While paper is biodegradable and avoids some of the problems of plastic, Taylor says, the huge increase of paper, together with the uptick in plastic trash bags, means banning plastic shopping bags increases greenhouse gas emissions. That said, these bans do reduce nonbiodegradable litter.
Plastic bags should be banned. Plastic is non-bio-degradable and thus causes pollution; as it cannot be recycled, burning plastic diffuses harmful smoke. Plastic also emits some radiation. Plastic bags can prove to be a choke hazard for small animals and people.
10 Ways to Reduce Plastic Pollution
- Wean yourself off disposable plastics.
- Stop buying water.
- Boycott microbeads.
- Cook more.
- Purchase items secondhand.
- Recycle (duh).
- Support a bag tax or ban.
- Buy in bulk.
Plastic pollution on land poses a threat to the plants and animals – including humans who are based on the land. Chlorinated plastic can release harmful chemicals into the surrounding soil, which can then seep into groundwater or other surrounding water sources and also the ecosystem of the world.
Reasons to Ban Plastic BagsPlastic bags have become a threat to the life of animals living on earth as well as in water. Chemicals released by waste plastic bags enter the soil and make it infertile. Plastic bags are having a negative impact on human health. Plastic bags lead to the drainage problem.
A key breakthrough came in 1907, when Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland created Bakelite, the first real synthetic, mass-produced plastic.
Disposing plastic has thus become a big challenge today. Plastic bags that form a major part of the plastic pollution are thus being banned in many countries. However, merely banning plastic bags shall not help. Ban must be imposed on other plastic items as well to bring down the environmental pollution.
Pros and cons of plastic bags
- Arguments for plastic bags (against a ban) - Low production costs, only a few chemicals are needed. - Production requires little energy and generates only low emissions.
- Arguments against plastic bags (for a ban) - Most plastic bags are only used once.
- Facts and figures. - On average, plastic bags are used for 25 minutes.
Modi's crusade builds on efforts to ban certain single-use plastics that began in 2009, when the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India became the first to ban plastic shopping bags. Delhi, India's capital city, adopted a more expansive ban that included bags, cutlery, cups, and plates in 2017.
More than 25 countries dumped 1,21,000 metric tonne of plastic waste in India after recycling companies "slyly" imported it. 55,000 metric tonne of plastic waste was imported in India from Pakistan and Bangladesh for recycling purposes.
In 2002, Bangladesh became the first country to ban thinner plastic bags. Morocco had announced a nationwide ban on the production and plastic bag use in 2016. As per the Moroccan industry ministry, the country was using around 3 billion plastic bags, making it the largest consumer of the item after the US.
The ban — which targeted plastic bags, cups, plates, small bottles, straws and plastic pouches — was expected to cut annual plastic consumption by 5–10 percent, according to Indian officials. It was also to require all plastic items produced in the future be made only of recyclable plastic. Now all that is put on hold.
Short Essay on Plastic Bags Should be Banned 200 Words in English. It is not just the water bodies that are getting polluted due to dumping of plastic waste, also our land and air are getting polluted. Harmful chemicals from the plastic are getting percolated into the land and reaching the water table.
The plastic bag ban prohibits retailers from providing single-use, lightweight polyethylene plastic bags (less than 35 microns). This includes degradable plastic bags (as opposed to compostable biodegradable bags made from plant starch).
Tamil Nadu, on January 1, 2019, became the fourth state in India to implement a ban on single-use plastics. Maharashtra was the first do it on March 23, 2018, Telangana followed the feat in June and Himachal Pradesh in July.
What Are the Cons of Plastic Bags?
- Plastic Bags Contaminate Food Sources. Those in favor of banning plastic bags argue that it would be one of the most effective ways to reduce the volume of plastic waste in the ocean.
- Plastic Bags Take Up To 1,000 Years to Decompose.
- Plastic Bags Are Hard to Recycle.
Plastic bags are difficult and costly to recycle and most end up on landfill sites where they take around 300 years to photodegrade. They break down into tiny toxic particles that contaminate the soil and waterways and enter the food chain when animals accidentally ingest them.
Plastic bags are more durable than paper bags. They are less prone to tearing, easier to carry, and are far more useful in bad weather. Plastic bags are reusable, as trashcan liners, as storage bags, or for picking up after the dog.
Microplastics entering the human body via direct exposures through ingestion or inhalation can lead to an array of health impacts, including inflammation, genotoxicity, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and necrosis, which are linked to an array of negative health outcomes including cancer, cardiovascular diseases,
Plastics #1 Polyethylene terephathalate (PET or PETE) & #2 HD Polyethylene (HDPE) are not only bad for our environment but can be potentially toxic to humans too, these are also known as single use plastics, and may leach when exposed to UV, heat and over time from natural breakdown.
The Problem: Over 1 million marine animals (including mammals, fish, sharks, turtles, and birds) are killed each year due to plastic debris in the ocean (UNESCO Facts & Figures on Marine Pollution). Currently, it is estimated that there are 100 million tons of plastic in oceans around the world.
A 2014 study in the United States found that reusable LDPE and polypropylene bags do have a lower environmental impact than the usual plastic bags found in supermarkets – but only if they are reused enough times. whatever bag type you use, use it as many times as possible. choose bags made from recyclable materials.
Tips to Use Less Plastic
- Stop using plastic straws, even in restaurants.
- Use a reusable produce bag.
- Give up gum.
- Buy boxes instead of bottles.
- Purchase food, like cereal, pasta, and rice from bulk bins and fill a reusable bag or container.
- Reuse containers for storing leftovers or shopping in bulk.
The plastic may end up buried underneath tons of trash. Over time, the harmful toxic chemicals are leached into the ground and find their way into the groundwater and potentially contaminating drinking water supplies, rivers, streams, and eventually the ocean.
- Return them to a shop.
- Post them to a specialist recycling plant.
- Find a local plastic bag recycling point using this handy tool from Recycle Now.
- Put plastic bags into your household recycling.
Disadvantage of plastics are low heat resistant and poor ductility. Disadvantage of plastics are combustibility. Produces toxic fumes when it is burnt • It is a recycle process, but it is very costly.
