Plastic fragments in the ocean such as those from plastic bags can absorb pollutants like PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and PAHs (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) easily. The truth is that we do not know yet the full scale of negative impacts plastic waste can have on marine and terrestrial environments because it hasnt been around long enough to allow us to assess possible scenarios of its influence on natural cycles. But should plastic straws really be banned? All rights reserved. Ill talk about this more in the next section: By itself, a plastic straw ban is unlikely to have a large impact on the environment. In Germany alone, we use 40 billion plastic straws every year. This is due to the fact that the plastic tubes are far too lightweight to be recycled in an efficient manner. In 2015 a mere 24 of these ethane cracker facilities in the United States had the combined carbon output of 3.8 million passenger vehicles. Plastic Straws: Is Paper Really Better for the Environment?Continue. Dont re-wash something if you can wear it again. What Does the Plastic Bag Ban Mean for New Yorkers? We will Plastics also permeate freshwater systems like rivers and streams. We dont know how it will in the long term affect plankton-feeding species and their predators. Additionally, awareness raising campaigns create a social pressure that should inspire local government and institutions to help in making changes at a bigger scale, like a regional ban or levy. This way, disabled people can continue to be served, while also reducing the number of plastic straws that we use. While an extra two cents may not seem like a lot, it could make a difference for some businesses that depend on plastic straws. Plastic pollutionwhether in our oceans, piling up on our coastlines, or contributing to our climate crisisimpacts vulnerable communities first. Litter can be the first stage in a waste stream that enters waterways as plastics tossed on the street are washed away by rain or travel via storm drains into rivers and streams. What to do with plastic bags you already have at home? Plastic straws have an especially high propensity to end up in our rivers after being thrown away. It topped 60 million tons (54.4 million metric tons) in 2010 based on a September 2018 report titled "Plastic Pollution."But China announced it plans to outlaw the production and sale of . On other issues, from overfishing to deforestation, we have seen that consumer-facing companies like McDonalds, Unilever and Walmart can be exquisitely sensitive to the concerns of their customers. New and sustainable business models are needed to address the current plastic deluge and also to enable a new generation of sustainable materials and technologies. This strategy has been adopted by some countries and municipalities so far and has proven to greatly reduce plastic bag usage by consumers. Ask if they have nonplastic alternatives to plastic straws, stirrers, or bags. Forty years after the launch of the first universal recycling symbol, only 14 percent of plastic packaging is recycled. Plastic bags being the major component of the trash thrown away, most of it ends up on the streets. Marine animals bear the burden of this influx of garbage into their habitats. The crucial challenge is to ensure that these bans are just a first step. When the monsoon rains start, streets get waterlogged just after the first few minutes because the water cannot pass through clogged sewerage pipes. But the sheer amount of plastic waste inundates communities until they are drowning under thousands of tons of plastic trash. Look around and you will notice that plastic bags are the most common litter. Shuddering and unable to breathe, he vomited up five plastic bags. This is because the customers voluntarily reduce their consumption of plastic bags, which in turn provides enough time for retailers to find suitable alternatives and switch to them. How To Make A Bracelet Out Of Plastic String? Plastic is not the largest contributor of pollution and the . Microplastics were found in soft drinks like Coca Cola, in tap water, in seafood It has contaminated our food chain, so it should not surprise us that it can be tracked in our body. You should examine what alternatives are available and whether local retailers, who often operate with a limited monthly budget, have the ability to make the switch. We hear everywhere around us that we need to save energy. For those governments that are opposed to full bans on plastic bags, another option is to institute a plastic bag tax, where consumers or retailers would pay a small fee for each plastic bag. Starting in the 1960s, plastic straw manufacturing took off. Other states such as Hawaii, cities such as Seattle and New York, and corporations such as Amazon and Starbucks are also considering or have initiated plastic phase-out plans. This type of plastic is derived from petroleum. Microplastics are plastic debris that measures less than five millimetres, or 0.2 inches, in diameter. Cause of environmental pollution 2. Ultimately, we can further decrease costs and achieve economies of scale through decentralized production systems and perhaps also at large biorefineries. Author: floridadep.gov. Since their birth, baby turtles have only one goal to get to the sea and swim into deep waters where they will feed and if successful grow into adult turtles. In fact, it is estimated that up to 10 million plastic bags are used every minute around the world [1]. As a result, they are thrown away and frequently wind up in the ocean, where they pollute the water and eventually kill marine birds, animals, and fish. Disney is eliminating single-use plastic straws and stirrers at all its theme parks, resorts and properties. An Oregon community is making spectacular statues out of ocean plastic to raise awareness about a crisis at sea. By being aware about these issues, you will be ready to present some strong arguments why plastic bags should be banned in your area and answer questions of people who will become your ally if you will persuade them about your good intentions. Animals living in the ocean might frequently confuse the plastic for food. Some countries have decided to do so after directly experiencing negative impacts of plastic bags, other countries have implemented the ban to reach their sustainability goals. 