Plastic as a Source of Environmental Pollution What is the Solution?

Plastic as a source of environmental pollution what				capsules for drugs, which dissolve slowly in body
is the solution?				fluids.
Dr.Kedar Karki				Chemically degradable plastics can be broken up
Background:				by spraying them with a solution that causes
Plastics are synthetic substances produced by				them to dissolve. For example such material can
chemical reactions. Almost all plastics are made				be used as a protective wax covering for new
from petroleum, except a few experimental				cars that wash off at the dealer's garage by a
resins derived from corn and other organic				specially formulated spray. This spray reacts with
substances.				one of the components of the plastic and causes
"Plastics" derived their name from their properties				it to dissolve into harmless materials which can be
to be molded, cast, extruded or processed into a				flushed down the drain.
variety of forms, including solid objects, films and				Photo-degradable plastics contain chemicals that
filaments. These properties arise from their				slowly disintegrate when exposed to light. In
molecular structure. Plastics are polymers, very				France, strips of photo-degradable plastic about 3
long chain molecules that consist of subunits				ft (1mtr) wide are used to retain heat in the soil
(monomers) linked together by chemical bonds.				and produce early crops. They last for about 1 to
The monomers of petrochemical plastics are				3 years before rotting into the soil. But they have
inorganic materials (such as styrene) and are not				to be used in places with consistent amount of
biodegradable.				sunshine so that they decay at a predictable rate.
Plastic has many properties which has made it a				In the USA, about one quarter of the plastic
raw material of choice for Manufactures of plastic				yokes that link beer cans in a six pack are made
Bags and packing materials. Cost of production,				of plastic called Ecolyte, which is photo-degradable.
light weight, strength, easy process of				But to stop them decaying too early, they must
manufacture, and availability are few of the				be stored away from direct sunlight, which can be
properties. There is nothing wrong with plastic as				of some inconvenience to the retailer.
a material. Man has simply not put the plastic to				However degradable plastic can have a few other
the right use/ or using it without taking proper				problems. For example, it cannot be recycled
care of other related norms of usage.				because there is no easy way to measure its
PLASTIC AS PACKING MATERIAL:				remaining life span. The biggest drawback is the
Plastic has replaced the traditional material (paper				cost of its production. Japanese scientists
cloth etc) as packing and carry bags because of				however claim that they will soon be able to
cost and convenience which is possibly a wrong				produce much cheaper multipurpose biodegradable
choice of material for such use. Even though				plastic. In order to obviate the disposal problems
plastic bags can preserve food and can be used				and to prevent
for growing vegetables in a controlled				Environmental pollution caused by routinely used
environment, their method of disposal has creates				polythene packaging materials; it would be
unprecedented pollution problem.				prudent, for the present, to use eco-friendly
Plastic has many more uses other than Plastic				paper packaging. The manufacturers of plastic
Bags and Packing material. It is used for				packaging like soft drink bottles/mineral water
manufacturing of protective covers and parts for				bottles etc must come forward and develop
many machines, which should be the preferred				appropriate methods of disposal/own responsibility
utility for plastic.				for disposal.
SHOPPING CULTURE IN EARLIER DAYS:				Plastic bags are so light and strong that they can
Before the advent of poly-bags, people did shop,				carry normal weight, cheap and is used in all types
buy things, bring eatables from the market, and				of shops in our daily life. For example: bakeries,
did the same marketing as is done now. How did				medical shops, grocery stores, hotels, etc. People
they do it? The raw material for the bag was				are so accustomed to it, that they find it very
decided by its usage. Cloth bags for lighter items,				difficult to part with it. Plastic bags have made it
Gunny bags/Jute bags for voluminous and heavier				possible for people to go without bags to market
goods. The cost did not justify use and discard				or work place as these bags are availably for
attitude. These bags were washable and reusable				asking and can be thrown without a second
lasting for six months to a year.				thought.
Plastic and its Environmental Hazards:				People who go on picnics, visiting historic places, hill
The hazards plastics pose are numerous. The land				stations etc., to enjoy their holidays or just for a
gets littered by plastic bag garbage presenting an				change carry with them eatables in containers,
ugly and unhygienic seen. The "Throw away				plastic bags, mineral water bottles (plastic), plastic
culture" results in these bags finding their way in				plates and plastic cups and generally leave it in the
to the city drainage system, the resulting				open air after consuming the contents. One can
blockage cases inconvenience, difficult in				find this in tourist centres scattered all over.
maintaining the drainage with increased cost,				Road-side vendors also use plastic cups to serve
creates unhygienic environment resulting in health				coffee or tea. The customers throw these cups
hazard and spreading of water borne diseases.				on foot paths or near drains after consuming the
This littering also reduces rate of rain water				contents.
percolating, resulting in lowering of already low				These plastic materials are so light that they are
water levels in our cities. The soil fertility				carried away by the speed of the moving vehicle,
deteriorates as the plastic bags form part of				wind etc., scattered all over, making the
manure remains in the soil for years.				surroundings look ugly. There are instances
It has been observed that the animals eating the				wherein these materials have clogged the
bags sometimes die. Plastic goes into the ocean				underground drains. People are in the habit of
which is already a plastic infested body of water.				throwing things they don't need wherever they
