Plastic – The Toxic Ingredient

1. Plastic – The Toxic Ingredient Over the years plastic has gained firm footing as a household item. The versatility of the material has compelled us to include it in every facet of our modern lives – carry bags for grocery or the plastic cutlery of the ‘use-and-throw’ variety. Among others, big businesses like e-commerce websites, consumable brands & food delivery platforms largely rely on plastic items to deliver their products to consumers. The dependency of households & businesses alike on plastic products doesn’t mean they are safe or responsible. A closer understanding of harmful effects of plastics is utmost important to improve their toxic footprint. 1. Plastic never goes away (Non- biodegradable): Plastic pollution arguably poses a bigger threat to the plants and animals – including humans – who are based on land. This synthetic material takes up to 1,000 years to decompose, leaching technically toxic substances into soil and water. These particles then enter the food chain causing loss to life & property. 2. Litter the environment: Once used these disposable products go into landfills & end up littering the landscape. They blow down the street, flap from trees, clog storm drains or make their way out to sea. If you considered burning them as a viable option, then you may end up polluting air with toxic fumes.

2. 3. Threat to marine & terrestrial life: Many animals intake plastic products mistaking them for food & therefore die. What is worse is that the ingested plastic bag remains intact even after the death & decomposition of the animal. Thus it takes lives & still remains in the landscape to hunt for more victims. 4. Diminishes petroleum products: Plastic Bag manufacturing is exhausting the precious non-renewable resources. To make plastics around 60- 100 million barrels of oil is needed every year around the world. Surely the invaluable resource shouldn’t be wasted on producing perilous plastic products. Should it? The list of harmful effects of plastics is non-exhaustive. Synthetic plastic is not only non- biodegradable but one of the major pollutants of the sea. Hence, it is our sole duty to shoulder responsibility for this problem which ultimately harms us. Biodegradable alternative to plastic bags is hence the most viable option to save Mother Earth from escalating ecological catastrophes. Read more: https://www.ecomaniac.org/plastic-the-toxic-ingredient/