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Plastic Pollutants

Plastic materials are created and used in a vast array of ways. The use of plastic as consumer products have increased over the decades. When they are discarded, they often become a source of pollution. Pollution from plastics can lead to environmental and health hazards. The molecules of plastic waste discarded on land, in the oceans or burned begin to break down, giving off toxins that cause damage to human beings, other animals and plants. When plastics are burned, they immediately release toxic fumes into the atmosphere.

  1. Burning of Plastic

    • When plastic materials are burned, they emit dangerous toxins, including dioxin. The fumes of dioxin are toxic to human beings and other animals, and dioxin also attaches to plants and crops growing out in the open, which, in turn, contaminates them. Dioxin can also get into sources of water, contaminating them. When dioxin-contaminated water is consumed by humans and other animals, they can become very ill. According to WECF (Women in Europe for a Common Future), the burning of plastics can cause damage to the reproductive system, the heart, the nervous system, the liver, the kidneys and the respiratory system.

    Plastic Littered in the Ocean

    • Plastic waste is continually being dumped into the ocean by human beings, polluting and cluttering our world's seas. Common items dumped there include multitudes of plastic bottles (as can be seen washing ashore onto sandy beaches) and plastic carrier bags. These littered items accumulate and can pose a risk for sea life. Large fish and sometimes turtles can mistake the items for jellyfish and swallow them, thereby choking to death. According to a research project conducted through the Nihon University of Japan, plastic litter within the ocean decomposes at a fast rate, releasing dangerous chemicals that can trigger the onset of cancer in sea animals into the waters. Additionally, these chemicals can adversely affect the reproduction processes of sea life.

    Plastic in Landfills

    • The majority of products made from plastic ultimately end up being disposed of in landfills and taking up space. Plastic items sitting in landfills can become particularly problematic, in that most plastic materials are non-biodegradable. This means the components of plastic never break down; thus, these pieces of trash end up taking up enormous amounts of space indefinitely. This can be particularly hazardous for birds, as they explore plastic bottles and bags and end up either ingesting and choking on them or getting tangled up in them, injuring their wings and dying.

    Production and Components

    • Plastic is made from a derivative of natural gas, petroleum and other like substances. These substances are converted into something known as a polymer resin, which is then shaped into the product it is intended to be. The problem with this process is that this oil or petroleum byproduct is a huge contributor to oil usage, increasing dependency on foreign oil and natural gas. Additionally, the way in which these plastic products are produced contributes to the ongoing issues of water and air pollutants.

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