Fish and other marine species in the water ways,				like irrespective of the final result. People should
misunderstanding plastic garbage as food items				be specially educated regarding the use of plastic
swallow them and die.				in our daily life, as it is environment unfriendly.
SHOULD PLASTIC BE TOTALLY BANNED?				Boys and girls, men and women with bags on
Many household utility items like needle, scissors,				their backs and a stick in one hand walking long
and blades can heart if not handled properly.				distances, picking up plastic waste, paper, bottles
Children need to be trained in their proper handling.				etc., from dust bins, road sides, is a common sight
These utility items are not banned. But because				in our cities. These rag pickers sell the waste
of throw away culture and no objection from				collected, to the collection centre to earn their
passer by, the advice on sensible disposal of				livelihood. These materials are recycled.
plastic bags are not heeded by general public				The waste materials collected are of all types
forcing the government to consider banning of				including plastic materials, such as plastic bags,
plastic bags all together.				plastic cups, plastic bottles etc. Instead of carrying
"Should plastic carry bags and bottles be banned in				these wastes away, they are burnt on the road
totality?" - is a heated issue today. World annual				side polluting the area with thick smoke which
average is a alarming 18 kg. But too many do it				produce toxic gases (because of burning of plastic
as our cities have huge population. The country				material) posing a health hazard. Inhaling of such
yet to take a serious view of the issue and have				gases causes lung diseases and even cancer.
a uniform nation-wide law for indiscreet disposals				They resort to burning of waste material with the
of plastic bags. People should be educated on the				main intention of reducing the number of trips a
proper ways of plastic bag usage and the disposal.				lorry has to take. Plastic being non-degradable,
The teaching should start right from the primary				when buried under the ground, arrest the
schools. Plastic is an eco-friendly material. The real				percolation of water into the ground. Animals
problem is littering, some claim. But there is hardly				grazing in the field consuming this plastic waste
anybody who agrees with such viewpoint.				along with grass cannot be ruled out. Now-a-days,
Thinking rationally, the whole idea of educating				in almost all functions, it has become a practice to
people about plastic bags, although very ambitious,				use thin plastic sheets to cover the dining tables
and it is as difficult as banning smoking The				to give it a good look and also so that it is easy
conventional older and tested alternatives offers				to clean the table, as left over can be removed
an easy, if not fully equitable and practical solution.				by rolling the sheet at a stretch. These are
And all the hype that poly-bags pollute is not				thrown near the dust bin.
totally false. It is not that poly-bags are				Besides this, thin plastic cups are also used for
responsible for the ills, of course not, it is the				drinking water, which also finds a place in the dust
humans. It is ignorance (or who cares attitude).				bin. One can find near the dust bin, waiting slum
We have not banned sewing needles they pierce				children, crows, stray cows, dogs to share the
through the skin. It's a stupid idea. Whether it is				leftovers. In this process, they fight amongst
the common citizen, the government official or				themselves and stray cows in majority of cases
the hard-hit plastic bag manufacturer, all of them				have consumed thin plastic sheets along with left
agree on one point - firm steps are required to				over, leading to untold sufferings and also found
be taken against littering of plastic bags and				dead on many occasions. It is therefore,
bottles all around.				suggested that a ban be placed on the use of
THE GLOBAL DIMENSION:				plastic sheets, plastic cups, along with plastic bags.
More than a 100 million tonnes of plastic is				Plastic industries manufacturing plastic bags (below
produced world-wide each year. Though plastics				20 microns) thin sheets, thin cups and thin bottles,
have opened the way for a plethora of new				should be informed about its ill-effects on the
inventions and devices it has also ended up				environment and advised not to manufacture
clogging the drains and becoming a health hazard.				such items. If the industry is located in a
Many countries, including India, are trying to				residential area, action should be taken to shift it
increase the amount of plastic that is recycled.				immediately. The factory management should
But commercial interests create hindrance for				take all measures to control the pollution created,
effective legislation to remove plastics from				within the stipulated norms.
goods where they can threaten public health. Also				THE SOLUTION.
there is a clear trend of shipping off the plastic				The solution lies in finding out:
waste of developed countries to under developed				1. Alternative suitable for making Bags and packing
and developing countries.				material at competitive rate and convenience
FUTURE ALTERNATIVE - ECO-FRIENDLY				without having any negative aspect.
PLASTICS:				2. Reaserch&Develpoment to make plastic more
However newer technology is also being				environments friendly.
developed in this regard. This entails the use of				3. Educate users to the right disposal methods.
DEGRADABLE PLASTICS. The principal is to				4. Reduce the no of users by reducing the
incorporate into the plastic some chemical that is				population in the long run.
photodegradable/biodegradable or chemically				5. Process vegetable, etc to higher density so as
treatable.				to reduce the no of bags required to pack and
By adding starch, biodegradable plastics are				carry.
generally made. On burial such plastics are				6. Encourage reusable bags from traditional
attacked by bacteria feeding on starch, which				materials by suitable advertisements to make it
breaks these down into tiny particles that				fashionable.
disappear harmlessly into the soil. Some common				7. Cost of mfg bags with traditional material can
examples of biodegradable plastics are the use of				be subsidized by printing advertisement on the
"non-removable" suture materials in surgery or				bags.

Rpma

Plastic as a Source of Environmental Pollution What is the Solution?