Very easy article of harmful effects of plastic bags
Answers
Plastic bags are commonly seen in the market. These bags are available in various sizes and come handy while shopping. These are light and inexpensive. This is the reason why these are being used extensively. However, it is important to understand that as convenient as these are to carry and use these are equally harmful for the environment. Unlike the cloth and paper bags, the plastic bags are non-biodegradable. It is a challenge to dispose them off. Used plastic bags stay in the environment for years and contribute to land and water pollution. This is the reason why many countries have banned the use of these bags. These countries have replaced plastic bags with paper bags or reusable cloth bags.The use of plastic bags must be banned throughout the world in order to make earth a better place to live. The task should not be very difficult as these can easily be replaced by bags made of other materials.
Answer:
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. A product of plastic doing the most harm is the plastic bag. The excessive use of plastic bags has become a major global pollution problem. The harmful effects of plastics bags are:
Plastics bags 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 bags has created an unhygienic condition to our environment. In fact we are running out of space to dump the plastic litters.
Plastics and plastic bags 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 dumpsters for plastic bags.
When eaten by animals or birds it cannot be digested and lead to death.
Plastic bags find their way into rivers and oceans. They are swallowed by fish, seabirds, and other marine creatures leading to death by suffocation.
Since plastic bags do not degrade, they accumulate in drainage and sewerage systems and block the flow causing waterlogging.
Plastic bags are often disposed off by burning and this releases poisonous gases into the atmosphere and pollutes the air we breathe.
The solutions to the problem of plastic bags are recycling, avoiding single use plastic products, replacement with alternative materials, rejection of plastic bags, and cleanup drive to remove plastic bags from our surrounding, our rivers, lakes and seas.
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