10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned. How Plastic Bottles Become Death Traps for Hermit Crabs. While we may not pay for plastic bags directly when we go shopping, they are anything but free.. Also, giving a speech in . Avoid individually packaged goods, like snack packs. Straws made of plastic contribute to the pollution of our seas and streams. The small pilot whale, found in a Thai canal this past June, is another symptom of a crisis in the worlds oceans. Avoid plastic wrap altogether by storing leftovers in reusable containers. (Everything You Need To Know). Harmful to human health 6. What do the bans accomplish? In this essay on should plastic be banned, it is very important to put forth the fact that there are many bodies of health and environmental governance around the world who argue that plastic ban can be problematic stating the following reasons-. However, we are all too familiar with situations when a cashier automatically puts your items in a plastic bag before you can oppose it. Why? Greentumble is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. "To us, it was the 'gateway plastic' to the larger, more . Straws have been found stuck in a sea turtle's nose and wedged in the stomachs of dead birds and dolphins. In addition, despite the fact that the FDA has deemed this to be safe for consumption, chemicals from the plastic may seep into liquids, releasing substances that have the potential to influence estrogen levels. Now, lets get into the negatives of a plastic straw ban: While banning plastic straws might help the environment in some aspects (well talk about this later), there are also many reasons against (or cons) of a plastic straw ban. The very best alternative is a reusable bag. Our addiction to plastic also has negative impacts on the climate. It is estimated that there are now 150 million metric tons of plastic in the ocean. Will Shifting to Reusable Straws Really Make a Difference? Plastic bag litter has even caused great problems in some areas. Will others? Individual actions can lead to collective actions. Accompanied by high social accountability and musical garbage trucks, that strategy has proved wildly effective: the island now reports recycling rates above 50 percent. 2. They contribute to the contamination of our landfills and seas when they are discarded after use. JIM LEAPE: Our oceans are currently swimming with plastics. For example, some disabled people may not be able to properly hold or pick up a cup, so they need to use straws to drink properly. And will a plastic straw ban actually be effective when it comes to saving our oceans and environment? You as an individual have the power to make a gradual change in your community. You can share this article on social media by using the share buttons below. High costs for cleanup 8. Which brings us to the second part. Es gratis registrarse y presentar tus propuestas laborales. It has been projected that, if current trends continue, by 2050 the plastic in the ocean will outweigh the fish. Some experts estimate that more than 1 million sea animals are killed each year by straws and other types of plastic trash. This includes grocery plastic bags, Ziplock-type bags, dry cleaning bags and bread bags. Beached whales have been found with stomachs full of plastic trash. A recent report showed that plastic production contributes to planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions at every point in its life cycle. There are many uses for plastic that are not only reasonable but important, such as surgical gloves, or straws for people with disabilities. You can be sure of one thing, though. Killing wildlife 5. It means that most bags can be recycled. As a result, the actual recycling rate for plastic bags globally is between 5 to 15 percent, while in the United States it makes only 1 percent a year [17]. Plastic is putting a strain on waste management systems, our oceans, and vulnerable communities the world over. It's free to sign up and bid on jobs. The production of these bags is very energy intensive. Yeah I end up going through like 5 paper straws because they keep disintegrating and I can't drink my drink anymore. Plastic straws, being so lightweight and non-biodegradable, are readily carried into the water, where they eventually break down into smaller and smaller pieces of microplastic. Pack it alongside reusable cutlery (like wood, bamboo, or metal chopsticks) for sustainable eating on the go. Instead of investing in quality goods that will last, we often prioritize convenience over durability and consideration of long-term impacts. How? You can use some easy online locators to see the closest plastic bag drop-off. India, for example, generates 25,940 tons of plastic waste every day but collects only 60 percent of it. Required fields are marked *. Such materials already exist in nature. It may not seem like much, but when you imagine how many bags they have to provide throughout a year, you will quickly realize that plastic bags are costly. Communities with good awareness about negative impacts of plastic bags have been more successful at enforcing the ban [20]. And cracker plantswhich break, or crack, ethane molecules, a component of natural gas, into the chemical building blocks of plastic productsare energy intensive and highly polluting. 