From katy perrys song fireworks to a random episode of family guy, somehow a mindless act of a piece of plastic being tossed around in the blowing wind has made an impression on todays culture. Effect of plastic grocery bags on environment and its reuse. Assessment of impacts of options to reduce the use of singleuse. Harmful effects of plastics on health and environment h. Count the plastic bags brought into your home in a week. As much as plastic is used in kitchenware, however, it does contains harmful chemicals, they are likely to release these chemicals in the environment which is very harmful for the environment. Mar 04, 20 carryout bags to reusable carryout bags. Qlwlrqri3odvwlf plastic is an organic material manufactured from petroleum derivatives. Harmful effects from use of polythene bags health faq. An evaluation of the effects of californias proposed plastic. And one of the worst environmental effects of plastic bags are that they are nonbiodegradable. Raise public awareness about the harm caused by singleused plastics. A field survey of the city of sanaa and the surrounding areas, yemen article pdf available november 2014 with 115,274 reads how we measure reads. Harmful effects of plastic bags the harmful effects of plastic bags are numerous and it affects human, all living organisms, soil, water, air, and the entire ecosystem.
They eat it, they get caught in it, or get sick because of it. Even though they are one of the modern conveniences that we seem to be unable to do without, they are responsible for causing pollution, killing wildlife, and using up. Exposure to harmful chemicals during manufacturing, leaching in the stored food items while using plastic packages or chewing of plastic teethers and toys by children are linked with severe adverse health outcomes such as cancers, birth defects, impaired immunity, endocrine disruption, developmental and reproductive effects etc. Plastic bags are almost not biodegradable, since they do not decompose during the time span of human lives. Moreover, a study of 38 green turtles found that 61 percent had ingested some form of marine debris including plastic bags, cloth, and rope or string bugoni et al. Disposable plastic bags are an environmental problem for several reasons. They point to the low recycling rate for plastic carryout bags as the reason why plastic carryout bags should be banned.
Due to the toxic chemical composition of plastic bags, its exposure causes illnesses like birth defects, cancer, and other systemic illness plastic bags also affect animals, birds, and aquatic organisms. Impact of national bans and levies on plastic bag usage. Plastic bags should be recycled environmentalists regularly reject recycling of plastic bags as a solution to plastic bag litter in favor of banning plastic bags. In recent years, local and national governments have begun phasing out or banning lightweight plastic shopping bags. Collectively, these harmful chemicals are known to cause the following severe health problems. Plastic bag littering is prevalent in urban settings. When we actually count the number of bags we bring in weekly, it can spur us to take action. In this article, youll learn the different facts about plastic and paper bags, the benefits of reusables and some tips to make the most out of your reusable bags. Considering the large scale damaging effect of plastic bags on the. Well, i have not bought a plastic trash bag in nearly ten years because i use my walmart plastic bags daily so i recycle plastic bags and i am sure others do.
Harmful effects of plastics improper disposal of plastics poses a number of problems. From katy perrys song fireworks to a random episode of family guy, somehow a mindless act of a piece of plastic being tossed around in the. Plastic packaging is produced from natural gas, which strains a resource that could be put to other uses. The negative economic impact of visible plastic carrier bag litter on. Second, they do not quickly and harmlessly biodegade, and du. Plastic bags are very popular with both retailers as well. Some bans are based on square footage of the business, i. Plastic bags when consumed along with food by animals, cause harm to their.
Plastics that act as pollutants are categorized into micro, meso, or macro debris, based on size. Plastic objects are left over into the ocean for biodegrading it. Plastic bag pollution by sharon jacobsen every year, around 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide. From a vegetable vendor to a designer store, everyone seems to use them. If you havent brought one, you can buy a sturdy, reusable bag at the checkout 29. Bans on plastic bags harm the environment just facts. For example, whales and sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for squid, and birds often mistake plastic pellets for fish eggs. It takes hundreds of years for plastic bags to decompose and while they do, they release toxins into our soil, lakes, rivers and oceans. Wastage and hygiene issue arises as these non biodegradable bags are usually littered and not recycled. Houston community college systems central campus speech 11 fundamental of speech summer ii 2012 the harmful effects of plastic bags presented by. They are a major constituent of the filth and garbage in our society. Study the study reflected that while over 85% of the respondents were aware of the plastic usage ban and the harmful effects of plastic on the environment.
