- Plastics make up a vast amount of our solid waste
- Plastic takes ages to break down
- Plastic causes many environmental issues
- Recycled plastics can be put to good use
Plastic has become a necessity in man’s life all over the world. Along with the times, plastic has become a problem considering much plastic waste scattered in various environments. Environmental health becomes essential from year to year; moreover, the quality of life is very dependent on how clean our ecosystem is. However, plastic waste that accumulates from year to year is slowly becoming a problem that must be resolved with the collaboration of various groups.
Indonesia is the second-largest contributor to the abundance of plastic waste in the ocean. This waste has harmful economic consequences for the country and its people. Indonesia currently produces 6.8 million tons of plastic waste per year, with only about 10% recycling centers. About 625,000 tons of annual plastic waste ends up in the oceans. Landfills are typically close to communities, leading to toxic wastewater seeping into nearby farmland and hindering the growth of crops.
“Recycling” is an alternative that can overcome environmental pollution because recycling can reduce the amount of plastic waste that exists in the world. Recycling is one way to modify waste or used goods into new valuable goods and have economic value.
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Why should plastic recycling be mandatory? Why is plastic recycling important? Let me ask you this; do you know how long it takes for plastic to degrade back to the environment? The answer may surprise you. It’s between 500-1000 years. This is well beyond comprehension for most people. The reason for the slow degradation is a simple one. These materials do not exist in nature, and hence, there are no naturally occurring organisms that can break them down effectively or at all. The chemical bonds in plastic materials are not available or “familiar” to bacteria in nature. That’s why it’s hard to break down plastics.
Moreover, plastic also causes many environmental issues like:
Air pollution: Burning plastic emits toxic fumes which may contain harmful gases like Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, dioxins as constituents.
Soil pollution: Garbage mixed with plastic interferes in waste processing facilities and may also cause problems in landfill operations.
Water Pollution: Plastic wastes choke seas across the globe. This is harmful to aquatic animals.
Besides, plastic can also affect animals: Aquatic life can be threatened as they may ingest this plastic or get entangled in it. Different marine and terrestrial species have contained large proportions of plastic in their stomach. Moreover, Aquatic animals like turtles, dolphins, penguins and terrestrial animals die due to plastic ingestion. The carnivorous animal that ingests these dead animals also becomes a victim of plastic pollution.
Recycling also helps to save renewable and nonrenewable materials. Plastic is made from chemicals and uses oil, coal, or natural gas, which are nonrenewable. We need not be throwing around our nonrenewable materials carelessly; it takes millions of years for them to reproduce. Energy is also saved when recycling. It takes energy, usually in the form of coal, oil, or natural gas, to make most of the products we use every day, and a lot of those items are recyclable. If we recycle, we still use energy to transform the material into something new, but significantly less than making a brand new product.
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Indeed, the excessive use of plastic products has remained the top contributor to impeccable environmental damages. Plastic waste accumulates in sea and land and harms marine and terrestrial life. Humans and animals have been suffering from the harmful effects of plastic since the beginning. Likewise, the environment is also being damaged. Plastic recycling is essential and must be taken seriously. Plastics make up a massive amount of solid waste and take centuries to break down in landfills or oceans.
Recycling can help save our earth and the environment we live in. It will provide a more vital place to live. Recycling is our future. By recycling plastics, aluminum, paper, metal, iron, tin, wood, and glass bottles, we can save on natural resources and produce items from reusable materials.
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Editor : Bunga Pertiwi
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