Plastic Pollution: The Negative Effects Of Plastics And The Environment

Plastic is everywhere, from plastic credit cards to water bottles even to hospital IV bags. It simplifies our lives in numerous ways, but due to improper disposal, plastic has a severely negative impact not only on our environment, but also on humans and animals. Plastic pollutes our water sources, poisons humans, and kills animals. Recycling and volunteering to clean up beaches are just a few of the many ways in which to help get the plastic pollution under control and to prevent further damage to our Earth. This deadly issue needs to be addressed immediately. The environment is continually bombarded with plastic waste that it is unable to break down. Plastic is a chemical compound which is manufactured to maintain it 's durability for several years. “Plastics are very long-lived products that could potentially have service over decades, and yet our main use of these lightweight, inexpensive materials are as single-use items that will go to the garbage dump within a year, where they’ll persist for centuries,” Richard Thompson (environmentalhealthnews.org). Our inappropriate disposal of plastic in such places as
Humans eat fish and other sea creatures, so we are exposed to every chemical that the animals are. Due to landfill leakages, our water usually has traces of plastic chemicals. Everyday items such as teething rings or plastic cups can have traces of chemicals which enter the body. These levels are low enough that most do not realize anything, but the chemicals can have deadly effects on our bodies and health. High levels of Bisphenol A (BPA) can disrupt hormone balance, cause cancer, heart disease, and even interfere with the brain 's functioning. The developing immune systems of infants and children are more susceptible to the health risks of BPA, so the side effects can be more prevalent and severe