An article writing on harmful effects of plastic junk
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Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles (e.g.: plastic bottles and much more) in the Earth's environment that adversely affects wildlife, wildlife habitat, and humans.[1][2] Plastics that act as pollutants are categorized into micro-, meso-, or macro debris, based on size.[3] Plastics are inexpensive and durable, and as a result levels of plastic production by humans are high.[4] However, the chemical structure of most plastics renders them resistant to many natural processes of degradation and as a result they are slow to degrade.[5] Together, these two factors have led to a high prominence of plastic pollution in the environment.
Plastic pollution can afflict land, waterways and oceans. It is estimated that 1.1 to 8.8 million metric tons (MT) of plastic waste enters the ocean from costal communities each year.[6] Living organisms, particularly marine animals, can be harmed either by mechanical effects, such as entanglement in plastic objects, problems related to ingestion of plastic waste, or through exposure to chemicals within plastics that interfere with their physiology. Effects on humans include disruption of various hormonal mechanisms.
As of 2018, about 380 million tons of plastic is produced worldwide each year. From the 1950s up to 2018, an estimated 6.3 billion tons of plastic has been produced worldwide, of which an estimated 9% has been recycled and another 12% has been incinerated.[7] This large amount of plastic waste enters the environment, with studies suggesting that the bodies of 90% of seabirds contain plastic debris.[8][9] In some areas there have been significant efforts to reduce the prominence of free range plastic pollution, through reducing plastic consumption, litter cleanup, and promoting plastic recycling.[10][11]
Some researchers suggest that by 2050 there could be more plastic than fish in the oceans by weight.[12
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Plastics are things made of polymers. Plastic was once thought to be a boon for mankind. It is readily available. It is cheap. It can be used easily to manufacture different products in different shapes, sizes and for many purposes. But excessive use of plastics has become a major global pollution problem. The harmful effects of plastics are:
Plastics are a health hazard. Exposure to toxic chemicals emitted by plastics causes cancer, decreases the effectiveness of the immune system, and are responsible for many other diseases.
Dumping of plastic wastes had created an unhygienic condition to our environment. In fact we are running out of space to dump the plastic litters.
Plastics are not bio-degradable and can remain unchanged for many years. This adversely affects the fertility and the quality of the soil.
Our freshwater sources like rivers and lakes are becoming plastic wastes dumpsters.
When eaten by animals or birds it cannot be digested and lead to death.
Plastic garbages find their way into rivers and oceans. They are swallowed by fish, seabirds, and other marine creatures leading to death by suffocation.
Since plastics do not degrade, they accumulate in drainage and sewerage systems and block the flow causing waterlogging.
Plastics are often disposed off by burning and this releases poisonous gases into the atmosphere.
The solutions to the problem are recycling of plastic wastes, avoiding single use plastic products, replacement with alternative materials, not using plastic bags or bottles or straws, and a massive cleanup drive to remove plastic wastes from our rivers, lakes and seas.
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