Plastic lingers on the planet indefinitely as it’s extremely hard to break down. Many plastic bags escape from garbage trucks and landfills, get blown into trees, gather into huge piles in waterways, and get caught in fences, blighting the landscape and posing a threat to animals which mistake them for food. And water bottles are scattered in ditches and along highways.
But most can be recycled at least a few times before becoming too weak. Unfortunately, municipal recycling laws and limited access to recyclers who accept all types of plastic have kept recycling rates low and in 2006, only seven percent of plastic garbage was recycled.
Even the production process of plastics is wasteful. Manufacturing plastic products, which are made from non-renewable petroleum and natural gas, emits sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide which are both accused of contributing to global warming, as well as other harmful chemicals. Making one plastic bottle generates more than 100 times as much toxic emissions than making the same-sized bottle out of glass.
And that’s not all. The danger to our health from using plastic products is considerable, as the materials used in their manufacture can expose us to chemicals that are hazardous. For example, most meats and cheeses are wrapped in PVC, which contains chemicals that leak out into the foods and are suspect in causing birth defects and damage to the liver, kidneys and lungs. Plastic baby bottles and certain types of microwave ovenware contain bisphenol A, or BPA, which scientists are concluding seriously raise risk of heart disease, obesity, hyperactivity in children, and diabetes.
Consumers can ensure their own safety by looking on the bottom of plastic products for an identifier number, from one to seven, found in a recycling triangle. Only three types of plastic are your best choices, numbers 2, 4, and 5 as they transmit no known chemicals into food and they're generally recyclable. The others are disposable and meant to be used only one time, such as soda pop, or avoided totally. Fortunately, the safer products include sandwich bags, cling wrap, yogurt cups and tubs, and some plastic water bottles.
What can citizens do to stop the use of these health-damaging and environmentally-unfriendly plastic products? Try to use PLA plastics, which are made from renewable resources such as corn, potatoes and sugar cane and anything else with high starch content. They are not only recyclable, but they can be composted because of their fibre content. Leftover food can be kept in glass bowls and covered with lids, or jars can be reused to store foods in the refrigerator as well. Stainless steel water bottles are easy to keep clean and can be safely used for years.
More individuals are catching on to the idea of purchasing a few cloth bags to replace plastic bags from retailers and in using more environmentally-friendly and safe storage containers. Together all users can stop the vast amount of unrecyclable plastic that’s collecting in the world’s oceans and forests and threatening the health of all inhabitants.