2015-2023 Greentumble. Have a look yourself to imagine the suffering of these animals. Your email address will not be published. However, if a plastic straw ban is properly implemented with education about single-use plastics, then the ban could encourage the public to reduce their usage of other single-use plastics as well. The subtropical gyres of the North Pacific Ocean are also documented to contain the highest concentrations of plastic. edinburgh airport address. In fact, plastic straws only make up around 0.03 percent of total plastic waste by mass. Plastic waste, mostly broken down into tiny particles, floats in huge blobs amid ocean current patterns called gyres that together cover as much as 40 percent of Earth's ocean surface. Plastic bag bansideally accompanied by a fee on paper bagsare also catching on. For many in the disabled community, the availability of plastic straws is essential for their well-being and survival. That's a whole 900 tons of plastic waste produced every day, and that's just for plastic straws! Better alternatives are available 10. You cannot recycle them in the regular curbside collection of plastic, but you should be able to find many larger food stores and retailers (for example: Target, Walmart, Tesco, Morrisons, etc.) Here are a few more tips for ridding your life (and your community) of single-use plastics for good. China 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned Manufacturers, Supply 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned with High Quality, Wholesale 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned with Low Price, High Quality. Sea turtles are not the only species suffering from plastic bag pollution of the environment. Using these non-renewable resources to make plastic bags is very short-sighted, considering that the typical useful life of each plastic bag is about 12 minutes and that the worlds oil reserves contain enough oil to cover our needs through 2050, as the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates. 82 percent of the responding food service establishments were aware of the prohibition, and 69 percent of those establishments viewed the ban favorably. Actress Nina Nelson and other celebrities made a video claiming that plastic. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Once in the ocean, plastic pollution is extremely dangerous to marine life, and plastic straws are no exception. Not only does the waste destroy the land itself, but when plastic is incinerated (as is the case for unrecyclable plastic at some illegal facilities) its toxic fumes quickly become a health hazard for residents, leading to everything from skin rashes to cancer. What is the root of the problem (consumers or municipal waste management)? This means that you are not consuming more resources every time you need to carry your groceries home. Plastic straws only account for roughly one percent of the total amount of waste plastic found in the ocean. Search for jobs related to Reasons why smoking should be banned articles or hire on the world's largest freelancing marketplace with 22m+ jobs. We are working hard to improve our content. Theyve even made their way up to the secluded Pyrenees mountain range and down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. America Needs a Plastics Intervention. However, one thing we know, is that by introducing a pollutant that may never break down in the environment can have implications that will far exceed any of our predictions. Communities and consumers can play vital roles in sparking action. Our plastic addiction is having a devastating impact on our oceans, our wildlife, and our health. Help raise awareness of fellow consumers that means everyone when you think about it (unless they dont shopever). For the oceans sake, wed better hope so. There were numerous cases of birds caught in plastic bags, unable to fly and feed, eventually strangling themselves to death. Tiny plastic particles have been found in human feces. Additionally, plastics in our digestive tract may affect absorption of some important trace elements (like iron) which we need for maintaining proper health [13]. Stanford Reportspoke withJim Leape, co-director of theStanford Center for Ocean Solutions, andCraig Criddle, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, about the path to reducing ocean plastic pollution. There are definitely differing opinions on whether or not plastic straws should be banned. CRIDDLE:Cost is a huge issue. Or you may need to accept that plastic bag this time and then start campaigning for a plastic bag ban in your area . Another example of a locally issued ban is Seattle where not only single-use plastic bags have been banned but also single-use compostable and biodegradable bags. LEAPE:Microplastics pervade the oceans. This blog covers a variety of topics including plastic pollution, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and much more. But these cases make up a small fraction of single-use plastic. If you are a kid reading this, and you want to get green and help the Earth, you are at the right place. The resulting number is staggering. A study analyzes water transactions that leave water in the river, and shows how they could be scaled up to avert cuts for major water users while supporting imperiled ecosystems. 300 to 700 plastic bags pass through the hands of an average American in just one year [8] and a survey of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs concluded that the average household in the United Kingdom stores around 40 plastic shopping bags at home [2]. 15. Nearly 20 years ago, a dead pelican was found with its stomach filled with 17 plastic bags [10]. In early January 2020, China joined the growing movement of more than 120 countries pledging to ban single-use plastics.The country of 1.4 billion citizens is the No. Logically, the key to starting a change in your community is education. Though plastica chain of synthetic polymers, essentiallywas invented in the mid-19th century, it wasnt until the 1970s that its popularity skyrocketed. Read more about us. These pieces can be so small that they are invisible to our eye. The reason to worry is that scientists do not know how our metabolism and immunity will react to the increased concentration of plastic particles in our system. On average, taxpayers end up paying about $88 per year just on plastic bag waste [15]. It started with cardboard straws, but once plastic production in America increased, people realized it was quicker and cheaper to produce plastic straws. Ill also go over whether or not plastic straw bans will actually help the environment, and explain everything else youll need to know. NRDC scientist Jennifer Sass says yes and debunks the skeptics claim that in trying to wean ourselves off plastic bags, were only creating more troubles. She can remember all of her vehicles the Pontiac 6000, her familys car that was passed on to her when she went to college; the Volkswagen Rabbit, and later Fox, that took her through young adulthood; the Honda Civics,, Read More Car Recycling: Everything You Need to Know (With Statistics)Continue, Whether youre a scuba diver, snorkeler, or amateur swimmer, the ocean is a playground where you come to explore the beauty of nature and the difference from your regular lifes environment. A wave of single-use plastic bans is sweeping the country and the globemost often on plastic bags, straws, stirrers, and takeout clamshells. Banning straws may confer 'moral license' allowing companies and their customers to feel they have done their part. In fact, plastic bags are considered by many recycling facilities the number one contaminant and their removal from the recycling stream costs municipalities close to $1 million a year [18]. