Question

Despite being very useful it is advised to restrict the use of plastic. Why is it so? Can you suggest some methods to limit its consumption?

Answer 1

Plastic is a non-biodegradable material and as such it causes land pollution. At the same time burning such materials in the form of garbage causes serious air pollution.

Improper disposal of plastics causes several problems. Some of these are :

• The littering of plastics in open spaces creates unhygienic conditions, as it acts as a breeding ground for insects and mosquitoes that cause diseases like malaria and dengue.
• Plastics do not undergo degradation, thus, stay in the soil for many years, which affects soil fertility and degrades the soil quality.
• Plastic block the pipes if it enters the drainage and sewerage system and the drains causing water logging.
• Plastic items find their way to the river and other water bodies, which are then swallowed by fish, seabirds, and other marine species, thus leading to suffocation and death.

Some ways to limit its consumption are:

• Paper bags are highly recommended to use instead of plastics.
• Reuse if it is possible to reduce the consumption of plastic.
• Recycling of plastic. It requires the plastic to be collected, sorted, chopped, melted, and remolded.
• Do not burn the plastic as it causes the release of carbon monoxide which is a very harmful gas-causing cancer.