If consumers all choose either recyclable paper bags or no bags,or a combination of the two, the objective would fail. Runoff water collects and carries discarded plastic bags and ultimately washes them into storm sewers. The harmful effects of using plastic are as follows. Even after animals bodies decompose, the plastic bags stay intact, and another animal can get hurt. Of this, 50% is for disposable applications such as packaging. However, bag ban proponents totally miss the point since they. Jun 21, 2018 90% people aware of harmful effects of plastic bags, but still use it. Using plastic bags and its damaging impact on environment and agriculture. Due to the problems associated with singleuse plastic bags and following signing of legislation related to plastic bags1, governor cuomo convened the new york state plastic bag task force in february 2017 to develop a report and proposed legislation to address the detrimental impact of plastic bags on the states environment. This should be rephrased to encourage the use of reusable bags or no bag at all. Plastic bags pollution effects and solutions green. The need to implement various measures to save planet earth has become even more urgent as we continue to inch towards an obvious disaster that we have created for ourselves.
Pdf using plastic bags and its damaging impact on environment. Due to the problems associated with singleuse plastic bags and following signing of legislation related to plastic bags1, governor cuomo convened the new york state plastic bag task force in february 2017 to develop a report and proposed legislation to address the detrimental impact of. Iv bags and tubing alone constitute up to 25% of hospital waste. Plastics are inexpensive and durable, and as a result levels of plastic production by. So many that over one million bags are being used every minute and theyre damaging our environment. Due to the toxic chemical composition of plastic bags, its exposure causes illnesses like birth defects, cancer, and other systemic illness.
Discarded bags can spread malaria if they collect rainwater, offering mosquitos a casual breeding ground. Its time to end our throwaway attitude on plastic bags and move to a more sustainable future new york, ny last night, state senator brad hoylman dmanhattan, ranking. How plastic affects animals and harms them plastic soup. Using plastic bags and its damaging impact on environment and.
The harmful effects of plastic on human health and the. The effects of plastic bags on the environment are really quite devastating. Consumer product safety commission, every year about 25 children in. See the adverse health effects grid for a list of commonly used plastics and their known health effects. Jan 10, 2018 even in urban areas, where wildlife is relatively scarce, plastic bags cause significant environmental harm. Many animals, including whales, dolphins, turtles, penguins, and dolphins, ingest plastic bags as they mistake them food. The harmful effects of plastic bags every once in a while the government passes out an order banning shop keepers from providing plastic bags to customers for carrying their purchases, with little lasting effect. The paper focuses on the sustainable agricultural and economic development in malaysia and other countries by finding out alternatives to the use of ever harmful plastic bags. Harmful effect of plastic bags plastic bags have rapidly becoming popular among consumers and retailers due to its convenience and functionality and it comes at a relatively low cost. The effects of plastic bags on environment healthguidance. Altkleider image by marem from polythene bags, commonly known as plastic bags, are popular packaging materials.
While there are many objections to the banning of plastic bags based solely on their convenience, the damage to the environment needs to be controlled. Plastic pollution occured so rapidly that animals were unable to adjust their behaviour around this new material. Positive and negative effects of plastic essay and speech. Hazard to children polythene bags can be dangerous to children. Ban the distribution of plastic bags by chain retailers within a community.
There is no way to strictly limit the effects of plastic bags on the environment because there is no disposal method. Plastic bags are very popular with both retailers as well as consumers because they are cheap, strong, lightweight. Most of austrias larger supermarket chains have voluntarily stopped providing customers plastic bags. Although plastic bags make up only a small percentage of all litter, the impact of these bags is nevertheless significant. Some cities have opted for a tax on plastic bags, such as washington, d. Plastic bags also affect animals, birds, and aquatic organisms. Once in these sewers, the bags often form clumps with other types of debris, and ultimately block the flow of water. Nearly all plastic is recycled and turned into diesel which is used to power electric generators, vehicles and farm machinery etc. In the proposed ordinance the consumer has three choices.
Using custom reusable grocery bags over plastic or paper bags can save on money, resources and have a positive impact on the environment as well. There are many different viewpoints on whether plastic bags are bad for the. Its damaging impact on environment and agriculture. The decomposition of plastic bags takes about years. Industrial development of fossil fuels into a wide array of plastics changed formulations in everything from insulation to mechanicals to paint, and plastic is still a ubiquitous component of every building assembly. Plastic bags drifting through the wind have many references in popular culture. Plastic bags create visual pollution problems and can have harmful effects on aquatic and terrestrial animals. The state of california banned singleuse plastic bags at large retail stores and requires a minimum ten cent charge for reusable plastic bags 28. The real reason that the worlds landfills werent overflowing with plastic was because most of it ended up in an ocean fill u. Secondly, littered plastic bags are a threat to animals. Harmful effects from use of polythene bags healthy living.
