We Depend on Plastic but, Now we’re Drowning in it
“Ignorance is bliss” a proverb that means if one is unaware of an unpleasant fact or situation, one can never be troubled by it. An overlooked case of plastics and the problems caused due to it. We use plastic products on a large scale, unaware of the fact that how many problems it causes to the environment and ultimately affects us.
Talking about marine pollution due to plastic products; the major sources of plastic wastes in our oceans are plastic bags and plastic packaging materials. These particles are large in size and they break down into plastic particles of 5 mm size which are termed as micro plastics and thus results in marine micro plastic pollution. Although there are various recommended ways of recycling plastic waste but not all waste can be recycled and also not every country has capabilities to adapt these techniques. Due to the durability of plastic, it lasts longer taking so much time to degrade, which results in dumping of plastics as land-fill and a portion of it ends up in rivers and eventually it reaches to the oceans.
Use of plastic micro beads in day-to-day products also contribute to marine pollution as when we use them for our personal care they get washed out through drains and eventually end up in the oceans. According to a UN report in 2010, between 5 million to 13 million tons of plastic was found in the oceans which was eventually found inside the stomachs of water bodies. According to a Professor of marine biology, Plymouth University, a quarter of the fishes that are sold in the markets contains plastic.
Shocking results came in a study conducted in 2015 in the United States of America when it was found that nearly 8.1 trillion micro beads end up in the oceans everyday. But soon after this study companies such as Clarins and Procter & Gamble decided to remove these micro beads from their products. These facts reflect the threat we are under.
But just by merely discussing about this problem won’t solve it then “What should we do”, so here are some instances where this problem was rather countered with:
• In July 2016, The Grantham Institute at Imperial College London suggested that by managing plastic waste at source itself is the most effective way of reducing marine pollution. They believed that plastic should not be thrown away as it can be a valuable raw material in various places such as in building roads.
• Rwanda launched a Vision 2020 plan under which they banned the use of non-biodegradable polythene bags in 2008. The outcome of this plan was that Rwanda became the world’s first plastic-free nation.
• On 14th November, 2017 , The Blockchain Development Company (Technology Start-Up) calculated and neutralized the annual plastic of organizations and families by purchasing credits using Blockchain Technology.
• On 16th May, 2018 , National Geographic launches "Planet Or Plastic?"- a multilayer initiative to reduce Single-use Plastics and their impact on the World’s Ocean.
“Don’t these instances make us believe that if we determine to fight against this problem then it can be countered effectively so let’s take a pledge that we will stand together and fight against it in every possible way.”
https://medium.com/@swachhcoin/we-depend-on-plastic-but-now-were-drowning-in-it-3cda0f2277ed
