Dangers of Using Plastic Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Dangers of Using Plastic - Research Paper Example On the other hand, those opposed to the idea of using plastic maintain that plastic is non-biodegradable and that when they are discarded, they will remain intact for decades. Only DANGERS OF USING PLASTIC 4 incineration can result in the disposal of plastic. Incineration has its attendant risks; it causes noxious fumes to be released into the atmosphere. Due to this, the second group consisting of mainly environmentalists, conservationists and health experts insist that the use of plastic be limited. What is Plastic? Plastic is manufactured from hydrocarbons that are found in oil and natural gas. It is formed when molecules, known as monomers bond together. Different types of monomers create different types of plastic each type of plastic has different properties or characteristics. While some are soft and pliable, others are strong and durable. Use of Plastic – Statistics The United States alone produced 13 million tons of plastics as containers and packaging, 11 million ton s as durable goods and nearly 7 million tons as nondurable goods in 2009 (US Environmental Protection Agency, 2010). This shows the prevalent use of plastic in many industries including the electronics, automobile, food, furniture and textile industries. Plastic – Types and Benefits There are two main types of plastic : thermosets and thermoplastics. The first type of plastic known as thermoset solidifies when heated. This type of plastic is known for its durability and strength. Therefore, thermosets are used in the automobile and construction industries. They are also used in the making of ink, coatings and adhesives. DANGERS OF USING PLASTIC 5 The second... This paper stresses that the use of plastic has environmental, health and economic advantages as well as disadvantages. Although it offers advantages such as durability, flexibility affordability and light weight, it creates a host of problems such as contamination of the environment, health problems and the dwindling of the earth’s resources. People who support the banning of plastic do so for several reasons. In the first place, plastic is made up of dwindling natural resources such as petroleum and natural gas. Second, aquatic, marine and land animals are strangled, choked and killed when they consume plastic bags or get caught in them. Plastic has also become a major cause of litter and plastic materials pollute both the land, beaches and waterways. Moreover, plastic takes a long time to biodegrade. Finally, plastic is a health hazard. This report makes a conclusion that many governments are now aware of the seriousness of the situation and are taking measures to combat the problem. These measures include imposing a tax on plastic bags to discourage their use. By imposing a tax, consumers may decide to switch to other more environment-friendly reusable bags. In Ireland, for example, customers have to pay a tax of about 20 cents per bag. This has cut the amount of plastic bags by as much as 90 percent. Many other countries like Bangladesh, Italy, South Africa, Taiwan and India have either banned or reduced the use of plastic bags.