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned? If we ban single-use plastic straws we will have to turn to the dangerous alternatives.In source A complete ban on plastic straws would harm disabled people, which definitely isnt the goal of such a ban. Coca-Cola has said that it alone produces three million tons of plastic packaging each year, equivalent to a terrifying 200,000 plastic bottles per minute. Straws make up roughly 4 percent of the plastic waste in terms of the number of pieces, but a far smaller percentage in terms of the weight.Due to the fact that the typical weight of a straw is just around one sixty-seventh of an ounce, or 42 grams, the total weight of all those billions of straws combined only accounts for roughly 2,000 tons of the almost 9 million tons of plastic debris that enters the sea each year. Carrying reusable bags and bottles is one great way to avoid single-use plastics in our day-to-day lives; more on preventing plastic waste can be found below. The Pasig River in the Philippines is another scary example of the negative effects of plastic bags on the environment. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. According to the findings of a study that was carried out in 2019 by students at the University of Washington, 78 percent of respondents used straws made of biodegradable materials that are in compliance with the prohibition, and 68 percent used utensils that are in compliance with the ban. Criddle isdirector of StanfordsCodiga Resource Recovery Center,a member ofStanford Bio-Xand an affiliate of thePrecourt Institute for Energy. But you should also consider the other perspective what effect single-use bags have had on the local economy and product affordability. Here are 3 reasons why plastic straws should not be banned, explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner: 1. (Source: Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment), Stanford scientists are among a growing number of researchers harnessing artificial intelligence techniques to bring more realistic representations of ubiquitous atmospheric ripples into global climate models. (Its also important to remember that waste management is just one part of the global materials cycle. Stanford experts discuss the limitations of these bans and the potential for meaningful change. In 2008, a crocodile in Australia died because of 25 plastic bags filling its stomach [11]. Similar fate has met dolphins, seals, cats, dogs, deer and many other animals which got severely cut on their bodies due to plastic bag entanglement. Some microplastics are even small by design, like the microbeads used in facial scrubs or the microfibers in polyester clothing. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Companies are forced to innovate, rethinking their designs and sourcing sustainable materials. Help us break the cycle of causing unnecessary harm and damage in the name of "convenience". Speak out in support of local plastic bans, whether by calling your local government representative, submitting an op-ed to your citys newspaper, or simply starting conversations with neighbors. . Its because Asian and US coastlines release large amounts of plastic waste in the ocean [7]. 2. Some tributaries of the river have been filled with plastic waste to the level that you could almost walk across them without getting your feet wet. In my opinion, plastic straws should not be banned outright, because many disabled people require plastic straws to drink. Straws are said to be one of the top 10 objects recovered during beach clean-ups by the Ocean Conservancy. Manufacturers began replacing traditionally paper or glass staples with lighter or more durable and affordable plastic alternatives; plastic jugs replaced milk jars, for instance. Companies are trying to sell communities on a toxic solution to the plastic pollution crisis. female pomeranian temperament; splinterlands terms and conditions; carbon emissions data by company; ( ) + . Thats nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. You'll receive your first NRDC action alert and Plastic items are more sanitary than other alternatives. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. Plastics bags are not so much necessary that man cannot live without it. The answer isnt as simple as you may think: While its true that paper straws arent as harmful as plastic straws, this doesnt mean that, Read More Paper vs. These tiny plastic particles have been found in our oceans, soil, and even in the air. The upshot of the Sydney study is that the California bag ban reduced plastic bag consumption by 71.5% - a huge decrease. All Rights Reserved. The majority of plastic bags are made of polyethylene, a substance that is derived from crude oil refining and natural gas processing. Well, lets have a look at the most important reasons why single-use plastic bags should be banned right now. This ban has led to an increase in the demand for sustainable plastic alternatives and has also created space for several plant-based materials in the market. For instance, a lot of the plastic produced in Asian countries is for products that serve U.S. demandand the United States often sends plastic waste back to these countries for recycling.). Let us know if you liked this article. Plastic bags have become such a nuisance because we as consumers use them excessively even when not needed and authorities havent figured out effective ways of dealing with them as waste.
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10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned
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