HOW PLASTIC IS HARMFUL FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT?

 It threatens ecosystems, animals, and plant species, impeding their ability to deliver essential human services. While the leakage of plastics into the ocean and the subsequent impacts on marine life have been most studied, plastic pollution also affects freshwater and terrestrial ecosystem. Plastic is also hazardous because plastic is a non-biodegradable product.

The environmental crisis is emerging as a challenge for us. All the laws and rules made so far for protection are proving to be only bookish. We still do not understand the ecological imbalance. The whole country is facing a water crisis. The forest is engulfed in fire. Due to natural imbalance, destruction is coming into the mountain. People are longing for water drop by drop in Shimla, which is called the queen of mountains. The culture of economic liberalization and consumerism is swallowing up the villages from the villages to the cities. The growing pile of plastic waste is emerging as the biggest crisis for human civilization.

Economic liberalization is the root cause.

The entry of plastic in India took place in about the 60s. Today the situation has become such that in 60 years it has turned into a mountain. Two to three years ago, its use in the automobile sector alone in India was five thousand Tonnes per annum. In India, 1000 Tonnes of plastic waste is accumulated daily in units that go for recycling. 75 percent of which is consumed in the manufacture of slippers of low value. Its production in India in 1991 was nine lakh Tonnes. Due to economic liberalization, plastic is getting more promotion. According to a report published in 2014, 5000 billion pieces are floating in the ocean as plastic waste. With time, these pieces have turned into microplastics. According to biologists, this part floating on the ocean floor is only one percent of the total plastic. Whereas 99% is the stomach of sea creatures or hidden on the ocean floor.

Plastic is banned in 40 countries of the world. 

According to an estimate, by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the sea. Last year, the African country Kenya has also imposed a complete ban on plastic. After this ban, he joined the group of 40 countries in the world where plastic is completely banned. Not only this, but Kenya has also made a provision for severe punishment for this. The use of plastic bags or promoting their use can lead to imprisonment of up to four years and a fine of up to $40,000. Countries, where plastic is completely banned, include countries like France, China, Italy, and Rwanda. But in India, a flexible approach is being adopted to this. While the European Commission proposed that the use of plastics in Europe should be reduced every year.

Eight lakh tons of plastic bags are used every year in the countries of the European group. Whereas they are used only once. In 2010, people here used an average of 191 plastic bags per person. The European Commission was of the view that only six percent of it is made reusable. More than four billion plastic bags are thrown here every year. India is also not lagging in the use of plastic. About 56 lakh Tonnes of plastic waste is produced in the country every year. Out of which about 9205 Tonnes of plastic is recycled and reused. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, 690 Tonnes of plastic waste is dumped in Mumbai daily, with 690 Tonnes in Delhi, 429 Tonnes in Chennai, and 426 Tonnes in Kolkata. Now imagine how terrible the situation is.

Plastic in the form of soup in the ocean.

In the view of scientists, this growing plastic waste is taking the form of plastic soup in the Pacific Ocean. To discourage the use of plastic, Ireland imposed a tax of 15 Eurocents on every plastic bag in 2002. As a result, there was a reduction of up to 95 percent. While within a year, 90 percent of the shopkeepers started using other types of bags that were eco-friendly towards the environment. In the year 2007, it was taxed at 22 percent. In this way, the government put the money received from the tax into the environmental fund. Paper bags are very popular in a developed countries like America. Plastic is dangerous for us from production to use. It is manufactured from chemicals derived from petroleum. Environmentally, it is a big threat to human civilization in any situation. It is the biggest factor in water, air, and money pollution. Most of it is produced in small-scale industries where quality norms are not followed.

Plastic swallows soil fertility.

Recycling plastic waste is not easily possible. Because when they are burnt, where poisonous gas comes out. At the same time, it reaches the soil and destroys the fertility of the land. On the other hand, the loss of life in the stomach of cattle proves to be fatal. According to scientists, it takes 500 to 1000 years for plastic to break down. Every year 80 to 120 billion dollars of plastic is wasted in the world. Because of this, there is more pressure on the plastic industry to recycle and prepare plastic again. While 40 percent of plastic is used only for one-time use. Strict decisions have to be taken to ban the use of plastic. Only then we can stop the mountain of plastic i.e., garbage being made in the metros. If we do not take precautions in time, our environment will get polluted completely. Delhi is already infamous in the world for pollution. The increasing use of plastic in our lives is bent on swallowing up human civilization. Due to increasing pollution, this is the situation not only in Delhi but in all the metropolitan cities of India.

Total management is needed.

So far, we have not found any efficient management system for the disposal of plastic and other types of waste. So that this pile of garbage can turn into a mountain. The culture of consumerism has also targeted village degradation. Here too the plastic culture has dominated. Plastic bags have become the first choice after purchasing items from the market. No person is going to the market to shop with a bag in his hand. Even tea, milk, edible oil, and other types of liquids that are used in daily life are also being taken very fondly in plastics. While exposure to plastic in hot food items causes chemical reactions, which are injurious to health, the convenient culture is making us blind. As a result of which man is suffering from various diseases. 

But due to globalization, the trend of the market and consumer and materialism is destroying our social system, health as well as and economic system. Because of a corrupted culture, all situations are adversely affected. Solid management is needed for the disposal of plastic waste at the government level. We cannot save the environment in just one day, for this, the whole human race will have to fight a long battle by maintaining balance with nature. If we do not warn in time, then the increasing environmental crisis in the future will swallow our generation.

Boycott the plastic and save your nation.

                            Content Writer- Aryan Kumar.

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