Plastic bags are quite commonly mistaken for food by animals, especially when the bags carry food residues, are brightly coloured or are animated by the movement of water. Since we have been using this nonrenewable resource increasingly for our requirements like. They are so inexpensive and convenient that most households use them. The complex challenge caused by plastic and its alternatives. Decline plastic bags at the checkout counter and remind the cashier and others around you that plastic bags hurt the environment. Many countries have banned plastic bags due to public concern over the serious negative impact on the environment and agriculture, especially, in agricultural. In this article we highlight 15 harmful effects of plastic bags, cutting across social, economic, health, and ecological aspects of life.
Plastic grocery bags are banned in aspen, colorado, and the trend is spreading as other cities, including austin, boulder, philadelphia, and portland, oregon, consider potential plastic bans. Furthermore, plastic bags block drains and release toxic fumes when burned. Plastics degrades faster in the sea, but it also leaves the harmful chemical into it, making it even more dangerous to the life on the earth. It is also worth looking at what has happened in practice as a result of plastic bag bans. So, even if all plastic bags were banned, the impact on overall litter would be relatively insignificant. Pdf thousands of plastic factories are producing tons of plastic bags which are very. Humans invented plastic and animals are harmed by it. There are various ways on how plastic bags can harm the health of humans and the entire environment. What are the effects of plastic bags on the environment. The negative effects of plastic have been mentioned as follows. An evaluation of the effects of californias proposed. First, they are manufactured from oil, creating further demand for environmentally damaging oil extraction. Much is due to the nature of plastic itself, which often can only be downcycled rather than recycled a torn plastic bag might eventually be transformed into a lunch tray, but it will.
Littering of plastics in open spaces creates unhygienic conditions, as it acts as a breeding ground for insects and mosquitoes that cause diseases like malaria and dengue. Consumer product safety commission, every year about 25. Jul 24, 2012 houston community college systems central campus speech 11 fundamental of speech summer ii 2012 the harmful effects of plastic bags presented by. But, most of us are blissfully unaware of the repercussions that are occurring and. Polythene bags eventually break down into small particles resembling plankton, one of the main animal food sources. Plastic bags kill wildlife, clog waterways and pack landfills. I am quite keen to highlight, the illeffects of using plastic bags. Plastic bags create visual pollution problems and can have. Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles e. The harmful effects of plastic bags are numerous and it affects human, all living organisms, soil, water, air, and the entire ecosystem. Mar 14, 2014 plastic bags should be recycled environmentalists regularly reject recycling of plastic bags as a solution to plastic bag litter in favor of banning plastic bags. Two major methods that release toxic chemicals of plastic bags are by burning and throwing. During the extended process of plastic packaging production, plasticizers are added to alter properties of the plastic, including increasing its resilience. On plastic bags and their harmful effects on new yorks environment discussion featuring attorney and founder of jennie romer hoylman.
Serious effects of plastic pollution on our health. Plastic bags dry out into a fine dust if left in the hot sun so they do decompose but these can also be melted along with the plastic bottles and refined into oil or fuel. On average, 300 million tons of plastic are produced around the globe each year. Sometimes plastic such as polythene bags, get buried under the soil, this makes the soil toxic. Plastic bags are nonbiodegradable, and are extremely hazardous to the environment. Build ups of plastic bags are notorious for causing blockages of local drainage systems in developing countries. The study did find that with moderate reuse, plastic totes made from polypropylene are better for the environment than disposable plastic bags, but this doesnt negate the fact that standard plastic bags are a more environmentally friendly choice than socalled. Harmful effects of plastic a sea change in building technology arrived in the 1950s with the age of plastic. Even though they are one of the modern conveniences that we seem to be unable to do without, they are responsible for causing pollution, killing wildlife, and using up the precious resources of the earth. Among the best data we have comes from san francisco, which in october 2007 implemented a ban on the distribution of hdpe plastic bags by. It cost more to recycle a bag than to produce a new one.
Apr 29, 20 harmful effect of plastic bags plastic bags have rapidly becoming popular among consumers and retailers due to its convenience and functionality and it comes at a relatively low cost. Chemical migration from plastic packaging into contents people are exposed to these chemicals not only during manufacturing, but also by using plastic packages, because some chemicals migrate from the plastic packaging to the foods they contain. The environmental impacts of plastic bag use include. On land, plastic bags are one of the most common types of litter worldwide. Oct 09, 2014 to reduce plastic waste and negative effects, recycling programs have been implemented in many parts of the united states, but remain underutilized. Danger to animal life, especially when they find their way into the sea. During the year 2008 in the united states, paper and paperboard accounted for the largest portion 34 percent of the municipal waste stream, and 25 percent of. Different reports15showed that plastic bags are still causing severe environmental pollutions and alsohuman and. Whether you burn or throw plastic bags, all the chemicals are released which.