Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Essay on the harmful effects of plastics in our environment
Background on plastic pollution
Essay on the harmful effects of plastics in our environment
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
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
The theme in a Plastic: A Toxic Love Story and " A Dirge" are both on polluting water with plastic. You should not pollute the water with plastic because it could damage the animals in the water.
Which means their obviously bad for the aquatic marine life environment & are cause many different forms of damage for them & us as one. On p.g. 23 of The New York Times upfront magazine “Birds,fish, sea turtles, & others are getting tangled in plastic bags or mistake them for food & choke”. Someone else might argue that they could the plastic bags in landfills instead of oceans. But that counter- argument is flawed because you’re just polluting by burning plastic which is bad on our part we’re not doing our part to support & taking care of the earth. Plastic in the ocean isn't just bad for plants & animals but for humans too because of the food chain some of us eat animals as a meat source such as aqua marine life like fish. If the fishermen catch fish that have been eating plastic then it's in our food supply if we eat that fish it's gonna be bad for us so many will end up getting sick from the plastic inside of the fish then what will we do our aqua marine food supply will go down the drain we couldn’t eat the fish since it's basically contaminated with plastic that we’re dumping there instead of trying to fix it & getting rid of plastic bags for good for the good of the earth. We’re causing damage towards the earth by dumping all that plastic into the ocean which damages our water supply it’ll poison us although we clean the water it depends on how big the plastic particles are, it’ll make us sick & sense it’s been lying in the oceans could bring in new pathogens &
M., Gutierrez…). This is something that the Marine Debris Program is looking to eliminate. By removing the plastic from the water, and preventing it from leaking its chemicals, the eating of the plastic in general, and the prospect of these plastics being breeding grounds for dangerous pathogens, the marine environment would be safer for animals and humans alike. So, it is clear, the removal of this harmful debris, specifically plastic is something that must be done through this Citizen Science
Humans encounter harmful chemicals every day, but it is generally unexpected by the public that products that they use every day, such as water bottles and metal cans, contain ingredients that can pose a threat to their health. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a compound that is widely used during the manufacturing of epoxy resins that provide a protective layer to many food containers, as well as hard, clear plastics (Staples, 1998). BPA leaches from these containers into the food or drink that humans consume on a daily basis (Krishnan, 1993). Several studies have found traces of BPA in over 90% of adult participants, and 99% of school-age children (Calafat, 2008). The chemical is still being used in modern times, despite the research that advises otherwise. Bisphenol A is a dangerous chemical that causes various chronic health problems, such as cancer, as well as sexual abnormalities in both males and females.
Humans are among the many terrestrial mammals affected by the endocrine-disrupting capabilities of bisphenol A. The majority of human exposure comes from consumption of BPA from food products packaged in polycarbonate plastics (Crain et al., 2007). Laboratory studies done on mice indicate that exposure to high concentrations of BPA can cause pregnancy complications, reproductive organ defects, obesity, early puberty, and cancer (reviewed by Flint et al., 2012).
Everyday millions of Americans come in contact with many different forms of plastics and think nothing about it. Whether its drinking from water bottles purchased at your local super market to eating leftovers from food storage containers in your refrigerator, plastics are everywhere in the world and it seems as if they’re here to stay. But have you heard of the chemical Bisphernol-A? Also known as BPA, this chemical compound is found in just about every plastic that you come in contact with and has created quite the uproar in the media over the last several years in question on its safety for consumer use. Scientists from around the world believe that BPA is the cause of many adverse health effects found in infants and adults, but the scientists aren’t the only ones voicing their opinions on the subject. Many concerned consumers in light of recent studies on the controversial BPA chemical are worried about what they themselves and their families are ingesting and exactly how it is affecting them. This problem amongst consumers has been so great that many companies such as Wal-Mart have demanded the removal of baby and infant products that contain the controversial chemical BPA from their store shelves.
Every year, an estimated 8 million tons of plastic waste enters our environment, severely polluting oceans, beaches, forests, and even the towns and cities we live in. In the ocean alone, it is believed that 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic pollutes the waters (“Plastic Statistics”, Ocean Crusaders).The majority of plastic pollution can be traced back to single-use items, such as grocery bags, bottles, and plastic packaging. According to United Nations Environment, “At the rate we are dumping items such as plastic bottles, bags and cups after a single use, by 2050 oceans will carry more plastic than fish…” (“UN Declares War on Ocean Plastic”, UN Environment). This pollution is a major problem and endangers not only the environment, but human
Ironically, plastic, which is a material designed to last forever, is generally used for things we tend to throw away. Every year, about one hundred to two hundred billion pounds of plastic are manufactured. Only 31% of that plastic is actually recycled. Biomass packaging estimates 10% of that plastic ends up in the ocean annually. About 20% of it coming from ships and other platforms, and the other 80% coming from land derived sources, such as international garbage dumping, winds or tides, either way it finds its way to the ocean.
