Hughes, 2022).

 The water bottling process releases 2.5 million tons of carbon

dioxide into the atmosphere annually (Hughes, 2022).

 Disposable plastic bottle waste washes into the ocean and kills 1.1
million marine creatures each year (OfficeH2O,2020).

 Bottled water is tested for microbes and other pollutants 4 times less
than tap water (OfficeH2O,2020).

 Depending on the material's structure and environmental conditions,

it can take up to 20 to 500 years for plastic to break down (Hughes,
2022).

[Opinion] Plastic water bottles should be banned – THE EAGLE EYE

100+ Ocean Pollution Statistics & Facts (2020-2021) (condorferries.co.uk)

• Around 100,000 sea turtles and birds die each year due to plastic debris. In the
past 25 years, the amount of plastic that sea turtles consume has doubled. A video
of a sea turtle with a straw stuck in its nose went viral a couple of years ago. In the
Midway Atoll, one in three Laysan Albatrosses species are killed by consuming too
HOW DOES PLASTIC much plastic, which fills their stomach and leads to starvation and malnutrition
(Kablo,2022).
AFFECT OUR OCEAN? • Another issue with plastic waste is entanglement, which occurs when an animal
gets trapped by an object. Plastic bottles can serve as an unintentional shelter or
trap for small fish and crustaceans. Large animals, on the other hand, are known to
consume items that contain prey (Cressey,2016).
• Even though large marine animals may not eat plastic debris, they still consume
pieces that have already been ingested by other marine life. These toxic elements
end up in the food chain and severely affect various marine life forms (Kablo,2022).
 Extreme
versatility and
ability to be
tailored to meet
specific technical
needs. Lighter weight
than competing
materials reduces
Can be recycled
fuel consumption

Advantages
during
transportation.

Advantages
Unique ability to
combine with
of plastic
other materials
like aluminium
foil, paper,
adhesives
(Byjus,2017)
Durability and
longevity
bottles
Excellent thermal
Resistance to
and electrical
chemicals, water
insulation
and impact.
properties
 Plastics bottles
are created
from non-
renewable The pollution
Plastic can resources in the world's
cause fire if not
waters is
disposed of
predominantly
correctly
plastic

Disadvantages
Disadvantages
of plastic
Plastic Unable to
degrades the infinitely
quality of the recycle plastic
soil (Kolli,2022) bottles

bottles In order to
The recycling
recycle goods,
process for
we must use
plastic can be
energy to clean
very expensive Plastic bottles plastic
takes tons of
years to
decompose. 
Alternatives of Plastic
Bottles
 Glass: Despite its fragile nature, glass is still incredibly strong and can keep
drinks tasting great. It also stays colder than plastic, and it is infinitely
recyclable (Oliver,2021).

 Ceramic: This type of bottle is made from eco-friendly materials and has the
same properties as glass, such as its ability to keep cold longer. However, it
is heavier than glass and can be fragile and ceramic containers are now more
practical to carry (EcoWater,2018).

 Stainless Steel: New stainless steel bottles are lined to prevent metal taste.
These bottles keep liquids cold longer than glass. Also, since metal is a
natural conductor of heat, it will keep the contents of your drink hot even if
it's taken on cold (Oliver,2021).
  Plant Based-Plastics: Some types of plant-based bottles are
biodegradable and edible. They do not contain the same harmful
chemicals that other products might (EcoWater,2018).

 Boxed Water (or Paper Bottles): The rise of the box-based

beverage industry has created a new market for these types of
containers. These containers are made from paper and are 100%
recyclable (Oliver,2021).

 Reusable bottles: Reusable bottles are the most eco-friendly way

to transport drinking water. They're easy to clean and are typically
the most economical option (EcoWater,2018).

om)
entialfuture.c
the Earth (influ
d help us save
: Mat erials that coul
Sustainability
 Conclusion

In conclusion, plastic bottles is one of the most wasteful products that people use and these are
expensive to make and require a lot of energy and resources and the disposal of these has a negative
effect on the environment. Despite the positive effects of plastics for the future, it is clear that our
current production, use, and disposal methods are not sustainable. They pose a threat to both human and
wildlife. There are many solutions, but they can only be achieved through a combination of actions, such
as: Stop buying plastic bottles and use alternatives instead, recycle , education and enforcement of laws
against plastic waste and pollution are two of the most effective ways to reduce the harmful effects, the
production and sale of one-use disposable plastics must be eliminated and of course avoid dumping and
littering plastic.
 References

1. Andrady A. L., and Neal M. A. (2009). Applications and societal benefits of plastics. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 364, 1977–1984 (doi:10.1098/rstb.2008.0304).
2. Byjus (2017) What are Plastics?. Available online at: Disadvantages and Advantages of Plastic with Examples, Videos & FAQs (byjus.com). (Accessed on 12th
November,2022).
3. Cressey D. (2016). The plastic ocean. Nature, 536(7616), 263-265. Available at: 3_The-plastic-ocean-Editorial-Nature-2016-1.pdf (ycl.it). (Accessed on 12th
November,2022).
4. Dadzie, D. K., Kaliluthin, A. K., and Kumar, D. R. (2020). Exploration of waste plastic bottles use in construction. Civil Engineering Journal, 6(11), 2262-2272.
5. EcoWater, (2018) 6 Alternatives to Bottled Water. Available online at: 6 Alternatives to Bottled Water (lvecowater.com). (Accessed on 12th November,2022).
6. Helmenstine A. M. (2020). Plastic Definition and Examples in Chemistry. Available online at: Plastic Definition and Examples in Chemistry (thoughtco.com).
(Accessed on 12th November,2022).
7. Hughes M. (2022) How long it takes everyday items to decompose. The Waste Management & Recycling Blog. Availabe online at:
How long it takes everyday items to decompose – The Waste Management & Recycling Blog (forgerecycling.co.uk). (Accessed on 12th November,2022).
8. Kablo (2022) The Environmental Impact of Plastic Water Bottles And All You Need to Know. Available online at:
The Environmental Impact of Plastic Water Bottles and All You Need to Know – Kablo (shopkablo.com). (Accessed on 12th November,2022).
9. Kolli G., (2022) Disadvantages of Plastic: The Effects Plastic has on our Planet. Solara . Available online at:
Disadvantages of Plastic: The Effects Plastic has on our Planet | Solara Home. (Accessed on 12th November,2022).
10.OfficeH2o (2020) Why are Disposable Water Bottles Harmful to the Environment?. Available online at:
Why are Disposable Water Bottles Harmful to the Environment? (officeh2o.com). (Accessed on 12th November,2022).
11.Oliver C., (2021) Bottled Water: The New Plastic-Free Alternatives. WaterDirect. Available online at:
Bottled Water: The New Plastic-Free Alternatives - Water Direct (water-direct.co.uk). (Accessed on 12th November,2022).
12.Optimum (2019) How Do Plastic Water Bottles Affect Our Environment?. Available online at:
How Do Plastic Water Bottles Affect Our Environment? | Optimum Water (drinkoptimum.com). (Accessed on 12th November,2022).
13.PlasticsEurope (2008) The compelling facts about plastics 2007: an analysis of plastics production, demand and recovery in Europe. Available online at:
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