This is eye opening statement, there is only so much one person can do to help the environment and make it better so children of the future do not have to feel the negative effects that so many children today have to face. Bisphenol A (BPA), is a widely used chemical in plastic containers and in the lining of food and beverage cans; it has been said that BPA plays a possible trigger role in developmental disorders. BPA is also found in baby bottles, toys, dental sealants and even the remote control you use every day. BPA acts mainly as an endocrine disrupting chemical, with prenatal and postnatal exposure leading to neurodevelopment disturbances, along with behavioral changes (Kaur, 2015). A study was done by Kaur in 2015 that studied the effects of BPA on Drosophila melanogaster. The study showed that Drosophila exposed to BPA demonstrated behavioral deficits which is a major feature of autism. This study can help future studies on the effects o environmental agents on behavior, and the role of gene-environment interaction in neurodevelopment and neurobehavioral disorders. BPA is poison and thankfully there have been steps to remove it from products that we use in our every day
The world population is living, working, and vacationing along the coasts. They are contributing to an unprecedented tide of plastic waste. Pollution is defined as the process that alters a substance or molecule on planet earth, the pollution is caused by the physical contact of an organic decaying particle with a clean particle in the same spot, at the time the two particles join together is when occurs pollution in which the environment is greatly altered. Too many, plastic is a modern day miracle, versatile, inexpensive and durable (Rochman 2014). To others, it is a scourge, a non-degradable pollutant that threatens to choke the global environment. Plastic pollution has led to the deaths of many animals, natural resources, and people (Rochman 2014). It is time to change America’s thinking and to learn from past mistakes.
Most individuals are exposed through diet via BPA leaching from food containers, food packaging or plastic bottles, while there is still risk from air, dust, and water (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2013). There are many reason why there needs to be stricter guidance and regulations on the release of BPA in household items such as baby bottles, plastic food containers, and canned goods to name a few. Some reasons why these countries are banning BPA are due to its ill effect on people. BPA is considered to be an endocrine-disruptive chemical, which have been linked through laboratory testing to developmental issues, diabetes, cancer and other ailments (Bardelline, 2011). Canada, most of the European Union, China, South Africa and Malaysia have all collectively banned BPA usage in different forms.
Plastic or paper, is a choice that people face when going to the grocery stores. Plastic bags are often the choice that is made. A controversial issue in the world today is the use of plastic bags. Plastic bags are used because of the convenience they give, by being able to carry several items at once. However, in the article, “Banning Bans, Not Bags”, Jennifer Schultz claims, “Plastic bags clog up local waterways, litter roadways, and get swallowed up by unsuspecting fish” (6). Plastic bags are used once, then are discarded or, littered all over the place. When they are littered all over they become problems for more than just humans. These plastic bags pose a big hazard for animals on land and in especially the ocean. Humans eat land and
Although plastic bags appear to be fragile and light, their negative environmental effect is devastating. Plastic bags may cause large amounts of pollution in every step of their limited life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials, production, transportation, and recycling or disposal. Plastic bags can be defined as the most damaging form of environmental pollution. They can have a damaging effect on marine animals and wildlife in addition to the aesthetic effects on beaches, parks, and trees. Plastic bags are potentially one of the main causes of death to marine animals (Harbor keepers,2008). Up to one hundred thousand marine animals or more die each year from eating plastic bags which are mistaken for food. This can result in blocking the animal’s intestines and possibly lead to the animal’s death. Another possible situation is that wildlife, such as birds, can get tangled in plastic bags causing choking and immobility, which may eventually lead to death. (Senior, 2008) and (Citizen Campaign, 2010). In other situations, after plastic bags photo degrade they remain toxic and could be eaten by fish, shellfish or any other marine life and survive this allows the toxins to enter our food chain through bioaccumulation (Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, 2011).
One huge aspect of recycling is that it gives the recycler the fulfillment of helping the environment. W. Kip Viscusi a professor at Vanderbilt University said, “The warm glow environmental benefit that a person receives from recycling will be greater for those who place a higher value on the environment .” Therefore, the benefit of helping our environment is the greatest benefit of all. Although it might seem as if plastic is thrown away than it can not harm the environment, however, that is incorrect. Plastic is not biodegradable, therefore, it will never be able to completely decompose into the earth. With plastic not being able to decompose it takes up a large amount of space while also being capable of traveling through the air. Sati Manrich, the author of Plastic Recycling said, “The mounting volume of plastic residues, coupled with their extremely low biodegradability, generated a serious problem regarding the amount of space they took up.” Therefore, when plastic is thrown away it will last for at least four-hundred and fifty years before degrading in the landfills; thus allowing all the plastic that was thrown away in the last four-hundred and fifty years to start a stockpile in the landfills or even travel somewhere else.(Manrich
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical compound used to create polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastics are found in a wide range of products, but food and drink containers are the most concerning. Most people fear that BPA will have negative effect...